This easy Chilaquiles recipe has crispy corn tortillas tossed in a homemade sauce that combines red and green sauces then topped with queso fresco and crema. It is the most flavorful and delicious chilaquiles I have ever had! Enjoy it any time of day!
These Chilaquiles are the real deal.
These Chilaquiles are the real deal.I've had my fair share of incredible Chilaquiles in my life, and I love both the red and green version so much that I wanted my recipe to have a flavor combo of both! The end result turned our AMAZING; perfect flavor and so authentic tasting.
We enjoy chilaquiles for breakfast or brunch with a fried egg on top, or for dinner with shredded chicken and a fried egg. To make this chilaquiles recipe quick come together I suggest making the sauce and the chips ahead of time.
Check out all of my Mexican recipes like Tacos Al Pastor, Cheese Enchiladas, Authentic Mexican Rice, or Tres Leches Cake!
How to make Chilaquiles:
Make Tortillas Chips (or use store-bought): Cut corn tortillas into 6 wedges and dry them out on the counter for a few hours or overnight. Fry the tortillas in the air fryer, or in a saucepan with hot oil, turning once or twice until crisp. Transfer them to a bowl lined with paper towels.
Soften Chiles: Cut each dried chile open with scissors then remove the veins and seeds. Add chiles to a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until softened.
Blend Green Sauce and Cook Onions: Pour ⅓ cup chicken broth, garlic, oregano, and cumin in a blender then blend until smooth. Place tomatillos and ¼ cup fresh cilantro then blend again until smooth. Pour olive oil in saucepan and cook sliced onions for 3 minutes then remove to a plate. Pour salsa verde into the saucepan over medium heat then simmer for 10 minutes.
Finish Sauce: Use a slotted spoon to remove chiles from water then blend with 1 cup chicken broth, until smooth. Pour red sauce through a fine mesh strainer over the green sauce. Press it through the strainer into a pot then season with salt and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in 2/3 cup more chicken broth, then let it simmer for 20 more minutes. Finally, taste it and add a dash of oregano or ground cumin, if needed.
Serve: Add tortilla chip to the sauce, tossing until well coated. Plate the chips then top with a pinch of queso fresco, a few sautéed onions, a drizzle of Mexican crema and some chopped avocado. Enjoy with a side of refried black beans and a fried egg.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: I often prep my red and green sauces and chips up to several days in advance, stored in the fridge. Warm sauce before coating chips.
To Freeze: Freeze chilaquiles sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rewarming.
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Recipe
Chilaquiles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 white corn tortillas* , preferably older/stale
- oil , for frying
Sauce:
- 7 dried guajillo chiles
- 4 dried arbol chiles
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (474g)
- 3 tomatillos medium size, outer leaf removed, washed
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (4g)
- ½ teaspoon salt , or more, to taste
- 1/2 small onion , sliced thinly
For serving:
- 1/3 cup crumbled Queso fresco (40g)
- ¼ cup Mexican crema (56g), or sour cream
- 1 avocado , chopped
- 5 eggs , fried
- 15 ounce can black refried beans , warmed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken (for heartier dinner option)
Instructions
- Fry Tortillas (See notes for air-fryer, baked, or store-bought options): Cut corn tortillas into 6 wedges and allow them to dry on the counter for a few hours, or overnight (or, use older stale corn tortillas). Add about an inch or so of vegetable oil to the bottom of a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the corn tortillas (you may need to work in batches) to hot oil and cooking until crisp, turning them once or twice. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.15 white corn tortillas*, oil
- Soak dried chiles: Use scissors to cut the dried chiles open, and remove veins and seeds inside. Place dried chiles in a saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil reduce heat to simmer and cook them until softened, 20-30 minutes.7 dried guajillo chiles, 4 dried arbol chiles
- Blend Salsa Verde: While the chiles cook, make the green sauce. To a blender add ⅓ cup chicken broth, garlic, oregano and cumin seed. Blend well. Add tomatillos and ¼ cup (a small handful) fresh cilantro and blend until smooth.3 tomatillos, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano, ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Simmer: Heat a saucepan with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes. Remove onion to a plate. Pour the green tomatillo sauce from the blender into the saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.½ small onion
- Blend Red Chiles: Once the red chiles are softened, use a slotted spoon to remove the chiles from the liquid and place them in blender with 1 cup chicken broth. Blend until smooth.2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- Combine: Pour red chile sauce mixture into a fine mesh strainer set over the pot with the green sauce. Use a spoon to press it through the strainer and into the pot. Season with salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2/3 cup more chicken broth. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and add a dash of oregano, or ground cumin, if needed.½ teaspoon salt
- Add Tortillas: Add crispy tortillas to the sauce and toss until well coated.
- Serve: Divide chilaquiles between plates and sprinkle with a pinch of queso fresco. Add some sautéed onions, a drizzle of crema, sliced avocado, and chicken if desired. Serve with a side of refried black beans and a fried or sunny side up egg.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe May 2022. Updated April 2025.
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Haven’t tried it yet, but definitely plan to as Chilaquiles is one of my faves. I am curious if you can air fry the tortillas?
These were great! A little time consuming with the steps for the sauce, but very well worth it and I will definitely make this again, just quadruple the batch and freeze the sauce.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I enjoy cooking but Mexican food always intimates me but with this chilaquiles I nailed it. Thank you
This recipe is fantastic! I live in Mexico and Chilaquiles is one of my favourite meals. When I tell my family we’re having this (either for breakfast with eggs or dinner with chicken) they get SO excited. So glad I came across this recipe.
Like the recipe
great RECIPE