New favorite meal alert!
I would happily jump into this glorious breakfast mess.
What does that say about me?
Chilaquiles might as well have been invented for mornings like this. It’s a perfect way to transform last night’s Mexican-inspired or Tex‑Mex leftovers into a saucy, cheesy brunch favorite.
Brunch: the one meal where you can happily pair breakfast fries with a cocktail and call it brilliant.
There are countless ways to make chilaquiles. I don’t always stick to tradition, and honestly, every version I’ve tried is irresistible. Use salsa verde if you prefer, or a tomato‑based sauce — you can top everything with a mix of cheeses and make a full chilaquiles bar for guests.
For this skillet version I made a quick Tex‑Mex tomato sauce using marinara, chipotle peppers and a few spices. The method is simple: fry slightly stale, torn tortillas until crispy to add texture, then toss them in the sauce and cover everything with cheese.
Think of it as breakfast nachos, but with a softer, saucier texture — an elevated, more comforting version of nachos for morning or brunch.
Next comes the best part for me: the eggs. Fried sunny‑side up eggs on top of warm tortillas and melted cheese are everything. The runny yolk mixes into the sauce and chips, creating richness and silkiness that tie the dish together.
Then pile on the toppings: sliced avocado, chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño or serrano for heat, and plenty of crumbled queso fresco for tang and texture. Load it up with color to make it pop on the plate — it’s not always the most photogenic dish under all those toppings, but it tastes incredible.
Now comes the hard part: what to drink with it. Micheladas, margaritas, or even a mojito — brunch dilemmas are the best dilemmas.
Skillet Chilaquiles
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Ingredients
- 8 (4-inch) tortillas, slightly stale and torn into pieces
- 4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
- 2 eggs, cooked sunny side up (or however you prefer)
- 2 avocados, sliced
- for topping: thinly sliced red onion, scallions, chopped tomato, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers, crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
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If your tortillas are fresh, leave them spread out on the counter for about an hour so they dry slightly.
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Heat the oil in a large oven‑safe skillet (cast iron works well) over medium‑high heat. Fry the torn tortillas in batches until crispy, tossing once or twice. Drain the fried tortillas on a paper towel‑lined plate. Wipe out most of the oil from the skillet.
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Preheat the broiler to high.
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Keep the skillet over low heat. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic, chipotle, ancho chile powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove half of the sauce to a bowl. Toss half of the fried tortillas in the remaining sauce in the skillet, then cover with half the grated cheese. Layer the remaining tortillas on top, pour over the reserved sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly — watch closely to prevent burning.
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Carefully remove the skillet and top with fried eggs, sliced avocado, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, peppers and crumbled queso fresco or any toppings you like. Serve immediately.
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That yolk, though.