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.

---

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

---

enchilada More Idioms  

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

---

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

Enchiritos, a fusion of an enchilada and burrito, typically going for around $4, were also offered for a dollar on Tuesday last week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

“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

For example, a $20 mole enchilada at a restaurant that levies a 5% fee to cover employee health costs will have to be listed on the menu as a $21 mole enchilada.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2024

Then add refried beans and finish the assembly with enchilada sauce, cheese, chopped tomatoes, scallions and sour cream.

From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2022

By the time she was done, Jake was surprised by how much he’d learned and retained—and not just how to find the bathroom or order an enchilada.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Organic food company Amy’s Kitchen, which started selling frozen pot pies nearly 40 years ago, recently rolled out family-size options for meals like vegetable lasagna, cheese enchiladas and pad thai.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

He gestured toward his wife, who stood behind a counter usually filled with premade food such as enchiladas and chiles relleno.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

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

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2025

While Coach Hedge was having dinner on the foredeck, a wild pegasus appeared from nowhere, stampeded over the coach’s enchiladas, and flew off again, leaving cheesy hoof prints all across the deck.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan