A while back I made these Chicken Tikka Masala Meatballs and y’all went crazy for them. I don’t blame you though because they’re delicious chicken meatballs cooked in a homemade flavorful tikka masala sauce, what’s not to like?! And because they were such a hit, I decided to give you another meatball skillet recipe to obsess over. I’m obsessing over it, and so I’ll just feel better if I weren’t the only one. These Skillet Enchilada Meatballs are cooked in a thickened enchilada sauce with sliced tortillas and lots of cheese. They’re a much easier way to make and eat enchiladas, but better yet, meatballs are involved and I’m always down for a dish with meatballs in it. Top it with your favorite taco fixings for that ultimate Tex-Mex dish that is perfect for weeknight meals, weekend family gatherings or even potlucks!
Let’s start by making the meatballs. Combine the ground sirloin, eggs, grated onion, bread crumbs, roasted green chiles, taco seasoning, salt and pepper until evenly incorporated.
**Tip: I’m using ground sirloin because I love minced beef enchiladas, but feel free to use ground chicken, turkey or even pork for the meatballs if you prefer!**
Shape the meatballs into rounds slightly larger than golf balls and place on a small baking sheet or platter as you continue to shape the rest of the mixture.
**Note: You can make them as big or as little as you’d like, just keep in mind that you don’t want to make them too large or else they’ll take forever to cook through.**
Set a large skillet over moderate heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook until browned on the first side, about 4 to 5 minutes, turn over and continue to cook until the second side has browned.
**Tip: You might have to cook the meatballs in batches, you don’t want to over-crowd the pan because if you do, the meatballs won’t brown properly. You’re also not looking to cook the meatballs all the way through because they’ll continue to cook in the sauce later on.**
Once the meatballs have browned, transfer to a platter or baking sheet and then whisk in the flour into the remaining grease in the skillet. Cook for about 30 seconds, whisking constantly to cook off that raw flour taste. Then slowly whisk in the chicken stock. Cook until the sauce has thickened and then add in the enchilada sauce.
**Tip: I’m using red enchilada sauce for this dish, but if you prefer green sauce, you can use that instead!**
Once the sauce has warmed through and thickened a bit, you can add in the tortillas and give them a gentle stir so that they’re evenly coated in the sauce.
Then return the meatballs into the sauce, again tucking them into the sauce and covering them as much as possible. You want the meatballs to be coated in sauce so that they don’t dry out.
Sprinkle the top with lots of shredded Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven until the casserole begins to bubble and the cheese has melted through, 20 to 25 minutes.
Carefully remove from the oven and top with lots of fresh cilantro, radish slices, and crumbled cotija cheese right before serving.
**Tip: Cotija is a hard crumbly salty Mexican cheese that can be found in the hispanic section of the cheese aisle, but if you can’t find it for some reason, you can use feta or just skip it altogether.**
I like to serve this casserole with rice and beans on the side to have a complete Tex-Mex meal, but if you want to be somewhat healthy about it, a salad would be great too.
You know I’m always looking for ways to make my recipes even easier for you all, so if you don’t want to go through the hassle of making meatballs, you can just brown the ground beef in the skillet with onions and garlic and then proceed as directed in the recipe! It would be a rustic ground beef enchilada casserole and I wouldn’t be mad at it.
Whenever I eat enchiladas I love to top them with shredded iceberg lettuce and then dollop with sour cream, salsa and avocado. I call them loaded enchiladas and it’s to die for. I love to top these meatballs in the same way!
I hope you give this recipe a try soon, and I hope you love it just as much as I do! If you make it, or any other recipe from the site, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram and tag it with #TheCandidAppetite or #CandidAppetite! I’d love to see them!
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 2 large eggs
- ½ small yellow onion, finely grated and drained
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 (30-ounce) can red or green enchilada sauce
- 10 corn tortillas, cut into triangles
- 1½ cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 to 5 radishes, sliced
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground sirloin, eggs, onion, bread crumbs, green chiles, taco seasoning, salt and pepper until evenly incorporated. Shape into round slightly bigger than a golf ball, placing on a small baking sheet or platter.
- Place a large skillet over moderate heat with the oil. Once hot, brown the meatballs in batches, cooking about 2 to 3 minutes per side. You don't need to cook them all the way, they'll continue to cook in the sauce later on! Continue browning the meatballs until all are done, transferring them to a platter or plate as they've finished browning.
- Whisk the flour into the skillet, with the remaining fat and all, and cook for about 30 seconds or so. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and cook until it has thickened. Stir in the enchilada sauce and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thickened as well. Gently stir in the tortillas until evenly coated in sauce. Then nestle the meatballs back into the skillet, coating each with the sauce. Sprinkle with the shredded Monterey jack, and bake until bubbly and the cheese has melted, about 20 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and top with cilantro, radish, and cotija cheese right before serving. Enjoy!
This dish looks fantastic, Jonathan. I’ll be making it soon. Thanks!
Gorgeous! ???
Arg! Looks so good, but enchilada sauce is impossible to find overseas! Got a good green (or red, not picky=) enchilada sauce recipe to share? Would so love to make this!