Add a little spice to your breakfast with saucy Mexican chilaquiles topped with a creamy fried egg and your favorite garnishes.
Chilaquiles with eggs is a favorite Mexican breakfast along with our Breakfast Burritos, Chorizo and Eggs, and Breakfast Enchilada Casserole.
A twist on nachos
What are chilaquiles? Chilaquiles is a savory Mexican dish and is pronounced, chee-lah-KEE-lehs.
They are similar to Nachos in that they both start with a Tortilla Chip base, are covered in a sauce, and then topped with more delicious ingredients.
Instead of using Nacho Cheese Sauce, chilaquiles are covered in a savory Mexican sauce. I used Red Enchilada Sauce in this recipe to make chilaquiles rojos.
Another difference between chilaquiles and nachos is that the chips in nachos should be crisp and eaten with your hands while chilaquiles have softer chips and are eaten with a fork.
How to Make Chilaquiles
TORTILLA CHIPS. Heat ½ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add about a quarter of the tortilla wedges and cook, flipping once, until lightly brown and crisp.
- Drain the freshly fried tortilla chips on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Repeat this process until all tortillas are fried, adding more oil if needed.
FRIED EGGS. Drain oil from skillet and make fried eggs (sunny side up). Heat ½ tablespoon butter over medium heat until melted, then add eggs individually and away from each other and cook for 2-3 minutes, until white is firm but yolks are still runny.
ENCHILADA SAUCE. In another skillet, heat up the enchilada sauce (or make it fresh) and add the tortilla chips. Stir carefully to coat the chips.
HEAT. Cook until the tortillas are heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed for flavor.
SERVE. Add chips to a plate and top with the fried egg along with any other toppings like salt, pepper, cheese, and avocado. Serve red chilaquiles with refried beans to make it even more filling.
How to Fry a Sunny Side-up Egg
This dish is classically served with a fried egg on top of the coated chips.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add some butter or olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Crack an egg over the top of the skillet.
- Leave the egg intact and let it cook. The egg whites will go from clear to solid white.
- Use a spatula to transfer the fried egg to the pile of chilaquiles Mexicanos.
Variations
Serve Huevos chilaquiles at breakfast or brunch and include toppings such as fried eggs, sliced avocados, Mexican crema, queso fresco, and fresh cilantro leaves.
Whether you want to switch up the breakfast dish or tailor it to serve at another time there are a variety of ways to customize this delicious recipe:
- Add your favorite toppings like sour cream, cotija cheese, jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and Guacamole.
- Use Green Enchilada Sauce to make chilaquiles verdes.
- Use store-bought corn tortilla chips instead of frying your own. Be aware that they tend to soften much more quickly.
- Top them with shredded chicken, pork, or beef.
Storing Leftovers
STORE. Mexican chilaquiles are best when served right away, but if you do have leftovers, store them for a day in an airtight container in the fridge.
Reheat on the stovetop or microwave, but note they will most likely be soggy.
Recipe FAQ
You can either use red (rojo) or green (verde) sauce to create two different types of chilaquiles.
Migas traditionally use fried tortilla strips that are mixed with scrambled eggs. Chilaquiles are fried corn chips, tossed in sauce and topped with a fried egg. Both often contain similar garnishes.
Whether you like the chips crispy or soft is a personal preference. The longer you simmer the tortilla chips in the sauce when you toss them together the softer they will become.
Because the chips in chilaquiles are so soggy, compared to crispy nachos, they are much easier to eat with a fork instead of your hands.
For more Mexican Dishes, try:
Chilaquiles Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 12 yellow corn tortillas, cut into 8 wedges
- 1 ½ – 2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 4 Fried eggs
- Avocado
- Crema mexicana
- Queso Fresco
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Heat ½ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add about a quarter of the tortilla wedges and cook, flipping once, until lightly brown and crisp.
- Drain the freshly fried tortilla chips on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat this process until all tortillas are fried, adding more oil if needed.
- Drain oil from skillet and make fried eggs (sunny side up). To do that, heat ½ tablespoon butter over medium heat until melted, then add eggs individually and away from each other and cook for 2-3 minutes, until white is firm but yolks are still runny.
- In another skillet, heat up the enchilada sauce (or make it fresh) and add the tortilla chips. Stir carefully to coat the chips. Cook until the tortillas are heated through, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt as needed.
- Add chips to a plate and top with the fried egg along with any other toppings like salt, pepper, cheese, and avocado.
I appreciate the pictures and extra tips you always give. They help so much when I’m making an unfamiliar recipe.