Chilaquiles: Everyone's Favorite Comfort Food
While Mediterranean food is my birthright, Mexican food is my privilege.
Living in L.A, I have done my fair share of self-guided food tours through some of the best south-of-the-border restaurants. And let me tell you: If you serve me up a mean plate of chilaquiles, I’m your customer for life.
Last month, I detailed how I design a themed photoshoot, from start to finish. I dove into every detail… except for the star of the show: This scrumptious plate of CHILAQUILES! Not only did I get requests from readers, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share with you my famous homemade chilaquiles recipe.
What are Chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles are an authentic, centuries-old Aztec and Mexican meal that has been passed down through generations; and they’re still a staple meal today. In their most basic form, chilaquiles are fried tortilla strips that have been sautéed in red or green sauce and are topped with any combination of cheese, eggs, veggies, and meat.
I can tell you from experience that even if you don’t grow up eating them, chilaquiles feel like a familiar comfort food.
They give you a moment of warm, crunchy, gooey, spicy, salty deliciousness that you didn’t know you needed. They’re a savory masterpiece of layered ingredients, and a hearty breakfast that deserves to be enjoyed any time of the day.
And trust me on this: You won’t find a better hangover food. Between the salt and the spice, your tummy will be settled, full, and happy when you crawl back into bed to catch some extra Z’s.
How do You Make Chilaquiles?
The thing about chilaquiles is that, even in their most basic form, they’re good. But if you’re willing to put in a little time and care, you can take them from “good” - to - “I’ve found my soulmate and we’re running away together”.
So even though there are plenty of shortcuts you can take, I really believe putting time into little details - like making your own sauce - is WORTH it. (Because I love to work with the ingredients I already have in my kitchen, I went with a red sauce.)
You should be able to find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store or latino market. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have some of them in your kitchen already.
Let’s dive in!
Red Chilaquiles Recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves
6 roma tomatoes
3 california chilies, dried
2 arbol chilies
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin ground
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chicken base paste
1 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
1 bag restaurant-style tortilla chips, packaged
4 oz queso fresco, crumbled
Toppings (optional) : Pico de gallo, avocado, red onion, cilantro, onion, jalapeños, sour cream, hot sauce
Method:
Prep dried chilis by removing seeds and ends.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, and tomatoes until it starts to brown (about 2 minutes) then add chilis, bay leaves, cumin ground, and oregano. Stir often for about 4 minutes to bring out the flavors of the spices.
Add chicken base paste and water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and cover. Simmer for 8 minutes.
Add everything to a blender and blend till smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return sauce to the pan.
Heat oil in another skillet and fry your eggs. Toss your chips in the sauce while the eggs are cooking.
Plate your sauced chips. Place fried egg on top and add your favorite toppings.
Suggestions:
Prepare ahead of time! You can make the sauce first and save it in a jar in the refrigerator to cut down your prep time.
Add a protein! Try this recipe with shredded chicken, shredded beef, or even tofu.
Ok, now take a bite! What do you think?!
The best part about chilaquiles is you have all the freedom in the world to make them your own. They’re a breeze to make and a great way to dress up your basic egg breakfast to collect happy ooo-la-laaa’s from all your friends and family.
So experiment! Get weird with cheeses, last night’s barbecue, and a whole mess of toppings.
Oh, and if you love this recipe, check out how I styled and shot this very chilaquiles recipe in this dreamy southwestern themed photoshoot.