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    Homemade Chilaquiles Recipe (Rojos Style)

    Published May 5, 2021. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    This delicious easy to make homemade chilaquiles recipe is loaded up with a zesty roasted tomato sauce and homemade fried corn tortilla chips.

    I actually don’t eat breakfast every single day, but when I do, I’m craving it big time and usually want to make a feast.  If you’re in the same boat then definitely check out my Huevos Rancheros or Brioche



     

    Chilaquiles

    Chilaquiles is a classic Mexican dish consisting of corn tortilla chips that are cooked with a smooth tomato-based salsa.  The chips soak up the salsa softening them and making them incredibly favorable, similar to enchiladas.  Some records indicate it has been around since the early days of the Aztecs.

    There are some variations to chilaquiles as of recent which include beef, chicken, eggs, and cheese.  While they do not latter back to the original recipe of the Aztecs, these ingredients are commonly used throughout Mexico.

    Here are some typical ingredients that you would find in chilaquiles:

    • Tomatoes
    • Serrano Peppers
    • Chiles de Árbol
    • Ancho Chiles
    • Epazote
    • Onions
    • Garlic
    • Tortilla Chips

    How to Make Chilaquiles

    Follow along with these step-by-step images for how to make a homemade chilaquiles recipe:

    Roast some tomatoes, chiles, onions, and garlic in the oven until lightly browned.

    roasted tomatoes and onions on a sheet tray

    Puree the roasted vegetables in a blender along with some epazote, water, or vegetable stock until smooth.

    pureeing tomatoes in a blender

    Transfer the mixture to a saucepot and cook over low to medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. 

    pouring a chilaquiles sauces in a rondeau pot

    While the sauce is cooking down, prepare the corn tortillas, and fry until crispy brown.

    Frying corn tortilla chips in oil

    Finish the tomato-based sauce with a little red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.

    seasoning chiliaquiles in a pot

    Once the chips are done cooking toss them into the tomato mixture and cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened.

    adding fried corn tortilla chips to the chilaquiles

    In the meantime, fry eggs in the remaining tortilla chip oil to your desired internal temperature.

    frying an egg in oil in a pan

    Serve the fried eggs alongside the chilaquiles and garnish with queso fresco and optional chopped fresh cilantro.

    serving eggs with chilaquiles

    Make-Ahead and Storage

    Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking.  You can however keep it warm on the cooktop over low heat for up to 20 minutes before serving it.

    How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  This will not freeze well.

    How to Reheat: Add your desired amount to a saucepot and cook over low heat until warmed.  You can also heat in the microwave until warm.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    chef notes + tips

    • You can absolutely use store-bought tortilla chips if you don’t want to fry them yourselves.
    • If you like spicy food, I recommend adding 1-2 more serrano peppers, chiles de Arbol, and ancho chiles to the recipe, or keep some of the seeds in the peppers in the original recipe. 
    • Substitute the vegetable stock Substitute with water if it is not available.
    • If you do not have epazote you may substitute it with dry oregano.
    • You may swap out the queso fresco for cotija cheese or chihuahua cheese.
    chilaquiles rojos with queso fresco and eggs

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    Video

    Homemade Chilaquiles Recipe (Rojos Style)

    5 from 4 votes
    This delicious easy to make homemade chilaquiles recipe is loaded up with a zesty roasted tomato sauce and homemade fried corn tortilla chips.
    Servings: 6
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 7-8 vine ripe tomatoes, core removed
    • 1 peeled and roughly chopped yellow onion
    • 5 garlic cloves
    • 2 seeded serrano peppers
    • 3 seeded chiles de árbol
    • 1 seeded ancho chile
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 ½ tablespoons dried epazote
    • 1 cup of vegetable stock
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 1 cup oil
    • 20 corn tortillas
    • 6 fried eggs
    • crumbled queso fresco
    • chopped fresh cilantro
    • sea salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 450° F.
    • Add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, and chiles to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and coat in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
    • Roast in the oven for 18-20 minutes. Only roast the dried peppers in the oven for 2-3 minutes and then remove and set them aside so they don’t dry out.
    • Transfer all of the roasted ingredients along with the epazote and vegetable stock to a blender and blend at high speed until smooth.
    • Pour the blended mixture into a large saucepot or rondeau and cook over low heat. Finish it with red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
    • While the sauce is cooking, heat up 1 cup of oil until it is about 350° f.
    • Next, cut the corn tortillas into triangles and fry them in batches in the hot oil until crisp and lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Drain the fried corn tortillas on paper towels until they are all done cooking transfer them to the sauce mixture and coat the tortillas completely and until they have soaked up a lot of the sauce, which takes about 3-5 minutes on low heat.
    • Fry some eggs in the leftover oil from the corn tortillas until the desired internal temperatures are achieved.
    • Serve the chilaquiles alongside the fried eggs and add optional garnishes of queso fresco and cilantro.

    Notes

    Chef Notes:
    Make-Ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done cooking. You can however keep it warm on the cooktop over low heat for up to 20 minutes before serving it.
    How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. This will not freeze well.
    How to Reheat: Add your desired amount to a saucepot and cook over low heat until warmed. You can also heat in the microwave until warm.
    You can absolutely use store-bought tortilla chips if you don’t want to fry them yourselves.
    If you like spicy food, I recommend adding 1-2 more serrano peppers, chiles de Arbol, and ancho chiles to the recipe, or keep some of the seeds in the peppers in the original recipe.
    Substitute the vegetable stock Substitute with water if it is not available.
    If you do not have epazote you may substitute it with dry oregano.
    You may swap out the queso fresco for cotija cheese or chihuahua cheese.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 699kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 13gFat: 52gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 272mgPotassium: 702mgFiber: 9gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3149IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 3mg
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American, Mexican