Where in my entire life have these crimson chilaquiles been? Tortilla chips cooked in sauce make up the traditional Mexican breakfast dish known as chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-key-less). Typically, they are cooked with red enchilada sauce or green salsa (salsa verde in Spanish, which results in chilaquiles verdes) (chilaquiles rojos).
I adore how the sauce seeps into the chips and makes them somewhat softer. This chip-based cuisine becomes more of a complete meal when fresh toppings like cilantro, radish or onion, crumbled cheese, and frequently fried eggs are added. Although I don’t think this straightforward recipe is really authentic, it should nonetheless sate your appetite for chilaquiles.
The sauce is crucial to chilaquiles’ success. With my own homemade salsa verde, I’ve already mastered the recipe for chilaquiles verdes. Holy smokes, I’ve been missing out! I finally cooked chilaquiles with my fave homemade enchilada sauce.
A tasty weekend breakfast or brunch dish is chilaquiles. They’re a terrific way to finish off a bag of leftover tortilla chips and a simple and cozy choice for breakfast for dinner. Are you prepared to learn how to manufacture them?
Ingredients for Rojo Chilaquiles
We’ll divide this chilaquiles recipe into three sections:
1) Chipotle sauce
Using a top-notch sauce is essential because it provides the foundation for the flavor of chilaquiles. I’ve included my go-to red enchilada sauce recipe in the recipe below because I really believe in it. Before adding the chips, I make a rich, long-simmered crimson sauce in a large skillet that is bursting with chili-pepper flavor.
You will need 2 cups whether you make your own red enchilada sauce from scratch or buy it from the store (the only reasonable choice I’ve found is Frontera brand).
2) Chips in tortillas
Fried tortilla chips are used to make true Mexican chilaquiles. I’ve tested both store-bought tortilla chips and homemade chilaquiles with freshly baked tortilla chips; more information on those choices is provided below.
3) Toppings!
Crisp radish, fresh cilantro, creamy avocado, and tangy shredded cheese all provide a wonderful counterpoint to the spicy chips. If you’re adding eggs as a topping to your chilaquiles, you should either cook the eggs before making the sauce or do it while the sauce is simmering (if you are great at multitasking).
Creating Chilaquiles
If you’re ready, making chilaquiles is simple. Make sure all of your ingredients are ready before you begin since chilaquiles come together rapidly. That also applies to the garnishes.
As soon as your ingredients are prepared, we will:
1) In a big skillet, prepare the enchilada sauce.
Throughout the entire recipe, we’ll use the same skillet. We’ll turn down the heat to its lowest setting after the enchilada sauce is ready, then…
2) After adding the tortilla chips, stir constantly.
Your tortilla chips may initially appear to never be completely coated, but they will. Cover the skillet for a few minutes if the chips haven’t melted during the stirring procedure.
3) Include toppings, then serve right away.
Without a copious amount of fresh toppings, chilaquiles are incomplete. If you wait too long to serve your chilaquiles, the chips may become soggy.
Comparison of homemade vs store-bought tortilla chips
Many recipes for chilaquiles call you making your own tortilla chips to fry. I don’t deep fry at home because I become scared of big pots of oil.
Another excellent choice is to use baked tortilla chips, which go really well with chilaquiles. Baked chips have the added benefit of using significantly less oil. The section below contains instructions.
I was unimpressed with the outcomes of my initial chilaquiles experiments when I used store-bought tortilla chips. Some brands taste oily or stale, and the chilaquiles pick up those flavors.
However, I’ve recently found a kind of tortilla chips—Late July’s chia and quinoa variety—that I truly enjoy in chilaquiles. These chips will be utilized in this article.
Making Crispy Tortilla Chips in the Oven
You’ll need 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 16 thin corn tortillas, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. This is how:
- Set the upper-middle and lower-middle racks in the oven and preheat it to 400 degrees. To make cleanup simple, line two sizable baking sheets with parchment paper. Each tortilla should have a light oil coating on both sides. The tortillas should be stacked four at a time, then cut into eight wedges. the remaining tortillas, and repeat. It’s okay if the chips overlap; they will drastically shrink as they bake. Divide the wedges evenly across the two baking sheets. Divide the salt in half and sprinkle it on each pans.
- Every 5 minutes, switch the pans on their racks and continue baking until the chips are beginning to curl at the edges and some are beginning to become brown. It might just take ten minutes to do this. Watch the top rack in particular because it usually bakes the longest. Move the pan on the lower rack to the top once you notice the edges of the chips on the top rack turning golden. Remove the chips from the oven after the edges have begun to become golden.
Adding eggs or not adding eggs
The query is that. Chilaquiles don’t always include eggs in Mexico. I was shocked when my fantastic green chilaquiles from Lardo in Mexico City didn’t have eggs because I had requested them.
Fried eggs are almost typically placed on top of chilaquiles in the United States, and they are excellent. I adore serving my handmade chilaquiles with eggs fried in olive oil because they get the most deliciously crunchy edges.
Because eggs give chilaquiles more substance, I enjoy adding eggs to them. Poached or scrambled eggs are also delicious.
Want a filling plant-based dish? Refried beans should be served alongside your chilaquiles. By the way, you can simply make these chilaquiles vegan or dairy-free; read the recipe notes for instructions.
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INGREDIENTS
- flour, 3 tablespoons (whole wheat, all-purpose, or gluten-free blend all work)
- 1 tablespoon of powdered chili
- 1 teaspoon of cumin, ground
- 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
- 14 teaspoon salt, or as desired
- Cinnamon pinch
- Extra virgin olive oil, 3 teaspoons
- Tomato paste, two tablespoons
- two cups of vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Every Other Thing
- 5 large handfuls (5 ounces) of handmade crispy baked tortilla chips or corn tortilla chips (see post)
- 13 cup crumbled feta, Cotija, or queso fresco cheese
- one tiny handful (about 3 tablespoons) sliced radish that has been thinned, or chopped red or green onions
- 1 mature avocado, thinly sliced or used to make guacamole.
- Optional: 4 eggs, either fried, scrambled, or poached
- Cut one small lime into wedges.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Making the sauce In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, salt, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Put the bowl containing the tomato paste and broth next to the burner.
- Warm the oil in a big skillet over medium heat until a small sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles when it comes in contact with it. This could take a few minutes. Pay attention to it.
- Pour the flour and spice mixture into it after it is prepared. Cook for about a minute, whisking frequently, until fragrant and just beginning to deepen in color. After mixing the tomato paste into the mixture, add the broth gradually while continuing to whisk to avoid any lumps.
- Turn heat down as needed to maintain a gentle simmer after increasing heat to medium-high and bringing the mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, whisking frequently, or until the sauce has slightly thickened and your spoon meets some resistance when stirring it.
- Turn down the heat as much as you can. Add the vinegar and cilantro, and then taste and add more salt if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two).
- How to make chilaquiles To the skillet, add the tortilla chips. Gently stir the chips with a flexible spatula until they are fully covered in the sauce. Although it may appear as though they never will be, keep stirring!
- Once coated, turn off the heat and remove the skillet. Check a chip to see if it has softened to your liking; I love my chips to be just little tender. If you’re not satisfied with the texture of the chips because they haven’t softened enough, cover the skillet for 1 to 4 minutes.
- Add lots of cheese crumbles, radish, and cilantro leaves to the chilaquiles. Scoop portions onto individual plates, top with a few avocado slices, a fried egg, and a wedge of lime, if desired. Chilaquiles should be served as soon as possible because the chips will continue to soften with time (do not re-cover the pan to preserve heat; the chips will get far too soggy).
NOTES
ON LEFTOVERS: Since the chips continue to soften over time, chilaquiles are best consumed soon after they are made. I wouldn’t anticipate having leftovers, then. If you’d prefer, you can divide the recipe in half to make 2 servings (use a 10″ skillet for this).
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Make sure to select tortilla chips that have been verified to be gluten-free, or make your own chips using gluten-free corn tortillas. Make the sauce with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
EASY WAY TO MAKE IT DAIRY FREE! Leave out the cheese and add a big dollop of cashew sour cream to each serving.
TURN IT VEGAN Leave out the cheese and add a big dollop of cashew sour cream to each serving. Don’t add eggs to the top of your chilaquiles. Serve with refried beans on the side for more protein.