Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a medium pot, add tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 8 minutes until tomatillos soften.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion to a blender. Add cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and Spanglish Asadero All Purpose Seasoning. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
- Stack corn tortillas and cut into eighths to make wedges.
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the tortilla wedges. Fry 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Repeat with remaining 2 tbsp oil and tortilla wedges.
- Return all fried tortilla wedges to the skillet. Pour salsa verde over the top. Toss gently to coat evenly and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
- Divide chilaquiles among plates.
- Top each serving with a fried egg, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and a drizzle of Mexican crema.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
- Fry in two batches — Crowding the skillet drops the oil temp fast. Work in two rounds and every wedge gets the crunch. Rush it and you get soggy.
- Let the tomatillos fully simmer — Eight minutes at a low simmer is what it takes for tomatillos to lose their raw sharpness and develop the right depth. Pull them early and the salsa verde will taste thin.
- Use the full 3 tsp of Spanglish Asadero All Purpose Seasoning — It's the backbone of the salsa verde. Under-season here and every component in the dish suffers for it.
- Toss gently when coating — When you pour the salsa verde over the fried chips, use tongs and a light hand. Over-stirring breaks the chips down fast and turns the texture to mush.
- Add toppings at the table — Cotija, crema, cilantro, and diced onion go on after plating. They're there for contrast and freshness, not to cook down in the pan.
- Plate and eat immediately — Chilaquiles are at their best the moment they hit the plate. The longer they sit in sauce, the softer the chips get. That's physics, not a flaw — just don't let them wait.
- Chilaquiles verdes are a complete plate on their own — the egg, salsa verde, and toppings handle the whole meal. If you're building out a larger spread, refried beans or sliced avocado with flaky salt and lime round it out without competing with the flavors on the plate.
- For a brunch setup, add a second egg per plate and put warm corn tortillas on the side for any salsa verde worth soaking up.
- The garnishes aren't decoration: cotija, Mexican crema, fresh cilantro, and diced white onion each do something distinct. The cotija brings salt and texture, the crema cools the jalapeño heat, the cilantro and onion cut through the richness of the egg. Skip any one of them and the plate is noticeably flatter.
- The salsa verde keeps well on its own — store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Use it through the week on eggs, tacos, or rice.
- The assembled chilaquiles are best eaten immediately. Once the chips absorb the salsa verde they soften, which is part of the dish, but they won't recover their crunch after refrigeration. Store leftovers covered for up to 2 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Add fresh toppings after reheating — don't reheat the cotija, crema, or cilantro.