Chilaquiles

## What Are Chilaquiles?

pronounced: (chee-lah-Kee-les)

The word chilaquiles comes from the Nahuatl language, meaning chilis and greens. A traditional dish served in Mexico, the recipe hit the United States in 1898 when featured in The Spanish Cookbook, by Encarnación Pinedo.

At its most basic, chilaquiles consist of fried corn tortilla chips simmered in a brothy sauce. Not only is this dish affordable, but it’s also great for entertaining since both major components (the chips and the sauce) can be made in advance.

Chilaquiles are usually made with day-old tortillas cut into triangles and fried.

There are a lot of different recipes on the net for this dish. Here are only a few more recipes -

* https://www.allrecipes.com/search?q=Chilaquiles+
* https://www.loveandlemons.com/chilaquiles/
* https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/tortilla-chip-chilaquiles-3676476

## How to make it

This is a great dish to make using slightly stale or left over corn chip snacks. It can be made with meat or without, topped with a fried or poached egg or not. Top with a variety of goodies such as avocados, sour cream, cheese or anything else you desire. It can also be made in the traditional way, as Chilaquiles Rojos or Chilaquiles Verdes.

### Traditional

This is a traditional chilaquiles recipe that is great to eat for breakfast with fried eggs or for dinner as a main course with a salad.
**Ingredients**

* 8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed
* 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
* 1 poblano pepper, peeled and seeded
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
* ¾ cup chopped cilantro
* 4 cloves garlic
* 2 leaves fresh mint
* salt to taste
* 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
* ¼ cup vegetable oil
* 12 (6 inch) white corn tortillas, cut into 3 strips
* ¾ cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
* ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
* Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

**Directions**

1. Blend tomatillos, onion, poblano pepper, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, garlic, mint, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chicken to tomatillo sauce and continue to simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes more.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until crisp and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Layer about 1/2 of the fried tortillas in a 2-quart baking dish; spread 1/2 of the tomatillo sauce over tortillas. Mix pepper Jack cheese and Monterey Jack cheese in a bowl; sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese mix over tomatillo sauce. Repeat layers.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool before serving, about 5 minutes.

### Chilaquiles Rojos

Charring the tomato and onion before adding them to the red chile sauce is a quick way to create rich, slow-cooked flavor. Thick-cut fresh tortilla chips soak up the sauce and runny egg yolks without getting soggy.

**Ingredients**

* 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes (about 8 medium), halved lengthwise
* 1 medium-size white onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
* 2 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed and seeded
* 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
* 1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed and seeded
* 3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
* 1 quart water
* 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and stems separated, divided
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 4 large eggs
* 12 cups thick corn tortilla chips (such as Montes)
* 2 avocados, sliced
* 8 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 2 cups)
* 1/2 cup Mexican crema, for serving

**Directions**

1. Preheat broiler with oven rack in middle of oven. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, and onion on a rimmed baking sheet, and broil in preheated oven on middle rack until charred, 16 to 22 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add chiles and garlic cloves, and cook, turning often, until chiles are fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove chiles from skillet. Continue cooking garlic cloves, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots and softened, about 10 minutes total. Let garlic cloves cool 10 minutes; peel and set aside.
3. Bring 1 quart water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Add toasted chiles, and boil, stirring occasionally, until chiles are softened, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
4. Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, chiles, oregano, salt, reserved cooking liquid, and 1 cup cilantro stems in a blender. (Reserve any remaining cilantro stems for another use.) Process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids. Set red chile sauce aside.
5. Heat oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium. Crack eggs into skillet, leaving 1 inch between them. Cook until edges are set and starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Cover skillet, and cook until whites are set and yolks reach desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes for runny yolks. Transfer eggs to a plate; tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Add red chile sauce to skillet over medium. Bring to a simmer. Pour red chile sauce over chips in a large bowl; toss to coat. Divide chip mixture evenly among 4 plates. Top evenly with eggs, avocado slices, queso fresco, crema, and desired amount of cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

### Chilaquiles Verdes

This Authentic Chilaquiles Verdes recipe is everything you love about a classic Mexican meal. Crispy corn tortillas smothered in a flavorful tomatillo sauce plus your favorite toppings. Easy to customize and always so delicious!

**Ingredients**

* 12 corn tortillas cut into triangles
* 3 Tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil For baking the tortillas. See note below
* 2 cups homemade Tomatillo Salsa Verde or store bought
* 1/3 cup queso fresco or cotija crumbled
* 2 to 4 eggs optional
* 1/2 cup mexican crema or cilantro Lime Rancho Crema

**Directions**

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush the corn tortillas triangles with olive oil (use 2 Tbsp or as much as needed) and place on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
3. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until slightly brown and crispy. Set aside
4. Meanwhile, add the 2 cups of Salsa Verde in a medium pan and simmer until hot.
5. Add the crispy tortilla chips to the pan with the Salsa Verde and fold until all of the tortillas are covered.
6. Serve immediately while the tortillas are crispy
7. Top with crumbled queso fresco and drizzle some Mexican crema or my Cilantro Lime Rancho Crema
8. Serve with fried eggs (optional) and refried beans.

**Notes**
You can skip the baking process and fry the tortillas in hot oil until evenly crispy. Start with one cup of hot oil. You can make the Tomatillo Sauce ahead of time to save time for weeknight dinners. Using rotisserie chicken will save additional time as well!

### Toppings

Include any or all that suites your tastes.

* Poached or Fried egg.
* Sliced Radishes
* Sour Cream
* Avocado
* Diced Tomatoes
* Cilantro leaves

## References

### Citations

1. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/chilaquiles-recipe-268271
2. ↑ https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-suggestions-for-chilaquiles-with-tortilla-chips-and-salsa
3. ↑ https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230156/traditional-chilaquiles/
4. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chilaquiles-rojos-fried-eggs-and-cotija
5. ↑ https://www.muydelish.com/green-chicken-chilaquiles/

### Bibliography

* www.thekitchn.com
* www.foodandwine.com
* www.muydelish.com
* www.allrecipes.com