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But First We Brunch » Recipes » Breakfast & Brunch

Easy Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde Recipe

Modified: Sep 4, 2024 by Cynthia Christensen · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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5 from 2 votes
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Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde in a cast-iron pan with an egg on it.
Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde in a cast-iron pan with an egg on it.
Pinterest image of breakfast Chilaquiles in a cast-iron pan.

My Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde is a showstopper! With tortilla chips tossed in roasted tomatillo salsa and topped with eggs - it's a quick and satisfying breakfast. Even making your own green salsa, this traditional Mexican breakfast can be on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde in a cast-iron pan with an egg on it.

Save This Recipe! 💌

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!

Despite growing up in San Antonio, the first time I ever heard of Chilaquiles was when I was watching “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” on the Cooking Channel. Chef Marcella Vallodolid was describing the chilaquiles verde that she ate at a restaurant in Chula Vista, California (a town where where I once lived) and I was immediately obsessed.

I was so obsessed that part of the vacation that The Boy and I took to San Diego centered around going to Talavera Azul and eating the same chilaquiles as Marcella. True story.

Today the boy and I are almost 3,000 miles away from the Chilaquiles of our (my) dreams so I had no choice but to recreate them. The recipe is easier than you’d think and can be on the table in 30 minutes, start to finish. 

Jump to:
  • What are Chilaquiles?
  • Ingredients & Substitutions
  • Variations
  • Instructions
  • Garnishes
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Flavors of Mexico
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

What are Chilaquiles?

Chilaquiles (pronounced Chee-lah-kee-les) are a traditional Mexican dish made with fried corn tortillas that are tossed in salsa, usually green, but a red sauce or a mole are not out of the question. It is often served with a protein, such as beans and/or chicken, and are usually topped with salty cheese and a fried egg. Chips for breakfast and put an egg on it? I’m IN!

Ingredients & Substitutions

These are the ingredients you need to make delicious chilaquiles with homemade salsa verde for 4 people... or 2 people and my husband, who is obsessed! Read below for more info about some of the ingredients and how you can make simple changes based on taste and preference.

Labeled image of ingredients to make breakfast Chilaquiles Verde.
  • Tomatillo salsa For in depth info about this green sauce check out my roasted tomatillo salsa recipe. I'm including the ingredients here but you can definitely use store-bought. You need about 2 cups, or 16 ounces of salsa for this recipe.
  • Tomatillos Tomatillos look a little like small green tomatoes wearing khaki jackets. They are actually not even closely related to tomatoes, and they need their jackets removed before cooking. You can usually find them near avocados, plantains, coconuts, guava...all the foods that the average grocery store thinks of as "exotic".
  • Jalapeño The salsa verde recipe calls for two jalapeños, but you can add more or less depending on your tolerance for spice. If you are a spice fiend, substitute with a serrano pepper 🔥
  • Cilantro I know some people don't like the taste of fresh cilantro, so you can totally skip it or use parsley or chopped chives instead.
  • Tortilla chips Corn tortillas make the best chilaquiles. Not flour. That's the note. I like to make my own crispy tortilla chips when making chilaquiles, but store-bought tortilla chips are a time-saving alternative. Don't buy the thin 'cantina' style chips. You need thicker ones to hold up to tossing in the salsa verde.
  • Cotija cheese This is a salty, crumbly cheese that I can find easily in my local market. If you can't find it, queso fresco, parmesan or even feta cheese will do.
  • Monterey jack cheese I like a nice melty cheese in my chilaquiles, but you can skip it, or even use mozzarella if you can't find it.
  • Eggs Some people love eggs, some people don't. My opinion on the subject changes from day to day. You can add a perfectly fried egg, you can use soft scrambled eggs, or you can skip them altogether. It's totally up to you.
  • Chicken It's traditional to add a protein to chilaquiles, and my preference is to add some shredded rotisserie chicken to each serving, but black beans or refried beans is common and keeps this recipe in the vegetarian realm.

See recipe card below for exact measurements.

Classic Mexican Breakfast If you love the flavors in this chilaquiles recipe, wait until you try my Huevos Rancheros. An easy ranchero sauce, delicious refried beans, and a perfect fried egg sounds amazing, doesn't it?

Variations

This green chilaquiles is one of my favorite breakfasts of all time, but there are many types of chilaquiles, popular in different parts of Mexico

  • Chilaquiles rojos - Made with a tomato based red chile sauce, you can actually substitute red, ripe tomatoes for the tomatillos, and make a roasted tomato salsa or use store-bought enchilada sauce.
  • Spicy - Add a canned chipotle pepper to the roasted tomato salsa and top with cooked and crumbled chorizo for a really spicy kick! 
  • Shakshuka style There are regions in Mexico that cook their tortilla chips in the salsa until completely soft. That's a bit much for me, but I do enjoy making this in a large cast iron skillet and making little depressions to drop eggs into. Bake in a 375°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking. Scoop out servings for everyone at the table and garnish.

Instructions

Making Chilaquiles verde is easy and quick. I recommend making your own roasted tomatillo salsa, and I'll cover that real quick here, but go to the recipe to get all the nitty gritty details.

For the roasted tomatillo salsa (optional)

Roasted tomatillos and other vegetables on a sheet pan.

Step 1: Place tomatillos, jalapeno, onion and garlic in a single layer on a large sheet pan and broil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until your vegetables are blistered and beginning to char, flipping over once. Add ½ cup of water to pan to loosen any dark bits from the pan.

Adding roasted vegetables and cilantro to a food processor to make tomatillo salsa.

Step 2: Pour everything into a food processor, along with cilantro or parsley, salt, pepper, lime juice, and honey. Blend and taste for more seasoning.

For the chilaquiles

  • Step 1: Slice 8 corn tortillas into wedges. Heat a cast-iron pan, large skillet, or dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 inch of vegetable oil. Heat to 350°F.
Cooking tortilla chips in hot oil.

Step 2: Cook tortilla wedges in the hot oil in batches, frying until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer tortillas to a wire rack or paper towel and season with salt. Drain oil into a heat proof container and place the pan back on the heat.

Adding tomatillo salsa to a hot cast-iron pan.

Step 3: Increase to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and pour in your salsa verde. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until sizzling.

Mixing together tortilla chips and salsa Verde in a cast-iron pan.

Step 4: Add in the chips and toss until well coated.

Adding shredded Monterey jack cheese to the top of tortilla chips tossed in salsa verde.

Step 5: Add Monterey jack cheese, which will melt from the heat of the chips and salsa. Divide evenly among individual serving vessels (I like to serve in an adorable mini cast iron skillet, but shallow bowls are fine 😆)

Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde in a cast-iron pan with an egg on it.

Step 6: Top each serving with sunny side up eggs, poached eggs, or scrambled eggs, if desired. Add crumbled cotija cheese and assorted fresh vegetable toppings. Serve it up with a spicy Virgin Paloma made with grapefruit simple syrup, lime, grapefruit soda, and a kick of jalapeño!

Garnishes

You can add absolutely anything that you like to the top of your Chilaquiles. It's always my goal to get a bit of everything in every bite, a little like I'm having some breakfast nachos. I feel a little naughty and I like it! 

I like to add shredded chicken, some sliced avocado, a few slices of fresh jalapeño, and some thinly sliced radishes and red onion, but adding my easy charro beans would be amazing, and you can never go wrong with a little sour cream or Mexican crema.

Chilaquiles Verde with chicken.

Recipe FAQs

This sounds simple, but how can I make it even easier?

If you want chilaquiles in a hurry use your favorite jarred salsa verde and store bought chips. Top with whatever cheese and vegetables that you have or that sound good to you.

Can I make this dish ahead?

Chilaquiles is best served and eaten immediately, but you can make the tomatillo salsa up to a week ahead and the tortilla chips can be made ahead and refreshed in the oven before adding to the salsa.

Can I reheat chilaquiles?

As I said, chilaquiles is best served immediately after making them. As they sit the chips will soften (think soggy nachos), which is no bueno for me. Instead, just make one serving at a time, so you don't have any leftovers. Warm ½ cup of salsa, toss with a quarter of the chips, add a bit of cheese, and garnish.

More Flavors of Mexico

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    Easy Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
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Cynthia from But First We Brunch writing down a brunch recipe.

Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment with a ⭐️ rating below to tell me all about it, and don't forget to tag me on Instagram!
I appreciate you!
-Cynthia

📖 Recipe

Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde in a cast-iron pan with an egg on it.

Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde

My Breakfast Chilaquiles Verde is a showstopper! With tortilla chips tossed in roasted tomatillo salsa and topped with eggs - it's a quick and satisfying breakfast. Even making your own sauce, this traditional Mexican breakfast can be on the table in less than 30 minutes!
5 from 2 votes
Author: Cynthia Christensen
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 494 kcal

Equipment

  • 12 inch cast iron skillet
  • Food processor ~OR~
  • Blender
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (Optional: see notes)

  • 1 ½ pounds tomatillos washed after removing husks (about 8-10 medium tomatillos)
  • 1 onion white or yellow, cut in wedges
  • 2 jalapeños stems removed (plus more for garnish)
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon honey or agave
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 lime juiced (plus more slices for garnish)
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves and stems, about ½ a small bunch (plus more for garnish)

Tortilla chips (Optional: see notes)

  • 2 cups vegetable oil enough to fill cast iron pan 1 inch
  • 8 corn tortilla
  • 1 cup shredded colby jack or pepper jack cheese

Garnish (Use any or all of the below)

  • 4 fried eggs
  • 2 cups shredded chicken or any other protein you prefer
  • 1 cup monterey jack cheese
  • ½ cup Cotija cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Sliced radishes
  • Sliced red onion
  • Sliced Avocado

Instructions

Make roasted tomatillo salsa (optional: see notes)

  • Place tomatillos, jalapeno, onion and garlic on a large sheet pan and broil for 10 to 12 minutes, or until your vegetables are blistered and beginning to char, flipping over once. Add ½ cup of water to pan to loosen any dark bits from the pan.
  • Pour everything into a food processor, along with cilantro or parsley, salt, pepper, lime juice, and honey. Blend and taste for more seasoning.

Make tortilla chips (optional: see notes)

  • Slice 8 corn tortillas into wedges. Heat a cast-iron pan or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 inch of vegetable oil.
  • Cook tortillas in batches, frying and flipping until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer tortillas to a wire rack or paper towels and season with salt.

Make chilaquiles verde

  • Drain oil into a heat proof container and place the pan back on the heat.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and add your salsa verde. Heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until sizzling. Add in the chips and toss until well coated.
  • Add montery jack cheese, which will melt from the heat of the chips and salsa. Divide evenly among individual serving vessels.
  • Top each serving with fried eggs, poached eggs, or scrambled eggs, if desired. Add crumbled cotija cheese and assorted fresh vegetable and other toppings from the list, or your imagination.

Save This Recipe! 💌

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!

Notes

Shortcut chilaquiles: If you want even easier chilaquiles, use your favorite jarred salsa verde (I like Rick Bayless') and store bought tortilla chips. 
Make components ahead: Chilaquiles is best served and eaten immediately, but you can make the tomatillo salsa up to a week ahead and the tortilla chips can be made ahead and refreshed in the oven before adding to the salsa.
Please do not reheat: As I said, chilaquiles is best served immediately after making them. As they sit the chips will soften, which is no bueno for me. Instead, just make one serving at a time, so you don't have any leftovers. Warm ½ cup of salsa, toss with a quarter of the chips, add a bit of cheese, and garnish.
Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1027mg | Potassium: 732mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1091IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 607mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional and caloric information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It does not assert or suggest that readers should or should not count calories, and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s or doctor’s counseling.

Tried this recipe?I would love for you to leave a comment!

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Picture of the author with a banner, stating welcome to my blog I am Cynthia.

In our house we get up with the sun, and most of us don't stop working until late in the night, so breakfast and brunch are our family meals. So join me at the kitchen counter, where I cook up delicious food for my busy family, starting first thing in the morning!

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