Nachos? Nah. Behold, the Age of Chilaquiles is Upon Us!

If you’ve never had chilaquiles, just think of them as enchilada nachos. And while you’re at it, don’t just think about them. Say the word out loud. CHILAQUILES! Wasn’t that fun?

While the dish might sound unfamiliar, the first printed recipe can be traced back over 100 years ago, as Encarnacion Pinedo introduced his chilaquiles cooking method to the US back in 1898.

Chilaquiles are traditionally an easy-to-make Mexican breakfast dish, where the purpose is to quickly cut up some stale tortillas, lightly pan fry them to a crisp, pour some red, or green salsa over them and sprinkle some queso fresco over top. Easy.

Alterations And Adaptations

It’s the same idea as making an omelette for breakfast, blending in whatever’s left over in the fridge. It just so happens that in Mexican homes, tortillas, salsa and cheese are what’s usually left over in the fridge.

Additions such as fried eggs, crema Mexicana (Mexican cream), maybe even some refried beans are often seen alongside chilaquiles, but they’re not exactly essential to the dish.

Simplicity is the name of the game as you can pretty much use any kind of salsa, or cheese in your chilaquiles. Hell, you can even use store-bought tortilla chips if you don’t have access to actual tortillas.

Roll Your Own Chilaquiles

If you’re feeling adventurous and want to try a good chilaquiles salsa recipe that’s about mild-to-medium hot, here you go.

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To a blender add:

• 3 Pasilla Chiles (Remove stem)
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp of of chicken flavor bouillon
• 1/2 cup of water

Blend it up and pour it onto the crispy tortilla chips while they’re frying on the pan. This should be good for about 4 servings.

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Chilaquiles are a simple dish, but don’t underestimate its inherent deliciousness.

If you’re ever at a Mexican sit-down restaurant, take a step back from the usual tacos and take a chance on the chilaquiles. You won’t regret it.