This Green Chilaquiles (Chilaquiles Verdes) recipe features crispy fried tortillas swimming in homemade salsa verde. Chilaquiles (pronounced “chee-lah-key-lehs”) are a traditional Mexican breakfast of lightly fried corn tortillas in either a red or green salsa. You can bake the tortillas for a lighter version, but my go-to is always to pan fry them.
Table of contents
This Is My Favorite Weekend Breakfast!
Chilaquiles are hands-down my favorite breakfast ever! I love making chilaquiles on a Sunday morning when we have time to lounge and enjoy breakfast. The combination of tangy salsa verde, crispy chips, and fried egg never gets old.
This is a delicious and hearty breakfast that’s really a vessel for lots of toppings! I serve mine with diced avocado, Mexican crema, cotija, and lots of cilantro. You can also top your chilaquiles with a fried egg or two and serve them alongside refried beans for a heartier breakfast.
If you plan to make green homemade chilaquiles all in one go, plan for a bit of time and prep. However, it’s all worth it in the end! You can prep the sauce several days in advance which makes the cooking process go that much more quickly.
The 3 Main Ingredients
- Corn tortillas. It’s best to use stale or dry corn tortillas here, they fry up best and crispiest. I’ve tried making this dish with store bought tortilla chips, but very few work well. The only store bought chips I would use are the “restaurant-style” corn tortilla chips from Trader Joe’s or fresh chips from your local Mexican restaurant (make sure they’re thick-style!).
- Salsa verde. To make the salsa verde, you roast tomatillos, onion, and jalapeños until blistered and then blend with cilantro and lime juice. Salsa verde is something I always like to have on hand in my freezer because it’s great for making saucy chicken and enchiladas! You can absolutely use your favorite store bought brand, but I do love making my own.
- Toppings. You can top green chilaquiles however you want! I like diced avocado, Mexican crema, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Other common toppings are avocado, egg, sliced chilies, pickled onions, etc.
Baked, Fried, or Store-Bought Chips? Which to Use
I’m personally always going to opt for fried tortillas when making my own green chilaquiles, but there are other options! If you wanted to bake your corn tortillas until crispy, you can do that too. Brush your tortilla wedges with oil, season with salt, and bake until crispy. Follow the instructions as written afterwards.
If you want to use store bought tortilla chips, you can — but with a caveat. Most store bought tortilla chips are really thin, making them a poor choice for chilaquiles. If you wanted to use store bought tortilla chips, my favorite are the restaurant-style tortilla chips from Trader Joe’s because they’re super thick and flavorful.
You could also go to a Mexican market, but again look for thick chips that will hold up to the sauce without falling apart.
Tools Needed
How to Make Green Chilaquiles
Jenny’s Tip: This recipe is so easy to make, but it does require a bit of prep work. I recommend making your sauce ahead of time to cut down on cooking time.
- Make the salsa verde. Toss quartered tomatillos, onion, and jalapeño with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread everything out onto a baking sheet and roast just until the tomatillos have softened and started to blister. Pulse the cooked veggies in a blender with a little lime juice and cilantro until nice and smooth.
- Fry the tortillas until crispy. You’re not deep frying them here, just pan frying in a thin layer of hot oil until golden and crisp. Make sure to salt your tortillas after frying!
- Cook the salsa verde. Careful, it will splatter when it comes into contact with the hot oil! Let the salsa simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until darkened in color.
- Return the fried tortillas to the skillet. Toss the tortillas in the sauce and cook for another couple of minutes to soften them (they shouldn’t be soggy, though!).
- Pile on the toppings. The sky’s the limits when it comes to topping your chilaquiles verdes, so mix and match ingredients however you like.
Jenny’s Tip: Because chips can get soggy fast, green chilaquiles are best served right away! Make sure you have your toppings ready to go before you toss the chips with the salsa verde so that serving goes smoothly.
Serving Suggestions
You know I’m a toppings gal, so I really like to load them on. I chose diced avocado, Mexican crema, crumbled cotija cheese, and cilantro. I also love throwing a perfectly fried egg on top!
To make this recipe vegan, you could omit the cheese and crema.
Try serving your homemade chilaquiles alongside refried beans for a hearty Mexican breakfast! If you want to add a protein, I LOVE serving my crispy beer-braised carnitas and pickled onions over chilaquiles. You could also add some grilled carne asada.
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
- Red Chilaquiles
- Migas Breakfast Tacos
- Skillet Huevos Rancheros
- Beef Chile Colorado
- Red Pozole with Chicken
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Green Chilaquiles Recipe (Chilaquiles Verdes)
Ingredients
Green Chilaquiles
- 16 corn tortillas, cut into wedges
- neutral oil, for frying
- 2 cups salsa verde, store bought or homemade
- salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings
- 2-4 fried eggs
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema
Instructions
- Make the salsa verde. If you're making homemade salsa verde, follow the instructions on the ingredient link to make your own.
- Fry the tortillas. Heat a thin layer of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortilla wedges in batches until crispy on both sides. Transfer the crispy tortillas to a paper towel lined plate and season with salt. Add oil as necessary as you fry the rest of the chips. After the chips are fried, remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet.
- Cook the salsa. Add the green salsa verde to the skillet (careful, it'll splatter a little!) and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until darkened in color.
- Add the crispy tortillas. Toss to coat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the chips have softened slightly but aren't soggy. Top as desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Breakfast and Brunch Skillet Huevos Rancheros
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