Crispy homemade corn tortilla chips covered in a warm salsa and topped with a variety of delicious toppings. When friends ask me to describe chilaquiles, I tell them they are they are the original nachos.
The Key To Delicious Chilaquiles
A good homemade chip that can hold up to generous amounts of warm salsa and toppings is the key! Dislike soggy chilaquiles? Quickly toss chips with warm salsa directly on serving plate. Garnish and enjoy!
Red Or Green?
This question comes up a lot when it comes to Mexican food! Red salsa or green salsa? Have both! Lol! Many of my followers know how much I enjoy sharing salsa recipes with you. Right here on my blog I have so many tomato based recipes as well as tomatillo based recipes for salsa. I am confident you will find at least one or two to test out.
Basically, nachos are corn tortilla chips topped with a warm sauce, usually cheese and then garnished with almost anything! On many Sunday’s, my Mom would prepare a big skillet of queso panela con chile and salsa. She would simple serve it with warm corn tortillas, tostadas or pan bolillo.
Chilaquiles Verdes con Queso Panela
Over the years, chilaquiles became an inexpensive way to feed a large family. They can be prepared with any of your favorite warmed salsa or enchilada sauce. Add in some shredded chicken, carne asada, guisados or pork to make it a complete meal. Top with an egg or garnish with pickled onions, jalapeños, Mexican crema, and fresh cilantro. The traditional chilaquiles are made by tossing the chips directly into the warm salsa in the skillet, but If you leave them in too long, they get soggy. This is a great recipe for any day of the week and you can prepare a quicker version with a few premade ingredients from the market. Great dish for leftovers!
Quick Pickled Red Onions. Simply mix fresh sliced onions with sliced chiles, oregano, salt, pepper, fresh lime juice , white vinegar and water. Link below.
Queso Panela, a semi-soft salt cheese that can be crumbled or sliced
Below, Chilaquiles de Pollo en una Salsa Picante de Mole. All the robust flavors of Mole, but in half of the time it takes to prepare a traditional Mole. Click onto the picture to see the full recipe right here for Easy Mole Sauce.
For Fried Corn Tortilla Chips~Totopos. Click onto picture for full recipe.
Homemade Chips/Totopos
Ingredients
3 cups Everyday Mole Sauce, 3 cups shredded (cooked) chicken,
10 to 12 ounces of homemade, thick, corn tortilla chips
1 cup Mexican crema
1 cup Queso fresco or panela, crumbled
1/2 cup Pickled red onions, see recipe above
Cilantro, chopped
1. Heat the chicken and mole sauce in a large skillet until it comes to a simmer. Shut off heat and toss the chips in gently until evenly coated.
2. Top with crema, crumbled cheese, pickled onions and cilantro. Serve right away. Yields 6 servings as an appetizer.
Homemade Mexican Crema. Mix equal parts heavy cream with sour cream and a pinch of salt. let sit covered at room temperature for a few hours.
Chilaquiles Verdes with Carne Guisada, Poblano, Cotija Cheese and Sunny Side Up Egg
Find the recipe for Carne Guisda right here on the link below or prepare your favorite version.
https://pinaenlacocina.com/one-step-closer/
1 pound tomatillos, 3 Anaheim peppers, 2 poblanos, 4 serrano peppers, 3 cloves garlic and 1 red onion. After broiling, remove skins from Anaheim, poblano peppers and garlic. Add all ingredients to the blender. Season with a pinch of oregano and salt to taste. Blend until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Tip~ I like to blend in fresh cilantro and 1 fresh jalapeño after ingredients have cooled to give it a darker green color.
Chilaquiles with a salsa roja, salsa de mesa. Topped with sauteed onion and chile serrano, an egg and queso fresco.
https://pinaenlacocina.com/me-pico-la-salsa-salsa-basics/
These easy chilaquiles also with warm Salsa de Mesa(link right above), crema, cotija cheese and fresh toppings!
One of my favorite dishes to prepare when I have molé sauce available, Chilaquiles!! On this occasion I fried up some red corn tortillas for my chips. I didn’t have any chicken or else it would have really been quite a meal! See the links here for a variety of molé sauce recipes you can prepare right in your own kitchen!
Oaxacan-Style Molé
https://pinaenlacocina.com/oaxacan-style-mole-mo-leh-sauce/
Easy Molé Sauce
https://pinaenlacocina.com/chicken-mole-easy-sauce-recipe/
Puebla-Style Molé
https://pinaenlacocina.com/puebla-style-mole-sauce-mole-poblano/
The toasted sesame seeds are a must for these easy meatless molé chilaquiles!!
Ingredients
For Pickled red Onions
- 1 large red onion sliced into thin strips
- 1-2 serrano peppers thinly sliced
- 1/3 teaspoon crushed Mexican oregano
- Pinch of fresh cracked pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- Salt to taste I start with 1/2 teaspoon
For Salsa
- 5 large tomatillos remove husk and rinse
- 2 serrano peppers stems removed
- 1/2 cup cooking liquid
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder or chicken base optional
- Salt to taste
You Will Also Need
- 12 oz queso panela or fresco sliced
- Mexican crema to taste
- cilantro chopped
- Pickled red onions to taste
Instructions
- In a glass bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the pickled red onions. Stir well to combine, taste for salt. Cover and set aside. Stir now and then.
- Peel the husk from the tomatillos and rinse under lukewarm water. Transfer to a pot with chile serrano, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large skillet, preheat 2 tablespoons of oil to medium for a few minutes. Drain all of the water from tomatillo/chile mixture, reserving 1/2 a cup liquid. Transfer to the blender, add reserved cooking liquid, chicken bouillon and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth.
- Pour salsa into hot skillet. When salsa comes to a boil, reduce heat add cheese slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Divide the previously fried chips into 4 shallow bowls, then divide the salsa/cheese mixture over chips. Or go traditional and toss the chips in the warm salsa in the skillet. Divide onto plates and garnish with, crumbled cheese, crema, pickled red onions and cilantro. Serve right away.
Notes
1 cup sour cream,
pinch of salt, In a glass bowl, combine all the ingredients. Whisk until smooth. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 3 hours. Refrigerate for 5-6 days.
If I tell you that outside tamales this is one of my favorites. Please move to Manhattan.
I would love that Norma!!
¡Que ricura! I love making chilaquiles. One trick I learned from my grandmother is to leave the tortillas you’ll use extended on a cloth a day before. Then prepare the dish. You chilaquiles will be crispy and crunchy.
Gracias Leticia!! Thanks for the tip. I will be preparing some this week, maybe this morning, lol!