enchilada
An enchilada is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a corn tortilla rolled around a filling—typically meat, cheese, or beans—and covered in a savory chili pepper sauce. The mental image is of a warm, comfort-food roll drenched in vibrant red or green salsa, often topped with melted cheese, onions, or sour cream. In casual English, the term is most famous for the idiomatic expression "the whole enchilada," which refers to the entirety of something or the "whole package." When referring to the food, it is a staple of Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine, often appearing on menus alongside tacos and burritos.
In conversation
Ordering at a restaurant
Would you like the beef or the chicken enchiladas today?
Would you like the beef or the chicken enchiladas today?
I'll go with the chicken, please. Make it extra spicy!
I'll go with the chicken, please. Make it extra spicy!
Enchiladas are almost always served in plural form when ordering a meal.
Discussing a project
Do we just need to finish the report, or the whole enchilada?
Do we just need to finish the report, or the whole enchilada?
We need the report, the presentation, and the budget analysis. The whole enchilada.
We need the report, the presentation, and the budget analysis. The whole enchilada.
Using the phrase 'the whole enchilada' is a common idiomatic way to emphasize completing every single part of a task.
Examples
I ordered a plate of cheese enchiladas for dinner.
I ordered a plate of cheese enchiladas for dinner.
The recipe calls for a specific red chili sauce to make authentic enchiladas.
The recipe calls for a specific red chili sauce to make authentic enchiladas.
If you want to win the contract, you have to present the whole enchilada, not just the summary.
If you want to win the contract, you have to present the whole enchilada, not just the summary.
