Chilaquiles Rojos
Where have these red chilaquiles been all my life? Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-key-less) are a traditional Mexican breakfast made with tortilla chips simmered in sauce. Typically, they’re made with green salsa (in Spanish, salsa verde, which yields chilaquiles verdes) or red enchilada sauce (chilaquiles rojos).
I love how the chips soak up some of the sauce and become a little tender. Fresh toppings, including cilantro, radish or onion, crumbled cheese and oftentimes, fried eggs, make this chip-based dish more of a complete meal. This simple recipe is not 100 percent authentic, but I believe it’ll satisfy your chilaquiles cravings.
Ingredients:
Red Sauce (yields 2 cups)
3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat, all-purpose, or gluten-free blend all work)
1 tablespoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
Pinch of cinnamon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
Everything Else
5 big handfuls (5 ounces) corn tortilla chips, or homemade crispy baked tortilla chips (see post)
⅓ cup crumbled Cotija, queso fresco or feta cheese
1 small handful (about 3 tablespoons) very thinly sliced radish, or chopped red or green onion
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced, or guacamole
Optional: 4 fried eggs or scrambled eggs or poached eggs
1 small lime, cut into wedges