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Chilaquiles Verdes

Make this Mexican favorite to serve for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. Use bottled salsa verde to make things quick and easy, or if you've got a bit more time, it's worth the effort to make homemade salsa verde. 

Course Breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Lindsey Johnson

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 24 ounces salsa verde store-bought or homemade
  • 1 10-ounce bag tortilla chips
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese
  • Sliced avocado
  • Crema Mexicana or sour cream mixed with a little milk
  • Lime wedges
  • Cilantro

Instructions

  1. In a very large cast iron pan or heavy duty skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cumin over the onions. Cook for 30-60 seconds until cumin is fragrant and lightly toasted. Add the salsa verde and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes. (Don't allow the sauce to thicken too much, but if that happens, add a few tablespoons of water or broth to thin it out.)
  2. Add about 1/3 of the tortilla chips to the salsa verde. Toss to coat. The chips will soften a bit. Stir in the next 1/3 and toss again; repeat with remaining chips. Leave heat on low and loosely cover the pan.
  3. In a separate cast iron or nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Crack the four eggs into the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook according to preference. (The photos show sunny side up eggs.)
  4. Uncover the pan with the tortillas and turn off heat. Carefully place the fried eggs on top of the chilaquiles. Top with the crumbled cheese, sliced avocado, a drizzle of crema Mexicana, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Notes

  • To make this vegan, omit the cheese and eggs. Add a 15 ounce can pinto or black beans to the chilaquiles before serving.
  • To make homemade tortilla chips: cut the tortillas into wedges or strips, brush with a little oil or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray, and bake at 400°F for 5-10 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
  • To make salsa verde from scratch, follow this recipe. 
  • This recipe can also be made with a red chile sauce (enchilada sauce), if desired. Substitute 3 cups enchilada sauce for the salsa verde and proceed with recipe as written.