Enchiladas Placeras (Plaza Style Enchiladas with Potato and Carrot)
Corn tortillas dunked in red chilli sauce, folded with chicken, then piled with fried potato, carrot, lettuce and fresh cheese.
Made with Red enchilada sauce and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.54 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Boil the potatoes and carrots together in salted water for 6 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
6 min - 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables for 8 minutes, turning, until golden at the edges. Season and keep warm.
8 min - 3
Warm the red enchilada sauce (see the base recipe) in a wide shallow pan to a gentle simmer.
- 4
Heat a large pan with the rest of the oil. Dunk a corn tortilla (see the base recipe) in the sauce, then fry it for 15 seconds each side. Fill with a spoonful of pollo deshebrado (see the base recipe) and fold in half. Repeat with all the tortillas.
- 5
Arrange 2 enchiladas on each plate, spoon over the remaining sauce and pile on the potatoes and carrots.
- 6
Top with lettuce, onion and queso fresco and serve straight away.
Tips
- Dunk the tortillas quickly in the warm sauce so they stay in one piece when folded.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots small and even so they cook at the same speed.
- Enchiladas placeras are usually served flat and topped, not rolled and baked.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Keep the chicken and vegetables separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What makes enchiladas placeras different?
The tortillas are dipped in chilli sauce and fried, then served topped with fried potato and carrot, lettuce and cheese, as sold at market stalls in central Mexico.
Can I make them vegetarian?
Replace the chicken with extra fried potatoes or a layer of refried beans. As written, this recipe contains chicken.
Are they very hot?
No, they are mildly spiced. Add salsa taquera at the table for extra heat.
More made with red enchilada sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.