Indeed, the “Breakfast of Champions”
Though they appear to be simple (basically tortilla chips drenched in sauce) chilaquiles tickle your tastebuds with a blend of texture and flavor hard to find elsewhere: crunchy tortilla chips and onions, mixed with soft cheese and spicy salsa underscore the freshness of the cream topping. That’s why nobody can resist a breakfast of chilaquiles.
Chilaquiles in Green Sauce (Chilaquiles en Salsa Verde)
The Secret (as always) is in the sauce
There are two secrets to making a great batch of chilaquiles; the first one, of course, is the sauce. It has to be only spicy enough, not too much because it’ll make your chilaquiles unbearably hot, but not so mild that you miss the flavor of the chillies you use.
It’s a good thing, you can make sauce to suit your own taste, with the level of spiciness that’s just right for you. You only need to add your chillies one by one and taste the salsa as you go until you get the right balance. Once you start cooking it, everybody’s mouth will start to water.
The second secret lies in using the best fried tortillas or tortilla chips. It is crucial to get quality tortilla chips that are freshly made with the original Mexican recipe.
Remember: when it comes to cooking, experimentation is the key to success.
Most Mexicans believe there is no better way to start that day than with a serving of scrumptious chilaquiles; especially after a night of partying, because they are an ideal remedy for a hangover.
The word chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-kee-less) comes from the nahuatl “chilli”, or chillies, and “aquilli”, which means bathed in, therefore “bathed in chilli”. Chilaquiles are a classic in Mexican cuisine.
Follow this Chilaquiles recipe to treat yourself and your family…
Ingredients
For the sauce:
800 grams (1 ¾ lb) of tomatillo or 6 roma tomatoes (to make green or red salsa)
2 serrano peppers
1 jalapeno peppers, or any other and as many as you prefer.
1 small bunch of cilantro (leaves washed and removed)
1 epazote (Mexican tea) sprig (optional)
1/3 medium onion thinly sliced, plus paper-thin slices or finely minced onion for garnish
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ cups of water
Cooking oil as needed
Salt and pepper and/or 1 tablespoon of chicken bouillon powder
For serving:
1 package of Santa Rosa tortilla chips
1 fried egg or pulled chicken
Crumbled fresh cheese (panela style)
Sour cream
Paper-thin slices or finely minced onion for garnish
Preparation
Place the serrano and jalapeno peppers in a pot of water to boil. After they have boiled for 5 minutes, add the tomatoes or tomatillos and cook until the skins come off easily. (Pro-tip: If using tomatillos remove from heat as soon as they turn yellow and allow them to finish cooking in the hot water.)
Drain, remove stems from the peppers and allow cooling.
Drizzle some oil into a saucepan and add the onion slices together with the garlic and sautée until golden.
In a blender or food processor place the cooked tomatoes or tomatillos with peppers, cilantro, and the fried onion and garlic. Add ½ cup of water, season and blend until smooth. (IMPORTANT: add the peppers one by one as you blend and check for spiciness, use only as many as needed to suit your taste.)
Return the sauce to the same saucepan used to fry the onion and garlic. Adjust seasoning if needed and let it simmer for about 20 minutes, then add the remaining water and let it cook for another 10 minutes. If using epazote (Mexican tea), add the entire sprig to the sauce to flavor it as it cooks. Remove and discard when ready to serve.
How to serve
Place a bunch of tortilla chips on a plate and soak them in the sauce to your taste (some prefer less sauce so the tortilla chips remain crunchy).
Top with sour cream, cheese crumbles and minced onion to taste.
Finally add the pulled chicken on top. If using a fried egg, it can go either on top or on the side. Refried beans make a nice accompaniment to this dish.
Santa Rosa for Legendary Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles are a classic in Mexican cuisine, and a favorite breakfast for many. Try them with this easy to prepare recipe and remember to use great tortilla chips or tortillas, like those made by Santa Rosa.
We bring Mexican flavor and tradition directly to British Columbia.