Chilaquiles Rojos with Fried Eggs

Name: Chilaquiles Rojos with Fried Eggs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, halved lengthwise; ½ medium (75 g) white onion, cut into 2 thick wedges; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, unpeeled; 2 whole (15 g) serrano chiles, stems removed; 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth; 1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola; 1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cumin; 8 oz (225 g) thick, lightly salted tortilla chips, about 8 packed cups, whole or broken; 4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge; 2 tbsp (28 ml) neutral oil or butter for frying; 4 oz (115 g) queso fresco, crumbled; ⅓ cup (80 ml) Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a splash of milk, at room temperature; ¼ cup (40 g) white onion, very thinly sliced; ¼ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 1 whole (170 g) ripe avocado, sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp tortilla chips simmered briefly in a smoky roasted tomato-chile salsa until just tender at the edges and still chewy-crisp in the center, then topped with fried eggs, crema, queso fresco, and onion.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 4 generous breakfast servings

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the red salsa
1½ lb (680 g) ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, halved lengthwise
½ medium (75 g) white onion, cut into 2 thick wedges
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 whole (15 g) serrano chiles, stems removed
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola
1 tsp (4 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cumin
For the chilaquiles
8 oz (225 g) thick, lightly salted tortilla chips, about 8 packed cups, whole or broken
4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge
2 tbsp (28 ml) neutral oil or butter for frying
To serve
4 oz (115 g) queso fresco, crumbled
⅓ cup (80 ml) Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a splash of milk, at room temperature
¼ cup (40 g) white onion, very thinly sliced
¼ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 whole (170 g) ripe avocado, sliced (optional)

Equipment (6)

Rimmed baking sheet
Blender
12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with a lid
10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet for eggs
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Broiler (oven)

Steps

Before you start

Use sturdy, thick, lightly salted tortilla chips (restaurant-style); thin chips turn to mush quickly.
Have the toppings (crema, cheese, onion, cilantro) ready before you start; the final simmer takes only about 2 minutes and the dish must be served immediately.
Wear gloves or wash hands well after handling chiles, and keep the exhaust fan on while charring them.
If you prefer less heat, remove the seeds and ribs from the serranos.

1
Heat the broilerOven 500°F / 260°C
- Position an oven rack 5 inches (13 cm) below the broiler and set the broiler to high (about 500°F / 260°C).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
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Ready when: Broiler element glows red-orange
2
Char the vegetablesOven 500°F / 260°C
- Toss the tomato halves, onion wedges, unpeeled garlic, and serranos with 1 tbsp oil on the baking sheet.
- Arrange tomatoes cut side down.
- Broil 8 to 10 minutes at 500°F (260°C), flipping the onion and chiles once halfway, until the tomato skins are blistered and blackened in spots and the onion edges are charred.
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Ready when: Tomato skins blistered and blackened in patches, tomatoes slumped and juicy
Tip: Watch closely; broilers vary and garlic can burn in the last few minutes. Remove the garlic early if it darkens quickly.
3
Blend the salsa
- Cool the vegetables for 5 minutes.
- Squeeze the garlic from its skins.
- Add the tomatoes with all their juices, onion, garlic, chiles, broth, 1 tsp salt, and cumin to a blender.
- Blend on high 45 to 60 seconds until completely smooth.
- Taste and add salt if needed; it should taste slightly over-seasoned since the chips will absorb some.
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Ready when: Salsa is smooth, brick red, and pourable like thin tomato soup
Tip: Vent the blender lid and cover it with a towel when blending warm ingredients to avoid splatter.
4
Simmer the salsa
- Pour the salsa into a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet.
- Bring to a steady simmer over medium heat, then cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to cook off the raw tomato flavor and thicken slightly.
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Ready when: Salsa has darkened slightly and coats the back of a spoon, with a line holding when you drag a spoon across the pan
Tip: If it spits, partially cover the pan.
5
Prep the toppings
- While the salsa simmers, crumble the queso fresco, slice the onion very thinly, chop the cilantro, slice the avocado if using, and set the crema in a small bowl.
- Set out 4 warm plates.
6
Fry the eggs
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Crack in the eggs (in two batches if needed), season lightly with salt, and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are fully set and crisp at the edges but yolks are still jiggly.
- Slide onto a plate and keep warm.
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Ready when: Whites opaque and set, yolks glossy and still runny
Tip: Cook eggs just before the chips go in so they're hot and the yolks stay runny. For fully set yolks, cook 1 minute longer.
7
Toss the chips
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the salsa is gently bubbling.
- Add all the chips and fold gently with a spatula for 30 to 45 seconds until every chip is coated and just beginning to soften.
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Ready when: All chips are coated in salsa with no dry spots
Tip: Don't over-stir; broken, mushy chips are the most common mistake.
8
Simmer briefly
- Cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes, just until the chips at the edges are tender but the centers still have a bit of bite.
- Remove from the heat immediately.
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Ready when: Chips bend slightly but still hold their shape; a little salsa remains pooled in the pan
Tip: For softer, more traditional chilaquiles, cook 1 minute longer and add a splash of broth if dry.
9
Plate and top
- Divide the chilaquiles among the 4 plates.
- Top each with a fried egg, a drizzle of crema, a quarter of the queso fresco, onion, cilantro, and avocado if using.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Served hot, with chips still slightly crisp in places
Tip: Chilaquiles go soggy within 10 minutes, so serve right away.

Good to know

Tips

Sturdy chips are key; if yours are thin, cut the simmer to under 1 minute.
For a quicker version, replace the roasted salsa with 2½ cups (600 ml) good-quality jarred red salsa and skip steps 1 to 3.
Pour in extra warm broth, 2 tablespoons at a time, if the salsa seems too thick to coat the chips.
For crisper chilaquiles, skip the covered simmer and simply toss the chips for 30 seconds before serving.

Make ahead

"The salsa can be made through step 4 up to 4 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat in the skillet until simmering before adding the chips."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten immediately. Leftover chilaquiles keep in the fridge in an airtight container up to 1 day (they will be soft); reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth for 2 to 3 minutes. Store extra salsa in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Don't freeze assembled chilaquiles."

Substitutions

queso fresco → Crumbled feta or mild cotija. Feta is tangier; cotija is saltier, so use slightly less.
serrano chiles → 1 or 2 jalapeños. Milder heat; keep the seeds for more spice.
low-sodium chicken broth → Vegetable broth or water. Makes the dish vegetarian; add a pinch more salt if using water.
large eggs → Shredded rotisserie chicken (about 1½ cups). Fold in with the chips for a heartier version.