The forty-third president was governor of Texas before entering the White House.
Historical reconstruction
Personal aide Blake Gottesman identified Tex-Mex as George W. Bush’s favourite cuisine. Chicken enchiladas translate that recorded cuisine preference into a specific dinner with red sauce and melted cheese.
The president & the table
Asked about George W. Bush’s favourite food, personal aide Blake Gottesman identified Tex-Mex as the best answer rather than selecting one particular dish. That is a useful distinction: a recorded preference for a cuisine gives a reconstruction a solid starting point.
Behind this story
Blake Gottesman, official White House question-and-answer session.
APRON ON. HISTORY CAN WAIT.
Make it at home.
Our home adaptation · Serves 4 · Not yet kitchen-tested
What you’ll need
Let’s make it
Heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Soften onion in oil for 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili blend and cumin for 30 seconds, then tomatoes, water and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Mix chicken with one-third of the sauce and one-third of the cheese. Warm tortillas briefly until flexible.
Spread a little sauce in a baking dish. Divide chicken among tortillas, roll and set seam-side down in the dish.
Cover with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbling and the filling reaches 74°C / 165°F.
Rest for 5 minutes and add optional cilantro and sour cream.
About this home version
A modern home recipe with practical ingredients and measured quantities.
Metric and US measures are approximate equivalents. For baking, use weights when you can.
