Chilaquiles Recipe (Chilaquiles Rojos)
User Reviews
5
Chilaquiles Recipe (Chilaquiles Rojos)
Description
This recipe begins with roasting ancho chili peppers until they soften and then soaking them to extract flavor and reduce bitterness. Along with sautéed onions, garlic, and fresh tomato, the soaked chilies are blended with red wine vinegar, cumin, oregano, black pepper, salt, and honey for a rounded sauce. Straining the sauce ensures smoothness with a rich depth from the chilies and mild sweetness from honey.
Corn tortillas are fried in canola oil to develop crispness, providing a contrast to the tender layers once mixed with the ancho chili sauce and canned tomato sauce. The resulting chilaquiles have a pleasant texture between crisp and saucy, absorbing the robust red sauce flavors.
Toppings such as crumbled queso fresco, diced tomato, fresh jalapeños, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, and fried eggs enrich the dish with creamy, fresh, and spicy notes. These textures and flavors balance the warm, smoky sauce and fried tortillas, making chilaquiles a hearty and comforting meal.
Using store-bought tortilla chips can speed preparation without sacrificing much flavor. Adjusting spice by switching to serrano peppers or adding chili flakes allows control over heat level. Adding proteins like shredded chicken or chorizo turns this into a more substantial dinner option.
Ingredients
For the Ancho Chili Sauce
- 2 ancho chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup onion white, chopped
- 1/4 cup onion red, chopped
- 2 garlic chopped, cloves
- 1 Roma tomato chopped, small
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoons honey
- 15 ounce tomato sauce canned
FOR THE CRISPY TORTILLAS
- 6 corn tortillas
- 1 cup canola oil or other neutral oil
- salt
FOR SERVING
- queso fresco crumbled
- diced tomato
- jalapeno pepper chopped
- avocado sliced
- cilantro chopped
- 1-2 egg fried
Instructions
- Make the ancho sauce first. Dry roast the ancho peppers on a hot pan about 1-2 minutes per side. The peppers will puff slightly and the skins will begin to turn red.
- Set them into a large pot of boiling water and remove from heat. Let them soak covered in water for 30 minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.
- Remove the stems and coarsely chop the anchos. Add them to a food processor.
- Heat the oil in a pan to medium heat and add the onion. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and tomato and cook another minute or so, until you can smell the garlic. Add them to the food processor.
- Add the vinegar, cumin, oregano and a bit of salt and pepper along with about 1 cup of the soaking liquid and honey. Process until it smooths out.
- Press the sauce through a coarse strainer into a bowl. I use a wooden spoon to push it through.
- Add it to a small bowl with the tomato sauce and stir it together.
- For the tortillas, add the canola oil to a wide pot and heat to medium. Do not let it boil or smoke.
- Slice the tortillas into 6 wedges and fry them in the oil in batches a couple minutes per side, until they begin to slightly brown.
- Remove and drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Dash them with salt while they are hot.
- Make the Chilaquiles – Add the ancho chili sauce to a wide pan and heat through.
- Stir in the tortillas and coat each of them with the sauce.
- Remove from heat. Top the chilaquiles with queso fresco, tomato, jalapeno, avocado, herbs, and a fried egg or 2. Enjoy!
Notes
- For a quicker version, substitute homemade fried tortillas with your preferred brand of store-bought corn tortilla chips.
- To increase heat, replace jalapeño with serrano peppers or sprinkle with chili flakes to taste.
- If the dish is too spicy, balance the heat by adding sour cream or Mexican crema.
- Make this dish a dinner entree by adding cooked proteins such as shredded chicken, crumbled chorizo, or crispy pork shoulder.
- Black beans can serve as an additional topping for heartiness and texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 279 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 279kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 43g | 14% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 594mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 817mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 5225IU | 105% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 64mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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