Mexican chilaquiles — the traditional breakfast recipe with red salsa and cheese

Chilaquiles are the classic breakfast of Mexican cuisine: lightly fried triangles of corn tortilla, drenched in hot tomato salsa with serrano peppers, served with crumbled cheese, sour cream, red onion and fresh coriander. The name comes from the Nahuatl “chilaquilitl” — “soaked in sauce”. It is the perfect dish for using up the previous day’s tortillas, and in Mexico it is often served with fried eggs on top or with shredded chicken.

Ingredients (4 servings)

For the red salsa:

• 5 ripe tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 serrano peppers (or jalapeño), to taste
• 250 ml chicken stock or water
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the chilaquiles:

• 12 corn tortillas (or 200 g ready-made tortilla chips)
• Oil for frying (if using fresh tortillas)
• 100 g cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
• 4 eggs (for serving)
• 100 ml sour cream
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh coriander
• Avocado slices for serving (optional)

Preparation steps

1. Make the salsa: fry the tomatoes, onion, garlic and serrano peppers in a pan with a little oil until softened and lightly coloured (about 8 minutes).
2. Put the fried vegetables in a blender together with the chicken stock, cumin and salt; blend until you have a smooth sauce.
3. Return the salsa to the pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, until slightly thickened.
4. Meanwhile cut the tortillas into triangles and fry them in hot oil for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden; drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly. (If using ready-made chips, skip this step.)
5. Add the crispy triangles to the hot salsa and toss gently for 2–3 minutes, until they soften a little but keep their crunch.
6. Meanwhile fry the eggs separately, one per serving.
7. Serve the chilaquiles hot, with a fried egg on top of each portion, crumbled cheese, sour cream, red onion, coriander and avocado slices.

Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4

Tip: Chilaquiles are always served immediately — the longer they sit in the sauce, the more crunch they lose. For the “verdes” version, replace the tomatoes with green tomatoes (tomatillos).