Chilaquiles verdes is the green version of chilaquiles, as opposed to chilaquiles rojos, the red version. It’s a simple Mexican breakfast consisting of fried corn tortillas simmered in green salsa and then topped with your favorite ingredients.
I like fried eggs, queso fresco, cilantro, and a little Mexican crema on mine.
There are as many variations of chilaquiles verdes as there are people that cook it. My personal preference is a mild, poblano-forward salsa.
I just think the smell of roasted poblanos is the best smell in the world, but you can substitute New Mexico Hatch Green Chiles or anaheim chiles if you like. It’s all up to personal preference.
As to the corn tortillas, I prefer brushing the oil on them then baking them, rather than frying them in a pan. It’s a lot easier, and it tastes about the same.
If you don’t want to bother making your own tortilla chips, you can buy thick tortilla chips from the store and substitute them.
I don’t recommend buying them from the store if you can help it, though. I haven’t found tortilla chips at the store that taste near as good in chilaquiles.
- Try one of our 12 salsa recipes to help you master Taco Night.
Chilaquiles Verdes for Breakfast
I highly recommend making the sauce the night before, then gently reheat it in the morning. It’s a lot of work first thing in the morning, otherwise.
You can even make a double batch to cover a couple of mornings, if you like.
Additionally, if you leave the tortillas on the counter overnight to dry, they’ll fry up crispier and hold more of their texture in the sauce.
If you do that, all you’ll have to do in the morning is fry a couple of eggs, make the tortilla chips (or substitute store-bought), bring the sauce to a simmer, and fold in the chips.
It’s an excellent, hearty breakfast to start your day.
A final note on this recipe. The green salsa is mild. If you want more heat, consider adding a serrano chile or two.
Chilaquiles Verdes – Green Chilaquiles
Equipment
Ingredients
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- 1/2 lb. tomatillos - boiled
- 3 poblanos - broiled, peeled, de-seeded
- 1/3 cup cilantro - roughly chopped
- 1/2 medium white onion - roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - peeled
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken stock
Totopos (Tortilla Chips)
- 10 corn tortillas
- 4 tbsp. vegetable oil - for brushing
- 2 tsp. Kosher salt
Assembly
- 4 large eggs - fried
- 1/4 cup queso fresco - crumbled (or substitute feta)
- 2 tbsp. cilantro - chopped
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema - or substitute sour cream
Instructions
Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Stem and core tomatillos. Broil the tomatillos along with the poblanos until blackened on all sides. ~10 minutes
- Place the poblanos in a bowl and cover with platic wrap. Let set for 5-10 minutes, then stem, peel, and de-seed.
- Add tomatillos, poblanos, cilantro, onions, garlic, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high. Add pureed vegetables and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes (a splatter screen will help keep you from making a mess). Add broth, and cook, continuing to stir and mix for another minute.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
Totopos (Tortilla Chips)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Brush the tortillas with oil on both sides, then cut into 6ths (three cuts across the tortilla). Place on a baking sheet in a single layer, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
- Bake for 5 minutes until lightly browned and somewhat crispy.
Assembly
- Return the sauce to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the tortilla chips and cook, stirring constantly, until the tortillas begin to slightly soften. About 5 minutes.
- Top with crumbled queso fresco (or substitute feta), fried eggs, crema (or sour cream), and chopped cilantro
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