Chilaquiles Rojos
intro
Crispy corn tortilla chips coated in smoky guajillo-tomato salsa, topped with eggs, queso fresco, and bright garnishes for a cozy, zesty comforting meal.
Ingredients
Steps
Toast Salsa Components
Heat a dry cast-iron comal or 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat (190C/375F). Add quartered white onion, unpeeled garlic cloves, and whole Roma tomatoes in a single layer. Toast for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes with tongs, until tomato skins are heavily blistered and slightly charred, onion is soft with blackened edges, and garlic is soft when squeezed through its papery skin. Add seeded, stemmed guajillo chiles to the pan for the last 30 seconds of toasting, pressing flat against the hot surface with a spatula, until they puff slightly and release a rich, nutty aroma (do not burn, as burnt chiles taste bitter).
Blend Smooth Red Salsa
Transfer all toasted vegetables and warmed chiles to a high-speed blender. Pour in 240ml low-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth, add 3g (0.5 tsp) kosher salt, then blend on high for 45-60 seconds until completely smooth with no lumps. Strain the salsa through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing firmly with a rubber spatula to extract all flavorful liquid, discarding any tough tomato skins, chile skins, or seed bits left in the sieve. Set strained salsa aside.
Crisp Tortilla Wedges
Heat 60ml neutral canola oil in a large, deep 12-inch skillet over medium heat (175C/350F). Working in 3 even batches to avoid crowding the pan (which drops oil temperature and makes chips greasy), add tortilla wedges in a single layer and fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp all over. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried chips to a paper-towel-lined plate, and season lightly with 1g (1/4 tsp) kosher salt immediately while hot to help the salt stick.
Toss Chips in Salsa
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of remaining oil from the skillet, and return to medium-low heat (150C/300F). Pour the strained red salsa into the skillet, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 3 minutes to thicken slightly, stirring occasionally to prevent splatters. Add all fried tortilla chips to the pan, and toss gently with a heatproof spatula for 1-2 minutes until chips are evenly coated in salsa but still retain a slight crunch (do not over-toss or over-soak, as chips will turn mushy).
Cook Serving Eggs
While chips simmer in salsa, heat a separate 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat (170C/340F). Lightly coat the pan with 1 teaspoon of reserved oil if needed, then crack eggs into the pan, spacing them 2 inches apart. Cook sunny-side up for 3-4 minutes until egg whites are fully opaque and set, and yolks remain bright golden and runny, seasoning with the remaining 3g (0.75 tsp) kosher salt. For firmer yolks, flip eggs gently with a spatula and cook 1 additional minute for over-easy doneness.
Plate and Garnish
Divide salsa-coated chips evenly across 4 warm dinner plates. Top each serving with one cooked egg, 30g (1/4 cup) crumbled queso fresco, 20ml (1.5 tbsp) Mexican crema drizzled in a zig-zag over top, a small sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a few slices of thin raw red onion. Serve immediately with 2 lime wedges per plate, for diners to squeeze fresh lime juice over their chilaquiles to taste.
Tips
2.Only toast dried guajillo chiles for 30 seconds during the salsa prep step: over-heating chiles burns their delicate oils and creates a harsh, bitter flavor that will overpower the bright, smoky salsa.
3.Toss chips in salsa immediately before serving: letting coated chips sit for more than 2-3 minutes will turn them mushy, rather than the ideal crisp-tender texture traditional chilaquiles are known for.
OMG these chilaquiles are SO good!!! I made them for Sunday brunch last weekend and my entire family fought over the last bite. Total game changer for our weekend breakfast rotation, and it was so easy even my teen could help prep the salsa while I fried the tortillas. 10/10 will make again!
30 minute cook time is chef’s kiss for busy school mornings. I threw this together yesterday before dropping the kids off, added a fried egg on top for each of us, and my youngest asked for seconds before he even finished his first plate. Already added the ingredients to my weekly meal prep list!
I brought these to my office potluck last week and people were asking me for the recipe before I even set the dish down! I doubled the salsa recipe because I know how much my coworkers love extra sauce, and it was the perfect amount. Didn’t have any leftover which is always a win at potlucks.
Pretty good, but I wish the salsa had a little more kick? I followed the recipe exactly but it was pretty mild for my taste. Might add a couple extra arbol chiles next time I make it.
I’ve tried so many chilaquiles recipes over the years trying to match the ones I had at a little spot in Mexico City years ago, and this is the first one that actually tastes authentic! The roasted tomato and chile base tastes exactly like what I remember, no weird canned sauce shortcuts that taste off. Obsessed.
SO easy to make even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao. I used leftover corn tortillas I had in the fridge from taco night, made the salsa in my blender, and the whole thing came together in like 25 minutes flat. Topped with cotija and crema and it tasted like restaurant quality. 10/10.
Has anyone tried prepping the salsa ahead of time for meal prep? I usually do my big cook on Sundays and want to know if the salsa stays good in the fridge for a few days so I can throw these together quick for weekday breakfasts.
My kids are super picky and usually turn their noses up at anything with ‘too much sauce’ but they devoured these! I skipped the raw onion garnish because they hate crunchy onion, and they asked if we could have this for dinner every night this week. Win for mom!
Made these after a late night out with friends and let me tell you, they are the perfect hangover food. Topped with two runny fried eggs, a little extra hot sauce, and a side of avocado, and I felt like a new person 20 minutes after eating. Absolute game changer for post-night-out recovery meals.
Made this vegan by swapping the crema for cashew crema and using nutritional yeast instead of cotija, and it was still incredible! The salsa is so flavorful that you don’t even miss the dairy, honestly. Even my meat-eating roommate stole half the plate when he walked through the kitchen.
My abuela used to make chilaquiles rojos for me when I was little and I’ve been too scared to try making them myself because I thought they’d never measure up. This recipe was so straightforward and the flavor took me right back to her kitchen. I might have teared up a little while eating it, no lie.
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with just a hot plate and a blender, and it came out perfect! I used cheap store-brand tortilla chips, canned tomatoes (don’t judge, I couldn’t get fresh ones at the campus market), and it still tasted way better than the dining hall breakfast. 10/10 for broke college students.
Wait, is it normal for the chips to get a little soggy? I cooked everything exactly as the recipe said but I like my chilaquiles to have a little crunch left, and mine were pretty soft all the way through. Did I simmer them too long?
Made these for my wife’s birthday breakfast in bed and I got major husband points for it. She said they’re better than the ones we got on our honeymoon in Oaxaca. I added a little crumbled chorizo on top for extra protein and it was chef’s kiss. Already planning to make them for our next camping trip.
So happy this is naturally gluten free as long as you use corn tortillas! I have celiac and it’s so hard to find good brunch recipes that don’t require a million weird GF swaps. Tasted amazing, no cross-contamination issues since all the ingredients are simple and whole. Will be making this all the time.
I could drink this red salsa straight from the blender it’s that good. I made a double batch and used the extra on tacos, eggs, even dipped my grilled cheese in it for lunch the next day. Versatile, easy, and so much flavor for how few ingredients it takes.
This was my first time ever making any kind of Mexican food from scratch and I was so nervous it would turn out bad, but it was so easy! I did mess up and burn the chiles a little while toasting them, but I just picked out the really burnt ones and it still tasted great. Super forgiving recipe for new cooks!
I made a huge batch of these for my kid’s soccer team snack after their morning game last weekend, and all the parents were asking for the recipe. I bought a giant bag of thick cut tortilla chips from Costco, made a triple batch of salsa, and topped them with crema and queso fresco. Total hit, even with the kids who are super fussy about new foods.
I don’t care that chilaquiles are usually a breakfast food, I made these for dinner last night with a side of black beans and guac and it was the best weeknight dinner I’ve had in months. 30 minutes from fridge to plate, minimal cleanup, and so much flavor. Way better than the boring takeout I usually order when I don’t feel like cooking.