This Chilaquiles Verdes recipe is my take on the traditional Mexican dish. Filled with spicy salsa verde, creamy cheeses, and crunchy tortilla chips, you won’t be able to stop yourself from snacking!
Is there anything better than a recipe that you can enjoy any time of day? That’s just half of the beauty of my Chilaquiles Verdes recipe. The other half comes from the mouthwatering flavors of fresh salsa, creamy cotija cheese, store bought or homemade Mexican crema, and crispy tortilla chips. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can make the tortilla chips yourself instead of opting for store-bought!
I’m getting ahead of myself – you can enjoy this meal at any time of day thanks to its versatility. Serve with a fried egg (or two) for breakfast or alongside refried beans and rice for lunch or dinner. No one’s stopping you from enjoying it as a snack with a pitcher of margaritas either!
No matter which way you decide to eat it, this recipe for Chilaquiles Salsa Verde comes together in about 35-minutes and is very easy to prepare, once you gather the ingredients.
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Salsa Verde – If you don’t use my roasted recipe, you can follow a quick and delicious “boiled” version that calls for:
- Tomatillos – If you’ve dabbled in Mexican cuisine you’ve likely used tomatillo before. They look like small green tomatoes covered in a leafy husk. Remove the outer layer before you start cooking.
- Jalapeños – Adds extra heat to this recipe. Be sure to wear gloves when slicing and seeding.
- White Onion & Garlic – Both will add a nice bite to the dish.
- Fresh Cilantro, Lime, & Salt – The finishing touches to any good salsa verde.
Note: If you’re strapped for time, you can even pick up a store-bought version of this sauce. That said, I strongly recommend making it yourself!
- Corn Tortillas – The tortillas form the base of this recipe. If you have the time, consider making them from scratch.
- Vegetable Oil – To fry up your tortillas to make them crunchy! I used canola oil, but any veggie oil with a high smoke point would work.
- Mexican Crema – Make my homemade version, go for store bought, or substitute with sour cream.
- Cotija Cheese & Fresh Cilantro – You’ll use both as the finishing touch on your Chilaquiles Verdes!
- Optional Toppings – Add some protein to the dish by including one fried egg per person or some shredded chicken.
boil veggies and chiles 
puree for salsa verde 
cut corn tortillas for chips
HOW TO MAKE CHILAQUILES VERDES
1. Prepare the Salsa. Place the husked tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, and garlic in a medium saucepan filled with water. Bring the ingredients to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for about 10-minutes. Once it’s done, put the mixture in a blender with some cilantro, lime juice, and salt. Blend until your desired consistency and set it aside for later!
fried tortilla chips 
add optional chicken 
stir thru salsa verde
2. Make the Chips. Cut the corn tortillas into smaller triangle wedge shapes so that they look like chips. You can make your life easier by stacking the tortillas and cutting several at once! This will also ensure that the chips are all relatively the same size. But, don’t get too hung up on making them even – it’s not that important. Fry them in your vegetable oil of choice until all of the chips are crispy and fried nicely.
3. Toss & Serve. Pour your salsa verde over your newly fried tortillas chips and toss to coat. Then, add the crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, and Mexican crema. Include any of the add-ons mentioned (fried eggs, shredded chicken, etc.) and serve your Chilaquiles Salsa Verde immediately!
Why Are My Chilaquiles Soggy?
You can easily avoid a soggy texture by using homemade tortilla chips! That doesn’t mean you need to make the tortillas from scratch – although that would be really tasty. It means that you should always fry up your own corn tortillas to turn them into chips. Store-bought tortilla chips become soggy quickly when tossed in salsa verde. Fresh home-fried chips are sturdier!
Are Chilaquiles Verdes Supposed To Be Soft Or Crunchy?
Whether you enjoy your Chilaquiles Salsa Verde crunchy or soft is all down to personal preference! In Mexico, this dish is served crunchy in the morning for breakfast and soft when eaten for lunch or dinner. I like mine to be crispy, but that’s my opinion! However you eat them, the flavors remain the same and that’s what really matters.
How Do I Reheat Chilaquiles?
While I always recommend that you serve and eat this dish fresh, leftovers can be reheated. Place any extras in an airtight container and place them in the fridge (make sure they are at least room temperature first). They will keep for a few days, but the sooner you eat them the better! When you’re ready to eat, place on a microwave-safe plate and cover with wax paper. Microwave for about 2-3 minutes or until hot. Add some more fresh crema and cheese and serve!
Subscribe to my Newsletter, follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube for all my latest recipes and videos.
Related Posts
Chilaquiles Verdes
Ingredients
Salsa Verde (See Note 1)
- 1 lb tomatillos husks removed
- 3 jalapeños sliced lengwise and seeds removed
- 1/2 white onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 lime juiced (about 2-3 tablespoons)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Chilaquiles
- 12 corn tortillas
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
Other Optional Toppings
- 1 fried egg per serving
- 1 cup shredded chicken
Instructions
Salsa Verde (See Note 1)
- Cover the tomatillos, jalapenos, onion and garlic with water in a medium saucepan or pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion to a blender using a slotted spoon.
- Add cilantro, lime juice and salt. Blend until smooth and set aside.
Chilaquiles
- Stack the corn tortillas on top of each other and cut them into sixths to create triangle wedge chips.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cut tortilla wedges and fry for 10 minutes, turning often, until the tortillas are crispy and lightly fried.
- Pour the salsa verde over (and optional shredded chicken, see Note 2) and toss together to coat all the chips.
Serve (See Note 2)
- Drizzle Mexican crema on top with crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You could use this quick “boiled” recipe above for the salsa verde or try my Roasted Salsa Verde recipe, or store bought.
- You could serve this with a fried egg on top for a traditional breakfast or add shredded chicken (as pictured above) for a more substantial meal.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Nutrition
looks so good. I remember my MIL sort of poaching the eggs in the heated sauce, then serving them with the sauce over the tortilla. She sliced her tortillas into strips rather than triangles. I ave not seen anyone else do that. She was raised in LosAngeles area after her family migrated from Mexico to pick oranges when all of the areas was covered in orange groves in the 1940’s!. But otherwise all the ingredients are the same. Thanks so much. Have them hand after making posse last night and wanted to use up the leftovers!