Chilaquiles Verdes

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Chilaquiles verdes is a vibrant, tangy, and spicy Mexican breakfast recipe you’ll love! It’s made by tossing crispy tortilla chips in spicy green salsa, then garnishing them with onions, crema, cilantro, queso fresco, and more. Serve it for a savory weekend breakfast or brunch!

💚 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Flavor-packed: Made with homemade salsa verde, crispy totopos, and fresh garnishes, there is no shortage of flavor in these green chilaquiles.
• Customizable: Make the salsa as listed in the recipe card, or put your own twist on it by switching up the chiles, herbs, and spices.
• Allergen-friendly: This recipe is dairy, egg, and gluten-free, making it suitable for a wide array of dietary needs and preferences.
• Easy to prepare: Even though the flavors are complex, the preparation is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for any level of cooking expertise.

If you love savory Mexican breakfasts like chilaquiles verdes, check out our chilaquiles rojos, enfrijoladas, vegan breakfast casserole, and papas a la Mexicana.

🌽 What are chilaquiles verdes?

Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-kee-lays) is widely regarded as one of the most popular Mexican breakfasts. To make chilaquiles, all you have to do is prepare a salsa, toss it with totopos (tortilla chips), and finish everything off with your favorite toppings.

In this version, we’re using a spicy salsa verde to make chilaquiles verdes (green chilaquiles). However, if you use salsa roja, it becomes chilaquiles rojos (red chilaquiles). While we do love both options, the tangy, spicy, and fresh flavors of chilaquiles verdes are pretty hard to rival! 

You can serve your chilaquiles plain or dress them up with classic Mexican toppings for an extravagant eating experience. With so many ways to customize chilaquiles verdes, you will definitely be making this recipe over and over again!

📜 History

It is thought that the name “chilaquiles verdes” stems from the Nahuatl word “chīlāquilitl,” and very loosely translates to something like “chile sauce and greens.”

This dish dates back to prehispanic times. However, the first recorded recipe only appeared in an 1898 cookbook, “El Cocinera Español.”

Of course, there are many origin stories of how chilaquiles became what they are today. But, we know one thing is for sure — this dish is deeply ingrained in the food culture of Mexico

Nowadays, there are different variations of chilaquiles (even some with mole) popping up all over the place.

🌱 Are green chilaquiles vegan?

In their base form, green chilaquiles are vegan-friendly — just tortillas and salsa. But, the toppings are typically less plant-based. Here’s what to watch out for:

• Mexican crema: Instead of dairy-based crema, try vegan crema instead.
• Queso: Use cashew queso fresco or almond cotija in place of animal-based cheese.
• Egg: A common topping is eggs, but you can serve your chilquiles verdes with a tofu scramble instead.
• Meat: Shredded chicken is another common topping, but you can easily swap in shredded vegan chicken for an alternative protein source.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Corn tortillas: Use homemade corn tortillas for the best flavors, but store-bought work in a pinch. Either way, make sure the tortillas are stale before making chilaquiles. If you’re short on time, use pre-made chips.
• Tomatillos: Also referred to as Mexican husk tomatoes, tomatillos make up the base of the salsa. Look for small green-looking tomatoes with a husk on them at the store. If you can’t find any, replace them with green tomatoes.
• Habaneros: We use green habaneros for this salsa, but you can use orange or red varieties too. If you prefer a milder sauce, try jalapeños or serranos.
• Onion, garlic: For the salsa and as a garnish. We prefer white onions, but you can also use yellow onions. Garlic, always lots of garlic.
• Vegetable broth: To give a more robust flavor to the salsa verde. If you don’t have vegetable broth, just add water.
• Epazote, cilantro: While optional, epazote is a traditional green chilaquiles ingredient. The flavor profile is somewhat hard to explain, but it provides notes of citrus, mint, anise, and oregano. And cilantro is a must!
• Oil: To fry the tortillas and season the salsa. Use a neutral vegetable oil like canola, soy, or peanut.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make chilaquiles verdes

Step 1: Boil the vegetables

Simmer the tomatillos, habaneros, and onions in a large pot of water. As soon as the tomatillos turn a slightly darker color, remove them from the heat and drain the water.

Step 2: Blend the salsa

Add all drained vegetables along with the garlic, cilantro, vegetable broth, and salt to a food processor or blender. Mix everything until it reaches your preferred texture. We like our salsa to be smooth, but you can blend it for less time to achieve a chunky salsa.

Step 3: Simmer the salsa

Heat a little bit of olive oil in the same pot used to boil the vegetables. Slowly pour the salsa in and simmer it with a few sprigs of epazote. Remember, the epazote is optional but adds such a unique dimension.

Step 4: Fry the totopos

Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium. In the meantime, cut the corn tortillas into fourths or sixths and fry in batches until they’re golden brown on each side. Drain the excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle some salt on the chips.

Step 5: Assemble

Toss a few tortilla chips in the salsa verde and plate them immediately. Top them with your favorite garnishes for a flavor-packed breakfast. Happy eating!

If you have questions about chilaquiles verdes, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🧀 What to serve with chilaquiles

While you can eat chilaquiles verdes on their own, they are so much better with toppings! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Queso: Add dairy-free queso fresco or almond cotija for umami flavors.
• Crema: Drizzle on vegan Mexican crema for a tangy and cooling element.
• Jackfruit: To emulate shredded chicken, use shredded jackfruit.
• Refried beans: Serve a dollop of refried beans on the side to make this dish more protein-packed and hearty.
• Avocado, onions, cilantro: Chilaquiles (and many Mexican dishes) are often topped with this killer combination.

🍽️ How to eat chilaquiles

Although they’re messy, chilaquiles are best eaten with a fork, a knife, and a lot of napkins! Serve them straight from the pot, add your favorite garnishes, and dig in!

🌡️ Storage & reheating

Once the chips are coated in salsa, chilaquiles should be eaten right away. If you happen to have leftovers, here’s what to do:

• Fridge: Keep your salsa verde and chips separate or they will turn quite soggy. The salsa will last in the fridge for at least a week, and the tortilla chips are good for up to 4-5 days.
• Freezer: Store the salsa verde in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Don’t forget to leave a bit of room at the top of the container for expansion.
• Corn tortillas: Pop them in a freezer-safe baggy and they should be good for up to 6-8 months. Thaw them overnight in your fridge when you need more.
• Reheat: To serve this breakfast again, add the salsa to a pot over medium-low and mix in the chips as before. Garnish with your favorite toppings.

♻️ Variations

• Air fried: For a healthier alternative, try air frying your totopos instead.
• Red chilaquiles: Make red chilaquiles by swapping the green salsa for red salsa.
• Bean sauce: Similar to enfrijoladas, chilaquiles can be served with bean sauce for an equally hearty breakfast.
• Mole: For the ultimate flavor experience, try your chilaquiles with mole poblano in place of salsa verde.
• On a torta: Try making a chilaquiles verdes torta! Yup, adding chilaquiles to a sandwich roll is another popular Mexican recipe.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Use homemade tortillas: It makes a world of a difference in the overall flavor if you use homemade totopos over pre-packaged ones.
• Use stale tortillas: Chilaquiles are best made with tortillas or chips that are going stale. This will prevent the texture from turning too mushy.
• Watch your oil temperature: If you’re a frequent fryer, invest in a deep-fry thermometer. It’s more consistent and yields a better result.
• Adjust the spice level: We like our chilaquiles verdes extra spicy, so we always add extra habaneros. If you don’t like spice, omit the chiles!

💬 FAQ

🍴 More Mexican recipes

If you enjoyed this chilaquiles verdes recipe, be sure to check out some other green chile-based meals like these:

• Enchiladas Verdes: Bean and cheese-stuffed corn tortillas covered in spicy green sauce.
• Picaditas: Crispy corn bases topped with green or red salsa and queso.
• Molotes: A flavorful antojito stuffed with plant-based cheese and smoky poblano peppers.
• Pozole Verde: Jackfruit, hominy, and vegetables bathed in a green broth.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.