Chilaquiles — Tortilla Breakfast
Transform stale tortillas into a vibrant Mexican breakfast. Crispy chips simmered in tangy salsa, topped with your favorite fixings.
Chilaquiles — Tortilla Breakfast
Transform stale tortillas into a vibrant Mexican breakfast. Crispy chips simmered in tangy salsa, topped with your favorite fixings.
Key move
Briefly fry the tortillas to create a barrier against sogginess before adding them to the salsa.
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The Setup
- Skillet12-inch
- Paper Towels
The Mise en Place
5 of 7Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/1)
The Aromatics (0/1)
The Pantry (0/2)
The Finish (0/1)
Chips are soggy.
Make sure the oil is hot enough when frying the tortillas. Don't overcook the chips in the salsa.
Salsa is too watery.
Simmer the salsa for a longer time to reduce the liquid.
Chef's Notes
Fry tortilla pieces until golden and crisp, not soft. This prevents sogginess in the finished dish.
Don't overcrowd the pan when frying tortillas. Fry in batches for even crisping.
Top with a dollop of crema, crumbled cotija cheese, and fresh cilantro for a classic finish.
Fry tortilla chips a day ahead and store in an airtight container at room temp.
The Method
PREPARE
Prep aheadCut tortillas into quarters.
Tortillas are cut into quarters.
HEAT
Heat vegetable oil (½ cups) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Oil is shimmering in the skillet.
FRY
Fry tortilla quarters in batches until lightly golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Tortilla quarters are lightly golden and crispy.
POUR
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet. Add salsa (2 cups) and diced onion (½ cups). Bring to a simmer.
Salsa and onion are simmering in the skillet.
SIMMER
Simmer salsa (2 cups) for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Salsa has simmered for 5 minutes and thickened slightly.
ADD
Time-sensitiveAdd fried tortilla chips to the skillet with the salsa (2 cups). Gently toss to coat.
Tortilla chips are coated in salsa.
COOK
Time-sensitiveCook for 2-3 minutes, or until the chips have softened slightly but still retain some crispness.
Chips are slightly softened but still have some crispness.
SERVE
Serve immediately, topped with fried eggs (8 whole), crumbled queso fresco (1 cup), and Mexican crema (½ cups).
Chilaquiles are served with toppings.
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