enchilada

American  

[en-chuh-lah-duh, -lad-uh] / ˌɛn tʃəˈlɑ də, -ˈlæd ə /

noun

Mexican Cooking.

enchiladas plural

1. a tortilla rolled and filled with a seasoned mixture, usually containing meat, and covered with a sauce flavored with chiles.

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idioms

1. whole enchilada, the entirety of something, especially something impressive or outstanding.

   She has a job with money, prestige, and satisfaction—the whole enchilada.

2. big / top enchilada, big enchilada.

enchilada British  

/ ˌɛntʃɪˈlɑːdə /

noun

1. a Mexican dish consisting of a tortilla fried in hot fat, filled with meat, and served with a chilli sauce

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enchilada More Idioms  

1. see big cheese (enchilada); whole ball of wax (enchilada).

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• enchiladas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of enchilada

First recorded in 1885–90; from Central American Spanish, feminine of Spanish enchilado “spiced with chile” (past participle of enchilar ), equivalent to en- causative prefix + chil(e) “chile pepper” + -ado adjective suffix; see origin at en- ¹, chili, -ate ¹

Compare meaning

How does enchilada compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• enchilada vs. burrito

Explanation

An enchilada is a Mexican dish that's made from tortillas wrapped around meat or cheese, and cooked in a spicy sauce. The earliest enchiladas were simply a plain tortilla served with chili sauce. Enchilada comes from Mexican Spanish — it's the past participle of enchilar, or "season with chili." Traditional enchilada sauce is tomato-based and, appropriately, heavily seasoned with chili. You might've heard the phrases "the whole enchilada," which means "the entire thing;" or "the big enchilada," meaning "an extremely important person." Many people credit the Nixon administration's John Ehrlichman with this second term, which was famously caught on tape during the Watergate investigation.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

enchilada enchiladas

“Rescheduling is not the whole enchilada but it would be a big deal,” wrote analysts for Beacon Policy Advisors in a research note this week.

From Barron's ● Dec. 16, 2025

Indeed, though Gutierrez was a trailblazer, he still catered to the old-school American palate with comforting combo plates, such as Yolanda’s special, which featured an enchilada, a chile relleno and a taco.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2024

Now, excuse me while I go heat up a frozen enchilada.

From The Verge ● Jul. 25, 2022

So perhaps it’s only fair that my favorite enchilada memory is deeply local: After a graduation, I passed through Ninfa’s on Navigation Boulevard, with plans to seat a party of more than 20 to celebrate.

From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2022

Hustling through the throng comes the big enchilada himself: Brademas.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Olivia Kelly grew up watching her mother make her pizza and chicken enchiladas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

The enchiladas have a sweet and spicy combo of sauces on top that are so good.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025

I’d order the jerk chicken enchiladas, which comes with a side of rice and beans, mixed together.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2025

But if I’m going to stack a dozen enchiladas in the freezer, why not make them cute?

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2025

By six o’clock she was exhausted, almost too weary to talk with Salvador, who came to sit beside her in Señor Rodrigo’s kitchen and eat a dinner of enchiladas, beans, and rice.

From "Lupita Mañana" by Patricia Beatty