Classic Chicken and Green Salsa Chilaquiles Recipe
Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican breakfast dish featuring crispy fried corn tortillas simmered in a flavorful blend of red and green chile sauces, topped with queso fresco, crema, avocado, and eggs. This hearty and comforting meal is often served with refried black beans and optional shredded chicken for added protein.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Tortillas and Frying
- 15 white corn tortillas, preferably older or stale
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Sauces
- 7 dried guajillo chiles
- 4 dried arbol chiles
- 3 tomatillos, medium size, outer leaf removed and washed
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- ½ small onion, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (about 4g)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (474g), plus additional as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Toppings and Sides
- 1/3 cup crumbled Queso fresco (40g)
- ¼ cup Mexican crema (56g) or sour cream
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 5 eggs, fried
- 15-ounce can black refried beans, warmed
- 1 ½ cups shredded chicken (optional, for a heartier dinner option)
Instructions
- Fry Tortillas: Cut the corn tortillas into 6 wedges and let them dry on the counter for a few hours or overnight to achieve crispiness. Heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, fry the tortilla wedges in batches until crisp, turning occasionally. Remove fried chips and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Soak Dried Chiles: Using scissors, cut open the dried guajillo and arbol chiles, removing veins and seeds. Place the chiles in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes until softened.
- Blend Salsa Verde: In a blender, combine 1/3 cup chicken broth, garlic cloves, oregano, and cumin seeds and blend well. Add the tomatillos and ¼ cup fresh cilantro, then blend until smooth to create the green tomatillo sauce.
- Simmer Green Sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for about 3 minutes until soft, then remove and set aside. Pour the green tomatillo sauce from the blender into the saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Blend Red Chile Sauce: Remove the softened red chiles from their soaking liquid with a slotted spoon and place them in the blender. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and blend until smooth.
- Combine Sauces: Pour the blended red chile sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the green sauce, pressing it through with a spoon for smoothness. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Add an additional 2/3 cup chicken broth and simmer for another 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with extra oregano or ground cumin if desired.
- Add Tortillas: Toss the crispy fried tortilla wedges into the combined sauce, stirring gently to coat all pieces evenly.
- Serve: Divide the coated chilaquiles onto plates. Garnish with crumbled queso fresco, some sautéed onions, a drizzle of Mexican crema, chopped avocado, and shredded chicken if using. Serve alongside warmed refried black beans and top each serving with a fried or sunny side up egg.
Notes
- You can air fry or bake the tortilla wedges as healthier alternatives to deep frying; store-bought crispy tortilla chips may also be used for convenience.
- Older or stale tortillas work best for frying as they hold their shape and crisp better.
- Adjust the amount of salt and spices according to taste preferences.
- The shredded chicken is optional but adds heartiness suitable for a dinner meal.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Keywords: chilaquiles, Mexican breakfast, tortilla chips, Mexican sauce, huevos, queso fresco, crema, avocado, refried beans
