Chilaquiles are a hearty, delicious, and easy-to-make Mexican breakfast dish that’ll knock your socks off! These budget-friendly bad boys are made with crispy tortilla chips soaked in a flavorful red enchilada sauce and served with loads of toppings. While cheese, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and eggs are traditional toppings for a Chilaquiles recipe, you can also clean out your fridge and use leftover veggies or meats. Budget win! This recipe is adapted from my friend Yvette Marquez Shapnack’s new cookbook, Muy Bueno Fiestas.
What Are Chilaquiles?
The word “chilaquiles” comes from the Nahuatl word “chīlliaquilitl,” which means “chili-soaked.” The freshly fried tortilla chips that this recipe calls for are lightly soaked in a chili sauce. Traditionally the fried tortillas are cooked in this salsa which softens the chips, but Yvette prefers her chips crunchier, so she drizzles the sauce on them instead. You can top chilaquiles with whatever your heart desires! When I was testing the recipe, I had a little bit of rotisserie chicken left (the back part that no one ever seems to want to eat), and I pulled it and topped my Chilaquiles with it. Delicious!
What You Need To Make Chilaquiles
The best thing about Chilaquiles is that you can top them with whatever you want and adjust the toppings to create a lighter or heartier dish. Yvette’s recipe keeps things pretty traditional. To make these Chilaquiles, you’ll need the following ingredients:
What To Serve With Chilaquiles
While chilaquiles can be a stand-alone breakfast dish, you can make them part of a bigger meal by adding side dishes. Serve Chilaquiles with our Cheesy Pinto Beans, Guacamole, Cowboy Caviar, or Tomato Rice. And don’t forget, they’re amazing with Fried Eggs!
Recipe by Cook Good Recipes
These budget-friendly bad boys are made with crispy, homemade tortilla chips soaked in a flavorful red enchilada sauce and served with loads of toppings.
Servings: 2 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Line a sheet pan or large plate with paper towels. Stack 8 corn tortillas and cut them into quarters.
- In a large skillet set over medium heat, warm the cooking oil until shimmering. Add two layers of tortilla quarters at a time and fry, turning as needed, until lightly browned and slightly crunchy, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer the tortilla quarters to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortilla quarters.
- Warm the red enchilada sauce* in a large saucepan.
- Divide tortilla chips between two large plates. Divide the warm sauce equally, drizzling it over the tortilla chips on each plate.
- Sprinkle each plate equally with the shredded Oaxaca cheese, crumbled queso fresco, fresh cilantro leaves, sliced green onions, diced avocado, and Mexican crema. Enjoy the ridiculously yummy contrasting flavors, textures, and temperatures immediately!
Notes
*Yvette Marquez-Shapnack’s recipe for Red Chile Sauce from her new cookbook, Muy Bueno Fiestas.
Ingredients
1⁄4 lb dried California or New Mexico red chiles
3 cups water
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
11⁄2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil, for cooking
Directions
Remove the stems, seeds, and veins from the chiles, then put them into a colander and rinse well under cool running water.
In a saucepan over high heat, combine the chiles with water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Using tongs, turn the chiles over so they will soften evenly, re-cover, and continue to simmer until softened, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well, discard the water, and let cool for several minutes before blending.
In a blender, combine the cooled chiles, water, flour, garlic, and salt and purée until smooth. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to remove the skins and seeds. Discard the solids in the sieve. Use immediately, or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving Calories: 546kcal Carbohydrates: 7g Protein: 17g Fat: 51g Sodium: 1005mg Fiber: 1g
Read our full nutrition disclaimer .
How to Make Chilaquiles – Step by Step Photos
Line a sheet pan or large plate with paper towels. Stack 8 corn tortillas and cut them into quarters.
In a large deep skillet set over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup cooking oil until shimmering. Add two layers of tortilla quarters at a time (8 quarters) and fry, turning as needed, until lightly browned and slightly crunchy, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer the tortilla quarters to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Repeat with the remaining tortilla quarters.
Warm the 10 ounces of enchilada sauce in a large saucepan. If you’d like to make your own enchilada sauce, you will find Yvette’s recipe in the notes section of the recipe card.
Divide tortilla chips between two large plates. Divide the warm enchilada sauce equally, drizzling it over the tortilla chips on each plate.
Next, divide the 1/2 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese, 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, 1/3 cup green onions, 1 diced avocado, and 2 tablespoons of Mexican crema. between two plates.
That’s it! I told you it was easy. Enjoy the ridiculously yummy contrasting flavors, textures, and temperatures immediately. Woot! And another one. (Said in my best DJ Khaled.)
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Recipe by Cook Good Recipes
