enchilada

noun en·chi·la·da \ ˌen-chə-ˈlä-də \

Definition of enchilada

1 :a usually corn tortilla rolled around a savory mixture, covered with chili sauce, and usually baked

2 :schmear, ball of wax

the whole enchilada

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Recent Examples of enchilada from the Web

The filling is left to the chef’s whim in the Southwest green chile enchiladas ($12.95), a whim which brought us deliciously meaty artichoke hearts during a recent visit.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "El Mundo's 'controlled chaos' is worth the delicious wait | Review," 30 Aug. 2017
Menu items include chicken fajita salad and enchiladas smothered in red pork chile, using family recipes from E.C.’s parents, natives of Guadalajara, Mexico. ▪ Brioche French Bakery & Cafe:

— joyce smith, kansascity, "Going to St. Joseph for the eclipse? Here’s everything to eat and do under the sun," 11 Aug. 2017
And outside the budget process, Senate Democrats would have veto power over the whole enchilada.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "The GOP Health Care Bill Was a Mess. The GOP’s Tax Plans Are Messier.," 2 Aug. 2017
Ludtke has posted a perfect beer-friendly menu: pretzel-bun bratwurst sliders with caramelized onions; herb and mustard potato salad; corn, tomato and bacon salad; chicken enchilada suiza and dessert of raspberry cheesecake brownies.

— brian j. cantwell, The Seattle Times, "Taste some ales while you take a sail on classic schooner Zodiac on Bellingham Bay," 19 July 2017
The charred eggplant enchiladas are crafted from heirloom-corn tortillas.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
For those of you too young to remember the circus, imagine Malaysian Flight 370 and the Trump/Russian investigation, Hurricane Katrina and Katie Couric’s colonoscopy wrapped into one talking-head enchilada.

— david whitley, OrlandoSentinel.com, "O.J. Simpson should stay bottled up before he goes to Disney World," 18 July 2017
On the Dallas menu, the lobster-tail fajitas tie with the lobster rice with scallops for most expensive dish, at $29; the least expensive entree (not counting taco plates) is enchiladas verdes de pollo at $14.

— robert philpot, star-telegram, "Thai, Mexican restaurants moving into the West 7th area," 17 July 2017
Other plates include enchiladas verdes filled with chicken breast.

— carol deptolla, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Brunch spot Sabrosa Cafe now serving," 6 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enchilada.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of enchilada

American Spanish, from feminine of enchilado, past participle of enchilar to season with chili, from Spanish en- ¹en- + chile chili

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First Known Use: 1878

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ENCHILADA Defined for English Language Learners

enchilada

noun

Definition of enchilada for English Language Learners

: a Mexican food that consists of a flat piece of bread (called a tortilla) that is rolled around a meat, bean, or cheese filling and covered with a sauce