enchilada

noun

en·​chi·​la·​da ˌen-chə-ˈlä-də 

1

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

2

: schmear sense 1, ball of wax

the whole enchilada

Examples of enchilada in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The fillings in the beef and chicken enchiladas were flavorful, but the chipotle queso on one enchilada seemed barely more than a drizzle. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Dec. 2025

El Adobe is worth a visit for its historical significance alone, but be sure to stick around for the fajitas, enchiladas, and tacos. —Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 18 Nov. 2025

Curry spent $16 on potatoes, ground turkey, an onion, a bell pepper, cheese, enchilada sauce and a can of black beans and turned them into three dishes for the week. —NPR, 11 Nov. 2025

There are also vegetarian and vegan options like cauliflower al pastor tacos or veggie enchiladas. —Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing enchilada

• the big enchilada
• the whole enchilada

Rhymes for enchilada

• arthropoda
• intifada
• theravada
• armada
• entrada
• espada
• hamada
• jornada
• kannada
• posada
• quebrada
• ramada

Kids Definition

enchilada

noun

en·​chi·​la·​da ˌen-chə-ˈläd-ə 

: a tortilla rolled around a meat or cheese filling and covered with a chili sauce

Etymology

American Spanish, derived from earlier enchilar "to season with chili"