Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles made from crispy corn tortillas tossed in a salsa roja (red chile sauce) and topped with cheese, Mexican crema, and more!
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 9 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 2 árbol chiles, rinsed and stemmed (optional)
- Water, as needed
- 1 Roma tomato
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ medium white onion
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
For serving
- Cotija cheese
- Chopped cilantro
- Thinly sliced white onions
- Mexican crema or sour cream
- Fried eggs
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the guajillo chiles, árbol chiles, and enough water to completely cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the chiles soak for 10 minutes to soften.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles to a blender. Add 1 ½ cups fresh water, the tomato, garlic, onion, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. If the sauce is not smooth, strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids.
- Stack the corn tortillas on top of each other and cut them into eighths to create small triangle wedges. Line a large plate with paper towels and set it aside.
- Fill a large sauté pan or deep skillet with about 2 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches at least 350°F. (To test, drop a small piece of tortilla in the oil. If it sizzles, it's ready.)
- Working in batches, add half of the tortillas and fry for 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until they are crispy. Transfer them to the lined plate to drain and repeat the frying process with the remaining tortilla wedges.
- In a separate sauté pan or skillet, heat 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil. Pour in the salsa roja and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the fried tortilla chips. Gently toss them together to coat.
- Serve immediately and garnish with cotija cheese, cilantro, onions, and Mexican crema. Top with a fried egg if desired.
Video
Notes
- Spice level: The árbol chiles add a little heat to this salsa roja. If you don’t want it spicy, you can leave it out.
- The sauce: I highly recommend you make your own salsa, but if you don’t have time, feel free to use 1 1/2 cups of your favorite store-bought red enchilada sauce.
- Baking instead of frying: If you don’t want to lightly fry the tortilla wedges, you can bake them instead. Simply spread them in a single layer on two greased baking sheets and lightly spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 15 minutes until crispy.
- Store-bought chips: I'm not a fan of using store-bought tortilla chips because they tend to get soggy really quickly when mixed in the sauce, whereas homemade chips are sturdier and can withstand more liquid. However, if you do use store-bought chips, make sure they're thick and sturdy. Many Mexican grocery stores often sell homemade tortilla chips that you can purchase!
- Serving: One of the most popular ways to serve chilaquiles is with a fried or sunny-side-up egg!
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4th of recipe | Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 916mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2283IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg