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