Chilaquiles are a classic dish in Mexico. Although they are often associated with breakfast they can be enjoyed for any meal. They are quite simple to make and you can add any number of favorites to make them to your tastes!
What are Chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles are a staple entree in many parts of Mexico. In the central regions they are often made with a green tomatillo based sauce, and in the northern regions often made with red salsas from dried chiles. There are so many varieties that some restaurants in Mexico serve menus with nothing but dozens of varieties of them. You can think of them as a sort of casserole. They can be made in large batches and work great for a crowd. For this reason Chilaquiles are a favorite in professional kitchens where cooks have all of the ingredients on hand and prepare a filling meal to serve the staff. Its very common to see these being made in huge trays all over commercial kitchens where staff can take breaks as needed and dish out for themselves. They are usually adored by everyone and are an easy crowd pleaser.
What ingredients do I need to prepare Chilaquiles?
As we mentioned above, Chilaquiles are very versatile. They can be completely vegan or with one or more proteins. We prepared this dish with chicken since it is a classic, but here are a few more tried and true chef tested additions that are promised to work great:
- Fried or scrambled eggs. Since they are often enjoyed for breakfast, even if using an additional protein, they are great to have on top as a creamy protein rich addition.
- Beans. Often times Chilaquiles are served with a puree underneath the baked chips. We left them out of this recipe since they are not mandatory, but work great here.
- Tortilla chips. Make sure to use corn chips as flour will turn into a soggy mush and lack the flavor. Also look for authentic freshly made corn tortilla chips. Large manufacturer tortilla chips are often made with a paste instead of whole cut and fried tortillas. The end result will be less layered and more like a grainy casserole. Some groceries offer freshly made, or look for brands that use a brown bag as they are a sign of “real” chips. Alternatively you could cut and fry yourself. Chilaquiles are often made with stale or broken chips in many households for a breakfast.
- The sauces. Usually a red, or a green, or even both side by side. There are some arguments even within Mexico of which are the “authentic” but in reality both are very popular and equally great. Chefs often prefer the green simply since they are cheaper and easier to make. We often think that the added benefit of acidic tomatillos helps break up the richness of the dish also. We used a classic Salsa verde here for this reason. Also if buying the salsa in a store this is easier to replicate as store bought red salsas are a different type than you should use. If you want to prepare using red salsa we would recommend enchilada sauce instead as it is closer to what is usually seen in Mexican Chilaquiles.
- Dairy. Grated cheeses such as oaxaca, chihuaha, or jack cheeses. Crumbled queso fresco or grated cotija all work well. Often times in addition to the cheese they are also garnished with crema fresca or sour cream.
- Proteins. This dish is perfectly delicious without any protein. That being said these are common additions that can be found…shredded chicken or duck, shrimp, poached, scrambled, and fried eggs, crab, and even whole braised pork ribs! All of these considered chicken and eggs are the usual standbys. In this recipe we used classic roasted chicken. You can buy this from a rotisserie chicken in the store if short on time, or use leftover chopped grilled chicken also!
- Onions. Pickled onions and shaved raw white onions are both great choices. Pickled chiles also help cut through the richness.
- Other fresh items such as avocado, radish, cilantro, spring onion, and pico de gallo are staples and provide a light contrast to the dish.
How to Make Chilaquiles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces Corn tortilla chips
- 2.5 cups Chicken shredded braised or roasted chicken. dark or light meat, or both work well
- 1 quart Salsa verde
- 2 cups Jack cheese for other options see recipe notes
- .5 ounces Cilantro
- 1 each Avocado Diced into cubes
- 2 ounces Heavy cream optional milk
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients.
- Layer the chips and chicken evenly. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat the salsa in a sauce pan and add cream to stabilize and round the flavors.
- Pour over the chips slowly and evenly. It does not have to cover the chips. The key is to have them soaked but not drenched for the perfect texture. The chips will break down.
- Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has soaked into the chips and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with cilantro, avocado, and other toppings according to taste. Buen provecho!
