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    Chilaquiles

    September 9, 2024

    Crispy, salsa-drenched tortilla chips topped with cheese and a fried egg, our chilaquiles recipe will become your new favorite breakfast.

    chilaquiles on a plate made with homemade tortilla chips topped with cabbage, salsa verde, crema, avocado and a fried egg
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    We love Waffles as much as anyone, but our heart belongs to Mexican breakfast dishes, like Huevos Rancheros and this easy chilaquiles recipe. Topped with an egg, chilaquiles, pronounced “chee-lah-kee-lays,” are brunch bliss. Need even more out-of-the-box breakfast ideas? Check out our 50 BEST Breakfast Ideas.

    ingredients in bowls for chilaquiles including fried eggs, corn tortillas, shredded cabbage, salsa verde and sour cream

    What Are Chilaquiles?

    Three components you simply must use in chilaquiles are freshly fried Tortilla Chips, salsa, and cheese. When topped with a fried egg (not a must, but a good idea!) Mexican chilaquiles are a delicious way to use up stale tortillas as a base for the best, easy Mexican breakfast dish, ever. Exactly what type of chilaquiles you make mostly comes down to the salsa you decide to use. Because we use Salsa Verde in our chilaquiles recipe, they’d be considered “chilaquiles verde,” and if we used red salsa, they’d be chilaquiles rojos. Chilaquiles recipes vary quite a bit, and so you should feel free to play around and make it your own! Chilaquiles toppings can be as elaborate or basic as you want, and we’ll share some of our favorites below.

    seasoned cabbage being tossed with tongs made with shredded cabbage, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, white vinegar & olive oil
    homemade corn tortilla chips being fried in vegetable oil in a skillet
    homemade tortilla chips sprinkled with salt cooling on a parchment lined baking sheet
    homemade salsa verde being stirred with a wooden spoon in a skillet

    Chilaquiles Recipe Ingredients

    • Tortilla chips. For our recipe, we make them fresh, with corn tortillas and a little oil and salt. However, in a pinch it’d be OK to use store bought tortilla chips.

    • Salsa verde. Once again, homemade salsa verde is always delicious, but it’s fine to buy a high-quality salsa verde at the store so you can get brunch done, fast.

    • Lime crema. To us, this is make-or-break. With sour cream, lime juice and our trusty taco seasoning, drizzling this all over your finished chilaquiles makes the whole dish work.

    • Seasoned cabbage. A little crunch and brightness is really nice, and we season the shredded cabbage simply with oil, vinegar and taco seasoning (again)!

    homemade tortilla chips in a frying pan drizzled with salsa verde to make chilaquiles
    crema in a bowl being stirred with a spatula made with sour cream, taco seasoning, lime juice and heavy cream

    How to Make Chilaquiles

    1. Season the cabbage! Topping your chilaquiles with our signature seasoned cabbage adds a hint of acid and brightness to the cheesy, saucy dish! Don’t skip this step!

    2. Make the tortilla chips! Tight on time? Make them ahead of time, or store-bought tortilla chips will work well here, too.

    3. Make the salsa verde (you could do this a few days ahead of time) or grab your store-bought salsa.

    4. Make the crema.

    5. Warm the salsa in a small skillet, and add the chips.

    6. Cook the chips gently in the salsa until they’re soft and saucy.

    7. Top your chilaquiles! You can serve them as they are and enjoy them for dinner, but we love to top them with a fried egg and say “breakfast is served!”

    chilaquiles on a plate with a fork surrounded by bowls of toppings: cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, queso fresco and hot sauce

    Chilaquiles Toppings We Love

    • Eggs. We love love love to top chilaquiles with a fried egg.

    • Avocado or Guacamole.

    • Queso fresco.

    • Hot sauce or more salsa.

    • Jalapeños.

    chilaquiles on a plate made with homemade tortilla chips topped with cabbage, salsa verde, crema, avocado and a fried egg
    chilaquiles on a plate made with homemade tortilla chips topped with cabbage, salsa verde, crema, avocado and a fried egg

    More Spicy Breakfast Ideas

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    Chilaquiles Recipe

    Updated September 9, 2024

    • Serves:  4
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  25 min
    • Calories:  342
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    Ingredients

    Seasoned Cabbage

    • 2 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon taco seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

    Tortilla chips

    Crema

    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • 1 tablespoon whole milk
    • 2 teaspoons lime juice, from 2 limes
    • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning

    For serving (optional)

    • 4 large eggs, fried
    • Avocado or guacamole
    • Queso fresco, crumbled
    • Hot sauce
    • Jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced, raw or pickled
    • White or red onion, thinly sliced
    • Fresh cilantro leaves, minced

    Method

    1. Make the seasoned cabbage. In a medium bowl, mix together the cabbage, vegetable oil, vinegar, taco seasoning, salt and pepper. Toss until combined.

      seasoned cabbage being tossed with tongs made with shredded cabbage, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, white vinegar & olive oil

    2. Make the tortilla chips. Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is glistening, add ½ of the tortilla wedges and cook until lightly browned on each side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the tortillas to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle lightly with ¼ teaspoon salt. Repeat with remaining tortillas and salt, adding a little more oil if needed. Discard the oil.

      homemade corn tortilla chips being fried in vegetable oil in a skillet

    3. To the same skillet, over medium heat, add the salsa verde and heat until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add all the chips back into the skillet, stir carefully to coat the chips in the salsa without breaking them. Cook until the tortillas are heated through, and slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed.

      homemade tortilla chips in a frying pan drizzled with salsa verde to make chilaquiles

    4. Make the crema. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, milk, lime juice, and taco seasoning.

      crema in a bowl being stirred with a spatula made with sour cream, taco seasoning, lime juice and heavy cream

    5. Serve the chilaquiles warm, topped with the crema, fried eggs, seasoned cabbage, and any of your favorite garnishes: avocado or guacamole, queso fresco, hot sauce, jalapeños, white or red onion, and/or cilantro.

      chilaquiles on a plate with a fork surrounded by bowls of toppings: cilantro, red onion, jalapeño, queso fresco and hot sauce

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 342
    • Protein 4 g
    • Carbohydrates 36 g
    • Total Fat 21 g
    • Dietary Fiber 3 g
    • Cholesterol 9 mg
    • Sodium 851 mg
    • Total Sugars 4 g

    Chilaquiles

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

    or
    • Lisa

      What air fryer do you use and like?

      Philips Essential Digital XL Basket AirFryer is the one we have and we love it

    • Jenn

      Such a delicious breakfast, I did a quicker version with store bought chips and salsa verde but can't wait to do it all from scratch this weekend and have it be even more delicious!

      Thanks Jenn, glad you loved it! Using homemade chips really takes it to the next level!