The BEST homemade Chilaquiles recipe includes crispy corn tortillas coated in a homemade sauce and topped with queso fresco and crema. My homemade sauce combines red and green sauce for the best chilaquiles I’ve ever had!
Looking for more authentic Mexican recipes? Try my Pozole Verde, Mexican Rice, Tamales, Elote and Mole Poblano.
Why I love this recipe:
- Red AND Green Sauce – Chilaquiles are usually made with either red or green sauce, but I love the flavors of both so I combined the two, resulting in the BEST chilaquiles I’ve ever had! They are SO authentic tasting and easy to make from scratch
- Versatile – Can be served for any meal of the day, but I particularly enjoy them for breakfast or brunch, with a fried egg on top.
- Easy Make Ahead Meal: This recipe really is EASY, but does take some time, so I love to make the sauces and fry the tortillas ahead of time, so that it comes together in a breeze when we want to eat it! Find my make ahead instructions in the recipe card notes.
What are Chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-KEE-lays) are a traditional Mexican dish consisting of lightly fried corn tortillas tossed in salsa verde (chilaquiles verde), or red chile sauce (chilaquiles rojo) with queso fresco and Mexican crema on top. They’re often served with a fried egg and refried beans, and some variations may include additions of sautéed onion, shredded chicken and avocado.
How to make Chilaquiles:
Pan Fry Tortillas: 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). Heat a large saucepan with an inch of vegetable oil, over medium heat. Add the corn tortillas, turning them once or twice in the oil, and cook until crisp. Remove to a bowl lined with paper towels.
Soften 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.
Blend Green Sauce: In 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.
Simmer: Heat a saucepan with olive oil. Add sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes. Remove onion to a plate. Add salsa verde from blender to the saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Blend Red Sauce: 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.
Combine red and green sauces: Pour red chile sauce 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 20 minutes. Taste and add a dash of oregano, or ground cumin, if needed.
Add fried tortilas to the sauce and toss until well coated.
Serve: Divide chilaquiles between plates and sprinkle them with a pinch of queso fresco, add a few sautéed onions and a drizzle of Mexican crema. Serve with side of refried black beans and a fried or sunny side up egg.
Make Ahead Instructions:
The red and green sauces and chips can be prepared several days in advance. Store sauces in the fridge. When ready to serve, warm sauce in saucepan and add chips. Stir to coat, and serve as instructed. Both sauces could also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Can I use Store-Bought Tortilla Chips for Chilaquiles?
I don’t recommend substituting tortilla chips in place of the corn tortillas because tortilla chips soften easier and will have a mushier texture when mixed with the sauce. If you do choose to use tortilla chips for chilaquiles, choose thick, organic ones, for best results. If you don’t want to fry the corn tortillas, use my baked corn tortillas method instead (see recipe card notes).
Variations:
- Bake the Corn Tortillas: Divide corn tortillas among two large baking sheets. Drizzle tortillas with a few tablespoons of olive oil and toss to coat. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until crispy.
- Add Meat: This is a great dish to add leftover meat to like shredded chicken, carnitas pork or beef barbacoa.
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Recipe
Chilaquiles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 15 white corn tortillas* , preferably older/stale
- vegetable oil , for frying
Sauce:
- 7 dried guajillo chiles
- 4 dried arbol chiles
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 3 tomatillos medium size, outer leaf removed, washed
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon salt , or more, to taste
- 1/2 of an small onion , sliced thinly
For serving:
- 1/3 cup crumbled Queso fresco
- ¼ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 1 avocado , chopped
- fresh cilantro , for garnish, if desired
- 5 eggs , fried
- 15 ounce can black refried beans , warmed
Instructions
- Fry Tortillas*: 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) in hot oil until crisp, turning them once or twice in the oil. Remove to a bowl or plate lined with paper towels.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Combine sauces: 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.
- Add Tortillas: Add crispy tortillas to the sauce and toss until well coated.
- Serve: Divide chilaquiles between plates and sprinkle them with a pinch of queso fresco, add a few sautéed onions and a drizzle of crema. Serve with fresh sliced avocado, a side of refried black beans and a fried or sunny side up egg.
Notes
Nutrition
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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