These Easy 6-Ingredient Authentic Chilaquiles in a green sauce are bright, hearty and delicious. Topped with a beautiful sunny-side-up egg, Cotija cheese, avocado slices and fresh herbs, this dish is classic comfort food elevated.
One of the things I love about this easy chilaquiles recipe is that it can be made as a single serving or quickly converted to serve a larger group. The ratios of ingredients remain the same so it’s very easy to up-size.
This dish is also a little lighter than older versions. Using a non-stick skillet to quickly heat the tortilla chips in the salsa and cook the egg allows us to use less oil overall, without sacrificing that authentic flavor and texture that are key to any good chilaquiles recipe.
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Say that fast five times…..
Repeat after me: Chee-lah-key-less. Chee-lah-key-less. Chilaquiles. Chilaquiles! CHILAQUILES! You got it!
If you’ve been following along for some time, you may know by now that my degrees were in English Language (with a minor in Spanish Language) and Literature (with a focus on Chicano Literature from a feminist perspective). Yeah, I’m one of those people with an English degree or two.
I have always loved the nuances of language – analyzing a text for meaning, the playfulness of double entendre, connotation vs. denotation and the simple sound of words as they roll off your tongue and hang in the air. Chilaquiles was one of those words I loved saying out loud as a child over and over again (and still as an adult). It’s just a fun word to say. What makes it even better is that it’s also an easy and delicious, comfort food that I still enjoy today – whether I’m making them at home for a quick dinner, a weekend brunch or ordering out at my favorite Mexican restaurant.
The perfect tortilla chips for these Easy 6-Ingredient Authentic Chilaquiles
I’m bending the rules of Chilaquiles making a little bit by stating there is a perfect tortilla chip for preparing these Easy 6-Ingredient Authentic Chilaquiles. The truth is, authentic chilaquiles are made from stale corn tortillas (not flour) that have been cut up into strips, fried in oil and tossed in either a red or green salsa and topped with cheese. This is simple, no-waste, comfort food.
However, I can’t remember the last time I had a bunch of stale tortillas in my cupboard, so the next best thing is a generous portion of toothy, lightly-salted, thick tortilla chips like those made by the Ann Arbor Tortilla Factory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are the best tortilla chips for chilaquiles – the perfect consistency and thickness. You may be tempted to try a thinner, lighter chip, but don’t. Save those for fresh salsa dipping. They are simply too delicate to handle being heated in the sauce and will turn mushy, whereas a thicker chip will hold its shape and texture. Use a good, thick chip.
Because I’ve always been partial to green salsa, you get my favorite variation in this recipe, but honestly, any good quality, thick salsa can be used to make chilaquiles. However, avoid using thin salsas or fresh pico de gallo as they lack the body to coat the tortilla chips without making them a soggy mess. If you’re looking for a good salsa verde to add to your rotation, check out my recipe for Bright and Smoky Salsa Verde. It’s delicious with this recipe for Easy 6-Ingredient Authentic Chilaquiles, over eggs, fish or however you enjoy salsa.
Classic cheeses for all your favorite Hispanic dishes
I have a soft spot for family-owned companies and I appreciate that the Rizo Bros California Creamery uses only locally sourced, hormone free cows milk in all their handcrafted cheeses. And I love the fact that you can get these delicious, traditional cheeses at local grocery stores across the country.
Thanks to Rizo Bros California Creamery for providing the Cotija cheese featured in this post.
Every foodie has a passion for seeking out good ingredients. Where I live in Michigan, I can find these traditional Hispanic cheeses for all my old and new favorite dishes at a couple different local markets. To discover grocery stores in your area that carry Rizo Bros cheeses, click here.
A fast and easy finish
Another thing I love about this recipe for Easy 6-Ingredient Authentic Chilaquiles is how quickly it comes together. In takes less than 15 minutes to heat the skillet, warm the salsa, toss and coat the tortilla chips and fry up an egg to serve on top – making it a great weeknight dinner option. Break off a little piece of Cotija cheese and crumble over the top of the chilaquiles for a burst of flavor. Top with fresh avocado and herbs and dig in to heaven.
A sprinkling of Mexican style chorizo adds another lovely layer of flavor, but is not necessary if you want to keep this dish meatless. My husband likes it with a little chorizo, but I am perfectly content with just the luscious yolk of an egg.
Once the chilaquiles are plated, all I need is a glass of fresh squeezed juice and a few minutes to mutter the word “Chee-lah-key-less” between each lovely bite.
Easy 6-Ingredient Authentic Chilaquiles
Course: MainsCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Intermediate4
servings10
minutes5
minutesAuthentic Chilaquiles in a green salsa and topped with a beautiful sunny-side-up egg, Cotija cheese, avocado slices and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
1 -2 hand-fulls of thick tortilla chips (approximately 1 cup)
1/2 cup salsa verde (homemade or your favorite brand)
1 sunny side up egg
2 Tbsp. Rizo Bros. Cotija Cheese
Fresh avocado slices and cilantro or parsley to taste
2 Tbsp. Mexican style chorizo, cooked (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees F.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add 1/2 cup of salsa verde to the skillet and warm the salsa – approximately 2 minutes. Add the corn tortilla chips and stir for another 2 minutes to coat them in the salsa.
- Transfer the cooked tortilla chips to a serving dish and keep warm in the oven until ready to finish with the egg and other toppings.
- Rinse and wipe out the skillet and return it to the stove. Heat the pan over medium heat and gently crack an egg into the pan and cook until the white is set, but the yolk is still runny. This will take approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Slide the finished egg onto the warm chilaquiles.
- Top with Cotija cheese and finish with fresh avocado slices, herbs and chorizo as desired.
