Migas – My Favorite Breakfast Taco
In this episode, I interview Carlos Rivero, co-owner of both El Chile and El Chilito. El Chilito has been a popular spot for breakfast tacos, anytime-tacos, and frozen sangria since the beginning of time. Or at least since they opened their order window 10 years ago on Manor Road in Austin. Migas tacos are one of their very famous taco offerings, and they are if not my very favorite migas taco in Austin, at least in my top three.
“Migas” means “crumbs” in Spanish, but culinarily, migas means “eggs cooked with tortilla chips, tomatoes, onions, and jalapeño then covered in melty cheese”. Making migas is a great way to use stale chips or corn tortillas and eating migas is a great way to start any day, or afternoon.
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Carlos and I talked about breakfast tacos in Austin, what makes them so popular with Austinites, and how they (most likely) came out of San Antonio, traveling northwards up I-35 to take over Austin like a delicious, welcome plague. But it is a fact that breakfast tacos have Austin’s heart. In the video, we showed several places around town that are near and dear to Austinites: Maria’s Taco Xpress; Torchy’s Tacos; Tamale House and Tamale House East; and Mi Madre’s. Most of these taco joints have been around for a decade or more and while anyone you ask has their favorite place for tacos, I feel confident in saying that these restaurants represent the best of the best. The “can’t miss” breakfast tacos of Austin.
They each have their specialties, too. At El Chilito, my favorites are their migas tacos, the Charlie’s Special, and their roasted salsa is great. For lunch, the barbacoa or the al pastor are the things to get, in my opinion. Oh man, do NOT miss the frozen sangria, either. That is like a magical panacea to cure all ills.
Maria’s Taco Express is renowned for their chimichurri sauce that is tangy and hot. It’s an unusual salsa to consider dousing onto a breakfast taco of eggs, but it works and it works VERY well. Try the chimichurri on their extra-cheesy migas. They have some good vegetarian tacos, too: the Verde and the black beans and rice. At Torchy’s try the Monk Special for a lighter breakfast taco and The Wrangler when you’re feeling particularly manly … or hungry. Of course, like all breakfast taco places, you can order a custom taco as well. They also have some of my favorite queso in town and the green chili pork tacos will knock your socks off. In fact, all of their lunch tacos are good and uniquely Torchy’s. Tamale House (on Airport Blvd) has been serving breakfast tacos longer than any other place in Austin, I think. They are cash-only, but that’s usually okay because their breakfast tacos are only 85 cents! For your change, you can get a breakfast taco with two items of any kind. Favorite combinations of mine are potato and egg; potato and bean; bacon and egg; and chorizo and egg. Their salsas are great and the food comes out fast. Perfect spot to hit on your way out of town for road trip breakfast! Mi Madre’s has been serving East Austin and poor, hungry college students for many years. They are sensitive to the hippies of Austin and offer vegetarian refried beans (no lard). Try a bean and cheese taco, please. Sounds too simple, but it’s delicious. For a heartier breakfast, try the Ranchero plate with carne guisada, eggs, potatoes, and beans. So good. Finally, Tamale House East: it’s relatively new, and owned by the same family as Tamale House, but has made a name of its own. Unlike the Airport Tamale House, T.H.East has tamales on the menu (try the chicken mole tamales before you die!) as well as breakfast tacos and plates. They are famous for “Mom’s Migas” and “Dad’s Fajitas”. The tomatillo chilaquilas are also delicious and I haven’t had any like them anywhere else in Austin.
For more on breakfast tacos of all sorts, including recipes and reviews, check out my cookbook: The Breakfast Taco Book
Migas
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 3 corn tortillas (stale, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- salt
- 1 Roma tomato
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- minced jalapeño to taste
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- 4–6 flour tortillas
Instructions
- Stack the corn tortillas and cut into 1/4″ strips, then cut in half cross-wise.
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and fry the strips until crispy, a few minutes, stirring frequently. Drain on paper, lightly salt, and set aside.
- Dice the tomato and combine with onion and jalapeño.
- Beat the eggs thoroughly.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet over medium-heat. Add eggs and cook until half-set.
- Add 1/2 cup of the tomato mixture and cook until 3/4 set, stirring frequently.
- Add tortilla strips and combine.
- Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and remove from heat while you warm tortillas for serving.
- Serve as tacos, or alongside refried beans and homefries.
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We had breakfast tacos two times at Mi Madre’s during our recent trip to Austin. Our second trip was on our way out of town going to Austin-Bergstrom. Excellent suggestion!
I’m so glad you liked it! It was definitely my lunch savior when I was going to UT.
I followed the link to the migas video and with only one substitution (Padron Silver instead of Scotch) made them for the first time.
Wonderful. I’ve learned a few things about Tex-Mex, a style that I’m unfamiliar with. My wife is SoCal chicana and I was raised in Florida. Growing up, Mexican meant Taco Bell. How horrible.
I’m beginning to warm to Tex-Mex thanks in no small part to Hilah Cooking.
Thanks.
Ahaha! Well, I’m relieved to hear that your substitution worked, Bkhuna!
And I am honored to hear that my recipes have begun to redeem TexMex cuisine for you. I swear it’s not all Velveeta and canned Hormel chili enchiladas! … Although, I did grow up on both of those and still have nostalgic attachments to them. 😉
Migas, is this an Austin thing, cause in Mexico, especially in Mexico City, Migas are a red Chile pork stew with egg and chorizo. The eggs are sorta poched in the stew. But the main ingredient is the day old bread, Bolillos, which are added to the stew in chunks. They get soggy, but gives the dish it’s magic. Look it up. What you call Migas, resembles what Mexicans almost anyware in the world call “Huevos a la Mexicana.” And crumbs, are called ” migajas.” Tex-Mex food is about 60% Mexican. Austin is weired.
The title of the post literally reads “The Ultimate Austin Breakfast Taco” so the answer to your question is in your browser tab. Although, migas are also served in San Antonio and in south Texas.
I am aware of huevos a la Mexicana, but the difference is the addition of chips and cheese and it’s an important one.
As I learned the language, “migas” also means crumbs.
I don’t know what your “60% Mexican” estimate has to do with Austin being weird.
Also, it seems fairly clear from your comment that you haven’t MADE this recipe, so what’s with the 4-star rating, dude?
Looks good Hilah. Tex Mex is not in plentiful supply in eastern Canada. What’s your go to hot sauce for these?
I like a bright salsa verde like this one, or for more of a hot sauce, try Marie Sharp’s, the regular habanero is the best one. It goes on pretty much everything! You can order it online.
I have to say Hilah I have a very stressful and depressing life. But when I watch your videos it is so soothing…
Well, gosh, I’m sorry to hear that. 🙁 But I am glad to be a source of relief for you.
Love the migas but like to add some good chorizo for my breakfast meat. Gonna try and sell some to our midweest farmers and non adventurous types at my central Ohio VFW post soon We’ll see how it goes. Thanks for the site I love it
Oh yeah, Jim! Migas and chorizo are a match made in heaven. Hope your farmer crew enjoys them. Thanks for writing!
Hilah! These are SO good 🙂 made them last night for a quick dinner. I added small diced potato and tomatoes and jalapeños from my garden. Thanks for the recipe!
I love breakfast-for-dinner and this is a perfect recipe for that! Thanks, Jenna.
I just watched your video on how to make a tortilla on YouTube and you seemed like someone id learn from and the tortillas you made were fairly simple and easy to make. and then i click on a link for printable recipe and now im on your website. im really impressed by your work and your overall persistence. You respond back to just about everyone who comments, Ive been on YouTube and many other websites and your the 1st person i know yet to do this. your recipes are easy enough for beginners like me to work with and your personality is there, its here, and it glistens. i honestly didn’t mean to write all this but i just wanted you to know that you’ve got a apprentice. im 18, and yea i know im kind of young but this website inspires me to be even more into the food industry. oh and i like how you have a description for how you came to make the food and where it may be sold its like a short story. your doing a great job with this and i hope this website stays here FOREVER!!…or at least y’know, for another decade or so. Sorry for the long paragraph. oh and i like this recipe too, im gonna use the tortilla recipe and then try to make this. and ill definitely look into getting your book.Ok Ok im done now.
Thank you so much, Cal! It’s really nice to hear feedback like this. I’m glad you stopped by the site. 🙂 Enjoy the breakfast tacos!
I watched a ton of different videos with different breakfast taco recipes. Hilah’s Migas tacos were the one I went with & they are the bomb! Tip; don’t invite people over to try them. You’ll never get rid of them till you run out of eggs!?
Haha! Glad you enjoyed the migas, Tim 🙂
What, does Magnolia Cafe no longer make migas? That was my favorite after-shift meal when I worked the 10 PM – 6 AM shift! Oh, why did I leave Austin!
(Answer: got too damned big! ha!)
I’m sure they still make migas! I mean, they’d be foolish not to