Chilaquiles
Chilaquiles
Yesterday's tortillas, today's salsa — softened, not soggy if you are lucky, with cream, cheese and an egg.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Chilaquiles.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Medium heat
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Chilaquiles are fried or toasted tortilla pieces simmered briefly in salsa so they soften at the edge and stay a little crisp in the middle. Red or green. Breakfast. An egg, crema, onion, cheese. If they sit, they become a casserole. Eat them now.
Ingredients
- Corn tortilla8
- Tomato, for a quick salsa, or use leftover salsa-roja3 medium
- Fresh chilli1
- Garlic1 clove
- Onion¼
- Egg2 large
- Melting cheese, crumbled fresco or a mild grate40 g
- Cream (optional)30 ml
- Neutral oil44 ml
- Coriander30 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Cut tortillas into wedges. Fry or toast until crisp. Blend tomato, chilli and garlic into a salsa and simmer 5 minutes.
12 minStep 2
Toss chips in the salsa 1–2 minutes — coated, not soup. Plate, fried eggs, onion, cheese, cream, coriander.
4 min
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Fresh tortillas → Unsalted tortilla chips
A weekday cheat. Watch the salt.
Tips
- Stale tortillas fry better than fresh limp ones.
- Green salsa (tomatillo) is the other national breakfast.
History & culture
The leftover-tortilla breakfast. Also a hangover plate that does not need the hangover.
Mesa food as old as tortillas going stale. The restaurant plate is a later shine.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Chris Woodrich via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chilaquiles%20at%20the%20Grand%20Cantina%2C%20Windsor%2C%20Ontario%2C%202025-09-01%2005.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Chilaquiles take?
30 min all in — 15 min prep, 15 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Medium heat.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
What can I use instead?
Fresh tortillas → Unsalted tortilla chips. A weekday cheat. Watch the salt.
Any tips from this recipe?
Stale tortillas fry better than fresh limp ones. Green salsa (tomatillo) is the other national breakfast.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Huevos rancheros
Huevos rancheros
Fried eggs on tortillas with a cooked salsa — ranch breakfast, not brunch theatre.
25 minEasy🌶️🌶️
Salsa roja
Salsa roja
A cooked or roasted red table sauce — tomato, chilli, garlic — not a jar of taco topping.
25 minEasy🌶️🌶️
Guacamole
Guacamole
Crushed avocado, onion, chilli, lime and coriander — a mash, not a sour-cream dip.
10 minVery easy🌶️