Chilaquiles Rojos
4.9
(9)
This chilaquiles recipe is the blueprint for one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s also a great way to use up tortillas (or tortilla chips) that are past their optimal freshness, as well as leftover roast chicken or carnitas. My preference for this classic Mexican dish is to use homemade fried tortilla chips, though ones purchased at a restaurant will do in a pinch. Store-bought, commercially made chips tend to wither and disintegrate too quickly into the red sauce. If you opt to use premade chips, you’ll need 6–8 cups. Choose sturdy ones, which will maintain their integrity for far longer than a thin, wispy chip. I like when chilaquiles are still a little bit crunchy. If you prefer softer chilaquiles, let them soak up the salsa for longer before serving. The best part about making chilaquiles is their versatility; there’s no wrong time to serve them. Ready for brunch? Add sliced avocado and scrambled or fried eggs. Looking for an easy lunch or dinner? Top them with shredded chicken, carnitas, or crispy chorizo.
Salsa Roja is the foundation of this dish, so I recommend making your own. This recipe is balanced, full of flavor, and it couldn’t be easier to make. It’s well worth the effort—you can also spoon it over eggs, serve it as an accompaniment for chips and guacamole, or use it as the base for enchiladas rojas.
Recipe information
Total Time
50 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Special equipment
Preparation
Step 1
If using 12 corn tortillas, divide into 2 stacks; cut each stack into 6 wedges.
Step 2
Pour vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to come about 4" up sides (about 8 cups). Fit thermometer to sides of pot and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 2 batches and returning oil to 350° between batches, fry tortilla wedges, stirring and turning constantly with a spider or slotted spoon, until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet and let drain; season immediately with kosher salt. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a large bowl.
Step 3
If using 2 cups shredded roast chicken or carnitas, toss with 1 cup Salsa Roja (see recipe) in a small saucepan; place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Step 4
Bring 3 cups Salsa Roja (see recipe) to a simmer in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fried tortilla wedges or 8 cups sturdy tortilla chips to skillet and toss to coat. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit until softened, 1–5 minutes, depending on how soft you prefer your chips to be (1 minute for almost totally crunchy chips, 3 minutes for soft chips with a little crunch, and 5 minutes for soft chips with almost no crunch). Season with salt.
Step 5
Divide soaked chips among plates; top with chicken or carnitas or 2 cups cooked fresh chorizo or 8 fried large eggs, followed by 1 large ripe avocado, sliced, 4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled, ¼ cup crema mexicana, and some cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Cook’s note: To make chilaquiles verde, substitute 3 cups tomatillo salsa verde for the salsa roja.
Recipe notes
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