What are Mexican Chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-KEE-lays) is a traditional Mexican breakfast dish made with corn tortilla chips covered in red or green salsa sauce. Often Shredded chicken is mixed through the sauce and for its most recognizable finishing touch, a fried egg is always famously placed on top.
Are chilaquiles tortilla chips crispy or soft?
Chilaquiles recipes vary from region to region. In central Mexico, it’s common for the tortilla chips to remain crispy, with the cooled sauce being poured over right before serving. In other regions of Mexico, chips are mixed through the hot sauce and simmered until the tortilla starts softening. In contrast to nachos, chilaquiles are eaten with a knife and fork and not by hand.
What is chilaquiles sauce made of?
Chilaquiles rojos (red)
Chilaquiles rojos are traditionally made by charring the outside of fresh tomatoes over a grill, then crushing down and simmering them into a sauce along with onion, jalapeños, garlic, and chicken broth.
Chilaquiles verdes (green)
Chilaquiles Verdes are made in the same method but with green tomatoes known as tomatillos and also simmered into a sauce with onions, jalapeños and cilantro.
Modernized versions
With no access to a grill and for the sake of convenience, chilaquiles are often made with tinned tomatoes to replace fresh ones. In this recipe, jarred passata makes the perfect fast but delicious sauce ready in minutes to pour over shop-bought tortilla chips.
Easy chilaquiles recipe
This recipe is made with speed and ‘instant hunger-crushing’ in mind. Think of it as a replacement for fast food or a take-out meal. It should be quick and easy to prepare whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, but with the highest level of satisfaction. This Chilaquiles version is also the perfect late-night snack after a good night out.
Preparing the chilaquiles sauce
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a pan and heat through for 5 minutes.
- Add shredded chicken
- Let the sauce cool down for a few minutes. To finish, stir through the tortilla chips making sure they are coated evenly in the sauce.
What do you put on top of chilaquiles?
The most common garnish used in Mexico is crumbled queso fresco, sliced onion and avocado slices. Side dishes often include refried beans and guacamole.
As chilaquiles have become a loved Westernized dish, new garnishes such as sliced feta, sliced red onion, sour cream, jalapeños, fresh red chilli, lime wedges and coriander have become popular choices.
Mexican Chilaquiles
Ingredients
- Chilaquiles
- 500 ml Passata
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- Pinch sugar
- Fresh or dried red chilli
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Sea salt flakes and pepper
- 250 g cooked shredded chicken
- 2 eggs
- 300 g tortilla chips
Garnish
- White onion thinly sliced
- Fresh or jarred jalapeño slices
- Sour cream
- Handful coriander leaves
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare garnishes of white onion, jalapeños, sour cream and lime wedges. Set aside.
- Combine passata, chicken stock, oregano, powdered onion and garlic, vinegar, sugar and chili in a pan and over medium heat cook through for 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken, combine and cook a further 1 minute. Remove from heat, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed (sauce should not be too thick. Add a little water to loosen if this happens)
- Whilst the sauce is cooling heat another frying pan with oil and when very hot, crack in eggs. Fry until edges are crispy, do not flip. Season with sea salt flakes or this smoke salt.
- To serve. Stir tortilla chips through tomato chicken sauce so they are nicely coated. To avoid them becoming soggy, immediately divide them between two bowls. Top with fried eggs, onion slices, jalapeños, sour cream and coriander. Serve with a side of lime wedges and extra chilli.
Notes
- To further enhance your chilaquiles sprinkle eggs with Smoke Salt
- The perfect beer pairing for this chilaquiles dish is a Blonde Michelada
