Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles recipe video – scroll down for printable recipe

Chilaquiles are known throughout Mexico to be the best, most reliable hangover cure that exists (especially when paired with a michelada, wink wink!). They are probably one of the simplest Mexican breakfast recipes around, too. It starts out similar to making migas, with frying some corn tortillas until lightly crispy. Unlike migas, though, chilaquiles require zero chopping as long as you have the salsa already made, which makes it a much safer option in the kitchen for a person who may or may not be so hungover that she (or he) has double-vision and really probably should be at a hospital.

The best salsa to use for chilaquiles is a smooth, thin salsa. For green chilaquiles, this tomatillo salsa would be great. For red chilaquiles (my fave) this red enchilada sauce works AWESOMELY. Whichever salsa you use, you can scale this recipe up to feed as many people as you need to feed. I think these would be a fantastic brunch offering, too! Fry the chips ahead of time and keep warm in a 200øF oven. Have your salsa simmering in a pot. Have some cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, fresh onion at the ready. As guests arrive, you can just fry up eggs as needed while people assemble their own piles of chips, salsa, and garnishes. Voila. Super easy and delicious hangover brunch menu: at your service.

Chilaquiles recipe – printable card

chilaquiles

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Chilaquiles

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5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Hilah Johnson
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 1 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 23 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup warm salsa (red or green)
  • 12 teaspoon butter
  • 12 eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grated Cheddar or crumbled Cotija cheese
  • Other garnishes: avocado, onion, cilantro, sour cream

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Stack the tortillas and cut into 4 strips. Stack again and cut the long strips crosswise into pieces about 1/3″ wide x 1″ long.
  3. Fry the tortilla strips in the oil, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Remove and keep warm in the oven or arrange in a pile on your plate.
  4. Melt the butter in a small skillet. Fry the egg(s) to your liking.
  5. Right before serving, top the chips with warm salsa and the fried eggs.
  6. Sprinkle with cheese and any other garnish you like.

Notes

This recipe comes together in a snap if your salsa is already made. If you’ll be making the salsa before the chilaquiles, add another 20 minutes onto the cook time to make the salsa.

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chilaquiles and fried egg

Delicious? Yes. Tidy? By no means.

21 Comments

  1. Great Stone Face on May 3, 2013 at 9:35 am

    I like the idea of frying up tortilla strips to act as a base, then putting on the sauce and then the fried egg. For a previous recipe of yours, I think I commented that there are similarities (with variations) across national lines. I’ve put Israeli “shakshuka” and Italian “uova in purgatorio” over toast and polenta, respectively. In those recipes, the eggs are poached in the spicy sauce, rather than fried. I will try your recipe next time. Thanks!






    • Brittany Rebello on August 26, 2018 at 6:35 am

      Hi Hilah! I just wanted to tell you how much I LOVE your videos!!! I’m a white girl like yourself and my husband is mexican. I’ve come a lonngggg way when it comes to cooking because I started out knowing nothing about Mexican food. Before I started watching I learned to make salsas tortillas rice and some basic dishes oh and retried beans of course, but I struggled to find new recipes so I wasn’t making the same thing everyday. I started with your Camarones a la diabla video and was so impressed because the print version of the recipe looks impossible, but when I saw your video I was like holy crap she made that so simple! And they came out perfect the first time!!!! This recipe was super awesome for me also because I always have salsa verde made and stored every week so it’s like bam breakfast in a snap! Can’t wait to see more recipes!!!! Thankyou!

      • Hilah on August 26, 2018 at 3:22 pm

        Yesss!!! That’s so great to hear, Brittany! And yes, me too about the salsa. I usually make either red or green on the weekend and then use it different ways all week. Makes dinner so quick!

  2. Raymond on May 4, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    Hilah,

    I have to tell you, I love your vids as well as your recipes, you are reall and thats so impressinv, I check your website everyday for updates and I would love to watch you and Chel John at foodwishes.com do something up together.
    Raymond

    • Hilah on May 6, 2013 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks, Raymond! Yes, I love Chef John, too. Maybe one day both of our dreams will come true and I’ll meet him in person. 🙂

  3. Judy on May 6, 2013 at 10:31 am

    Hilah, made this on Sunday, it was a hit! My husband said we should try it with a patty of sausage also. Great quick breakfast!

    • Hilah on May 6, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      That’s great, Judy! Thanks for following up. I think your husband is on to something there with that sausage patty, too. 🙂

  4. The Other Randy on September 13, 2013 at 10:50 am

    Until now, I’ve loved chilaquiles but only eaten them in restaurants where I’ve always seen them topped with shredded chicken and served with a side of refried beans. Having unused, shredded chicken around is not something that happens very often in my kitchen, so it never occurred to me to make them at home. But fried eggs are a totally doable on Sunday mornings.

    I’ve now made these twice: once with Carlo’s salsa for enchiladas banderas and once with your red sauce for cheese enchiladas. Both make for fantastic chilaquiles, my new favorite Sunday brunch dish.






  5. Gene Cox on January 10, 2014 at 12:58 am

    I love your videos. I have never heard of a chili .. whatever it is, even though I can sing the song you wrote, but I am going to try them for breakfast.






    • Hilah on January 10, 2014 at 12:16 pm

      You will love them!

  6. Gretta Cox-Gorton on September 6, 2014 at 1:43 pm

    I just made these! My corn tortillas got all manhandled so they were perfecto for frying. I also put some sauteed veggies on top of the tortillas before I put the egg on and it was fantastic. Thanks for inspiring my lunch!

    P.S. That no knead bread recipe you did sooooo long ago? It’s the only bread I make and I love it.






    • Hilah on September 6, 2014 at 3:54 pm

      Happy to hear that, Gretta!
      And I’m making that bread today. What a coincidence!

  7. Cyril on January 24, 2015 at 3:03 am

    Hi Hilah,

    was just surfing around for a couple of quick recipes for my New Cafeteria and came across this – I am going to introduce it into the Menu and I am sure it will work with my customers – I have tried them out at home , also had some variations with the Salsa , came out fantastic each time – Just thought I would thank you for this great idea !!!! Oh yes , I will definitely try out more of your recipes and leave my comments – Hope you read them though 🙂

    • Hilah on January 24, 2015 at 9:56 am

      Fantastic! I hope your customers love the chilaquiles, Cyril. Thank you!

      • Cyril on January 25, 2015 at 2:14 am

        Thanks I am sure they will ……Do you have any plans to post know hows on various sauces 🙂

  8. Maria on September 20, 2016 at 4:35 pm

    These are SO good! I rescued dry stale tortillas from 2 days ago when they came with an order of Menudo that is only made on Saturdays from my local favorite mexican place. I didn’t make them crispy but they were divine soft with a little help from homemade beefstock & some green new mexico chili salsa. Love your site. Referred by Diana DeLas Fuentes. Love her – and you too!

    • Hilah on September 21, 2016 at 7:34 am

      Yay! That’s perfect, Maria! I love Diana, too. Glad you found me 🙂

  9. Kimberly on January 16, 2017 at 1:22 pm

    I made these over the weekend with my leftover salsa from the enchiladas bandera and they were so freaking delicious. Will be making again and again and again and again. Thanks for the awesome recipe.






    • Hilah on January 16, 2017 at 3:45 pm

      Awesome!! 😀 Thanks, Kimberly

  10. Lynda A Reeves on February 14, 2021 at 11:04 am

    Wow! Great recipe. Had all the ingredients by chance and was craving something different. This did the trick.






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