Chilaquiles
Ingredients
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- 4 each dried guajillo chiles – stemmed and seeded
- 2 each dried arbol chiles – stemmed and seeded
- 4 cups water – boiling (for soaking chiles)
- 1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes – cored (~11.5 medium roma tomatos)
- 1 each white onion – halved; half roughly chopped for sauce, half thinly sliced (for serving)
- 3 cloves garlic – peeled
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups neutral oil – for frying chips; reserve 1 tbsp for sauce
- 12 each corn tortillas – cut into 6 wedges; slightly stale if possible
- 1/2 cup mexican crema – for serving
- 4 ounces queso fresco – crumbled (for serving)
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves – roughly chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Tear open and discard stems and seeds from the dried guajillo chiles and dried arbol chiles; toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning, until fragrant and just darkened, 30–60 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and cover with the boiling water; soak until pliable, about 15 minutes, then drain and discard the soaking liquid.
2. Halve the white onion; roughly chop one half and thinly slice the other half for serving. In the same dry skillet over medium-high heat, char the chopped onion, the roma tomatoes, and the garlic until blistered in spots and lightly softened, 6–8 minutes.
3. Blend the drained chiles with the charred roma tomatoes, charred onion and garlic, the vegetable broth, and the kosher salt until very smooth, 45–60 seconds; set aside.
4. Heat the neutral oil in a wide, deep skillet to 350°F. Working in batches, fry the corn tortilla wedges, turning, until crisp and lightly golden, 2–3 minutes per batch; transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Carefully pour off and save all but 1 tablespoon of the oil, leaving 1 tablespoon in the skillet.
5. Set the skillet over medium heat and pour in the blended sauce; simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened and the color deepens, 5–7 minutes.
6. Add the fried tortilla wedges to the sauce; gently toss to coat. Cook, turning occasionally, until the chips are softened at the edges but still hold some crunch, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Divide the chilaquiles among plates and finish with mexican crema, crumbled queso fresco, the sliced half you reserved, and cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
Chilaquiles are a beloved Mexican breakfast built on the satisfying contrast of freshly fried corn tortilla chips softened in a lively chile sauce. The sauce can be red (roja) or green (verde), with rojos leaning tomato-and-dried-chile–forward and verdes highlighting tomatillos and green chiles. The chips absorb just enough sauce to become tender at the edges while keeping a hint of crunch, then are dressed with cooling crema, salty cheese, onion, and herbs for a balanced, comforting plate.
Rooted in the thrifty tradition of reviving day-old tortillas, chilaquiles likely trace their name to the Nahuatl word chīlāquilitl, referring to foods cooked in chile. The dish is common throughout Mexico, with regional preferences for salsa styles and garnishes, and it is often paired with refried beans. Over time, additions like fried eggs or shredded chicken became popular, but the essence remains tortillas transformed by chile sauce and finished with simple dairy and herb toppings.