Easy Chilaquiles Recipe with Tortilla Chips
If you’re looking for an easy and delicious breakfast or brunch recipe, look no further than this chilaquiles recipe made with tortilla chips. It’s a quick and simple recipe that can be easily tailored to your liking – add in some extra veggies, spice it up with some hot sauce, or keep it classic with just eggs and cheese. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover tortilla chips you might have hanging around!
Wondering how you pronounce chilaquiles (chee-lah-Kee-les)? Try saying it a few times!
You also might like to try these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas when you have a craving for enchiladas.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Looking for a delicious and easy breakfast recipe? Look no further than this chilaquiles dish made with tortilla chips. It’s perfect for those mornings when you’re craving something savory and satisfying. Plus, it only takes minutes to make!
- If you love Mexican food, this chilaquiles recipe is for you!
- Economical! This is an inexpensive way to serve a crowd and great dish to bring to a potluck.
- It’s easy to make and uses pre-made tortilla chips or delicious homemade tortilla chips. The choice is yours!
- The homemade sauce is bursting with flavor but doesn’t take long to make.
Equipment Needed
You only need a few kitchen tools to help you make this easy brunch recipe.
- damp paper towel or cloth
- knife
- medium size saucepan
- sieve
- blender or food processor
- large skillet – if frying the tortilla chips
- large baking sheet – if baking the tortilla chips
Ingredients
You don’t need many ingredients to make chilaquiles rojos! After one quick trip to the grocery store you will be ready to enjoy this delicious meal.
Chile Sauce
- New Mexican/California chile or guajillo chiles (clean and seeded)
- roma tomato
- garlic cloves
- white onion; sliced and divided
- salt
- reserved chili water
Tortilla Chips
- Pre-made restaurant style tortilla chips OR
- 6” corn tortillas, cut in triangles (each tortilla is 5-6 chips).
- neutral tasting oil (neutral tasting oil; vegetable, corn oil, olive, avocado, canola, or peanut oil).
- Cotija cheese or queso fresco.
Top with your favorite toppings: shredded Monterey Jack cheese, sliced avocado, diced red onion, fresh cilantro, Mexican crema, roma tomato, green onions, lime juice, sour cream, avocado cream sauce, fried egg.
How To Make This Chilaquiles Recipe
This list of steps may seem long but you will see that most of them are very quick and easy! I promise this flavorful dish is worth all the effort.
If you don’t want to make homemade chips you can save a step by purchasing store bought chips. Get the thick restaurant-style and no one will know you didn’t fry them yourself. If you love easy recipes then this is the recipe for you.
CHILE SAUCE
STEP 1: Clean and cut the chiles
Gently wipe down each chile pepper with a damp paper towel or cloth. Cut off the stems and remove the seeds and veins. You may need to cut the pepper in half to remove all the seeds.
STEP 2: Cook the chiles and tomato
Place the chiles and tomato in a medium size saucepan. Add water (about 6 cups) to cover the chiles. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the chiles are soft (about 10 minutes).
STEP 3: Drain the chiles
Drain chiles over a sieve reserving the water.
STEP 4: Blend the chiles until smooth
Place soft chiles, garlic cloves, onion, salt, and 2 cups of the reserved chile water in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Strain the sauce if you see any bits of the chile that hasn’t been pulverized.
You will get about 3 cups of chile sauce.
Tortilla Chips
For an easy chilaquiles recipe, you can use pre-made chips purchased from the grocery store. If you have corn tortillas at home, you can fry or bake your own tortilla chips.
FRIED TORTILLA CHIPS
STEP 1: Heat oil
Add oil to a large skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Heat the oil to 350°F degrees.
STEP 2: Fry the tortilla chips
Gently add tortillas in a single layer to the hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes or until lightly brown. Gently turn chips with a metal tong or fork cooking the other side of the tortilla chips.
STEP 3: Drain the tortilla chips
Place fried tortilla chips on a plate lined with paper towels. Season with salt.
STEP 4: Repeat until all tortilla chips are cooked
Repeat until all tortilla chips are cooked. Add additional oil if needed.
BAKED TORTILLA CHIPS
STEP 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.
STEP 2: Spray the tortillas with cooking spray
Lightly spray both sides of the tortillas with a neutral tasting cooking spray.
STEP 3: Cut the tortillas into triangles
Cut tortillas into triangles and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Cut in half, then cut in half again or thirds.
STEP 4: Bake the tortilla chips
Bake for 5-7 minutes, then flip the tortilla chips with tongs or a fork and bake on the other side for an additional 5-7 minutes or until crispy and light brown.
STEP 5: Remove from the oven and repeat if needed
Remove from the oven. Repeat in batches if needed. Season tortilla chips with salt.
Assemble Chilaquiles
STEP 1: Saute the onion
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium heat and add ½ sliced white onion. Sauté until fragrant.
STEP 2: Pour the chile sauce in the skillet
Pour prepared chile sauce in the skillet and bring the sauce to a simmer.
STEP 3: Toss the chips in the sauce
Add the prepared tortilla chips to the sauce, and gently fold ingredients ensuring the chips are coated with the sauce.
STEP 4: Top with cheese
Top with cheese and serve.
STEP 5: Top with additional toppings
Add additional toppings if desired.
What to Serve with this Chilaquiles Recipe
Are you wondering how to serve with this dish? Here is how I serve this dish.
Chilaquiles are commonly served as a breakfast dish but can easily be enjoyed for brunch, lunch, or dinner. I love to serve these easy chilaquiles with eggs, refried beans, and freshly made flour tortillas on the side for dipping up that sauce!
For breakfast, I will also add sour cream, diced avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro on top.
Substitutions and Additions
Want to change up or personalize this recipe? Here some are some of my favorite swaps for this delicious recipe.
- Don’t have chile peppers? You can use a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies.
- Don’t like onions? Leave them out or try using 1/2 teaspoon onion powder in their place.
- Add some protein! Chilaquiles are commonly served with eggs, shredded chicken, or cooked ground beef.
- Fold in beans for protein; pinto or black beans to keep this meal vegetarian.
- Make it vegan! Omit the cheese and use vegan cheese in its place.
- Make it gluten free! Use gluten free tortilla chips or make your own by cutting corn tortillas into quarters and frying them in oil per the directions above.
- I like to serve my chilaquiles with sunny side up eggs.
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
Reheat on the stove over low heat until warmed through. If the sauce is too thick, thin with additional chicken broth or water.
FAQS
Some people prefer their chilaquiles to be crunchy while others enjoy them soft. To achieve a crunchy texture, chips should be fried and not baked. If you would like your chips to be softer, bake tortillas at 350°F degrees for 5-7 minutes then flip with tongs or fork and bake on the other side.
Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish made with fried tortilla chips and a variety of sauces. The sauce can be made from red or green chilies, tomatoes, onions, and other spices. Chilaquiles can be served as a breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner dish.
Chilaquiles are commonly served with refried beans, eggs, and freshly made flour tortillas. They can also be topped with sour cream, diced avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro. You can also serve them with other sides such as rice, black beans, or pico de gallo.
Other Delicious Mexican Recipes You May Enjoy
Did you try this chilaquiles recipe? Let me know what you served with this. Did you add a protein or enjoy it as it is?
Easy Chilaquiles Recipe with Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
CHILE SAUCE
- 12 New Mexican/California chile or Guajillo chile pods clean and seeded
- 1 roma tomato
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 white onion; sliced and divided
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 cups reserved chili water
TORTILLA CHIPS
- 1 16 ounce bag prepared tortilla chips OR
- 20-25 6 ” corn tortillas
- 1 cup oil neutral; olive, avocado, corn, canola
- Cotija or queso fresco
- Additional toppings; cilantro avocado slices, diced onion, salsa, Mexican crema, sour cream, Monterey jack cheese)
Instructions
Chile Sauce
- Gently wipe down each chile pepper with a damp paper towel or cloth. Cut off the stems and remove the seeds and veins.
- Place the chiles and tomatoes in a medium size saucepan. Add water (about 6 cups) to cover the chiles. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the chiles are soft (about 10 minutes).
- Drain chiles over a sieve reserving the water.
- Place soft chiles, garlic cloves, onion, salt, and 2 cups of the reserved chile water in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Strain sauce if desired.
- TORTILLA Chips
- If using prepared tortilla chips for an easy chilaquiles recipe you can move to the assembly instructions.
FRIED Tortilla Chips
- Add oil to a large skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Heat the oil to 350°F degrees. Gently add prepared tortilla wedges in a single layer.
- Fry tortilla wedges for 2 minutes or until lightly brown. Gently turn chips with a metal tong or fork cooking the other side of the tortilla chips.
- Place fried tortilla chips on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Repeat until all tortilla chips are cooked. Add additional oil if needed.
BAKED Tortilla Chips
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F degrees.
- Lightly spray both sides of the tortillas with a neutral tasting cooking spray.
- Cut tortillas into triangles and place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt if desired.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes, then flip the tortilla chips with tongs or a fork and bake on the other side for an additional 5-7 minutes or until crispy and light brown.
- Remove baked tortilla chips from the oven.
- Repeat above steps in batches if needed.
Assemble Chilaquiles
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large skillet. Heat over medium heat and add ½ sliced white onion. Sauté until fragrant.
- Pour prepared chile sauce in the skillet oven the onions and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Add the prepared tortilla chips to the sauce, and gently fold ingredients ensuring the chips are coated with the sauce.
- Top with cheese and serve.
- Add additional toppings if desired.
Video
Notes
package in the refrigerator use those.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.
Super easy to follow! Just made for my siblings and myself. Two thumbs up.
Such a fun read! And thanks for including the pronunciation 🤣
Thanks for swinging by! Now you gotta say Chilaquiles 10 times fast!