Mexican Chilaquiles

Name: Mexican Chilaquiles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 10 Corn Tortillas (cut into 6-8 wedges); Vegetable Oil (any neutral frying oil); ½ tsp Salt; ¼ tsp Pepper; 2 cups Salsa Roja (may also use Salsa Verde or any other Chile Red Sauce); 3 tbsp Fresh Cilantro (chopped); Suggested Garnishes; 1/3 cup Cotija Cheese or Queso Fresco; 3 Eggs (one for each serving, fried); ¼ cup Crema 0r Sour Cream; 1 Avocado (cubed); Fresh Cilantro; Optional- Jalapeno Slices

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If you aren’t familiar with authentic Mexican cuisine, allow me to introduce a dish you’re totally missing out on: chilaquiles! Chilaquiles are tortilla chips saturated in sauce, and usually topped with cheese and a fried egg. It makes for an absolutely crave worthy traditional Mexican breakfast, but you can enjoy them any time of day! I'm not Mexican, but I gave this authentic mexican chilaquiles recipe my best shot!

While the taste may be the most compelling thing about this dish, it is also super quick and easy to make. You can have tasty chilaquiles on your table in just 15 minutes. Add a few extra minutes if you are frying an egg.

Why You'll Love These Mexican Chilaquiles

• Penny Pincher - One of my favorite things about this dish is how affordable it is to make. Even with all the optional garnishes, it only costs a few bucks for the entire batch.

• Fast Food - This recipe takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish. It makes for a great breakfast, or a low effort midnight snack!

Ingredients for Mexican Chilaquiles

Tortillas - Tortillas are the base of your chilaquiles. You should make your chilaquiles with corn tortillas. Fried corn tortillas are the best! Flour tortillas will not have the same texture and flavor. You will need 10 corn tortillas. You should cut the tortillas into 6-8 wedges, each.
Vegetable Oil - You will need ⅛ inch of oil for frying. Vegetable oil works great, but any neutral oil is fine.
Salt & Pepper - You will need about ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper to season your dish.
Salsa Roja - Sauce is really important in Chilaquiles, as there will be a lot of it. You will need 2 cups. If you don’t like salsa roja, you can use salsa verde or any other chile red chile sauce.
Cilantro - Fresh cilantro brings a punch of flavor to your chilaquiles. You will need 3 tbsp, chopped.

Suggested Garnishes

Cheese - Though the tortillas themselves are lovely, I definitely recommend adding these optional garnishes. Cotija is a great choice for cheese, but queso fresco is also nice.
Eggs - This may be the tastiest way to enjoy a fried egg. You should fry one egg per serving. This recipe is for 3 servings, so you will need 3 eggs.
Sour Cream - Sour cream adds a nice variety in texture and flavor. Alternatively, you can drizzle crema on your chilaquiles. It will take ¼ cup.
Avocado - Cube 1 avocado for serving. Avocado is delicious, plus it amps up the nutritional value of this dish.
Cilantro - You will use your 3 tbsp of cilantro to cook your chilaquiles, but it can also make a delicious garnish if you grab a little extra.
Jalapeno - Slices of jalapeno can add crunch, brightness, and a kick of spice to your dish. They’re totally optional!

Substitutions

• Want to make this dairy free? imply substitute shredded non-dairy mexican cheese, or non-dairy mozzarella.

• To make your own crema drizzle, mix plain, unsweetened yogurt and a little lime juice until smooth.

• Choose a sauce that suits your desired spice level. Salsa roja, salsa verde, and enchilada sauce all work well.

How to Make Mexican Chilaquiles

Fry the tortillas over medium-high heat in ⅛ inch frying oil. Fry for 30-45 seconds making sure the tortillas are crisp and golden but not over or undercooked. When done, remove and drain on a paper towel. Reserve 2 tablespoons of fryer oil.
Heat salsa roja (red chile sauce) to the pan over medium heat along with 2 tablespoons of the frying oil and 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro.
Add the fried tortilla chips to the sauce and gently fold until all are warm and coated.
Remove from heat and serve with scrambled eggs, fried eggs and garnishes on top. Sometimes I like adding cotija cheese, shredded chicken and red sauce of course.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Start by frying your tortillas. Heat ⅛ inch neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add your sliced tortilla wedges, and fry for 30-45 seconds. Your tortillas should be crisp and golden brown. If you fry them too long they will get hard. If you don’t fry them long enough, they will get soggy when you coat them in sauce. Place the fried tortillas on a paper towel to drain off the excess oil. Reserve 2 tbsp frying oil.

Keeping your 2 tbsp frying oil in the pan, add your salsa roja and 3 tbsp cilantro.

Next, add your tortillas back to the pan and gently fold into your sauce until they are all coated.

Remove your chilaquiles from the burner and serve warm with fried eggs and garnishes on top.

Cook's Tips

• If you want to reduce the spice level on your jalapenos, cut the seeds out of the center. If you really want to take the spice level down, you can also rinse them under cool water. Always wear gloves when handling jalapenos.

• If you prefer your cheese melty, add it to the pan and cover for a few minutes at the end of cooking.

Storage Instructions

Chilaquiles are best enjoyed fresh, but will also last 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat leftovers in a skillet until warm.
Store wet toppings, such as sour cream and avocado, separately from your leftover chilaquiles.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with a side of beans and chorizo.
If you want more toppings, try diced tomatoes or pickled onion.

FAQ:

Should chilaquiles be crunchy or soft?

Part of what makes chilaquiles so delicious and special is that they are kind of their own texture. They are softer than your average tortilla chip, but not completely soggy. To achieve the perfect consistency, make sure you fry your tortillas until just golden.

Are Mexican chilaquiles healthy?

The nutritional value of your chilaquiles really comes down to the ingredients you choose. If nutrition is a concern, the most important factor to consider is what type of frying oil you choose. The egg and avocado add great nutritional value. A yogurt based crema will be healthier than sour cream.

What is chilaquiles traditionally served with?

Chilaquiles are traditionally topped with cheese and a fried egg, and sometimes avocado and crema. Beans and onions are also popular with chilaquiles.

Looking for more dinner recipes?

Looking for more easy recipe ideas? Try these Easy Beef Milanesa recipe or you may like this Peruvian Chicken Recipe

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