Chilaquiles are a traditional dish made with cut tortillas, fried or toasted, and cooked in a spicy sauce, red or green depending on the type of chili used, with many regional variations.
They are usually flavored with cilantro or epazote and accompanied by a portion of beans.
It is a traditional Mexican breakfast, but it is common to eat it at other meals during the day.
Popularly, chilaquiles are recommended as breakfast for people suffering from the aftermath of a hangover (colloquially called “cruda” in Mexico).
And it is a typical dish in the celebrations after a traditional Mexican wedding, where it is served at the “tornamesa,” which is a second or final round of dishes served to the guests.
They can contain other ingredients such as shredded chicken or beef, steak, enchilada, cecina (dried meat), chorizo, eggs, cheese, or more.
We tasted them in Mexico City, green, with chicken, and it’s the following recipe.
They can be considered the Mexican version of the Tex-Mex dish:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 15 corn tortillas
- 3.5 oz chicken breast (boiled and shredded)
- 3.5 oz fresh cheese
- as needed green sauce
- as needed vegetable oil
Steps
If you want to make the tortillas, follow this recipe.
If you want to make the green sauce, follow this recipe.
Cut the tortillas into triangles, fry them in a pan with oil so that they heat up and soften.
Add the sauce and the previously shredded chicken, heat for a few minutes.
Serve garnished with fresh cheese.
Fun Facts:
An old Mexican saying goes: “Poor of the poor if they don’t go to heaven, chilaquiles here, enchiladas there“, or simply “chilaquiles here, enchiladas there“, which sarcastically refers to these two dishes so similar in ingredients they seem to mock the misfortune or problems that plague the unlucky or sinners, as both dishes are very spicy.
In plural, “chilaquiles” refers to the dish, however, in colloquial language “chilaquil” can be used in the singular to refer to something that has been treated badly, analogous to how tortilla chips become soggy when soaked in sauce.
In other contexts, it also refers to the boss or the person in command (“here rules Don Chilaquil”).
In some regions, it has a positive connotation and is an affectionate word to indicate a partner or lover, in reference to how appetizing they are at any time of day.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are the other regional variants of Chilaquiles?
• Chilaquiles Tapatio, served with onion, cream, and Cotija cheese.
• Chilaquiles in guajillo sauce, with guajillo chili sauce, originating from Oaxaca.
• Chilaquiles with fried egg, apparently originating from Guanajuato.
• Chilaquiles with chorizo, typical of Oaxaca.
• The Honduran chilaquiles, originating from Honduras, are flavored with cumin and bay leaf and include ground meat, eggs, and peppers.
• Pizza Chilaquiles, born in a pizzeria in Mexico City and called Perro Negro.
• Torta Chilaquiles, born at a stall in Mexico City.
• Chilaquiles suizas, prepared with grilled cheese and usually with green sauce.
In the USA, for Tex-Mex cuisine, a similar dish is prepared based on corn chips called frito pie.
