If you love bold flavors, crunchy textures, and cozy Mexican comfort food, chilaquiles are your new best friend. This recipe gives you perfectly crisp tortilla chips simmered in warm salsa, topped with creamy cheese, onion, and fresh toppings.
The secret to the best chilaquiles is the balance: the chips must soften slightly but still keep some crisp bite, and the sauce must be rich, flavorful, and well-seasoned.
⭐ Ingredients
For the Sauce (Red or Green)
Choose ONE:
Red Chilaquiles Sauce
4 medium Roma tomatoes
2 dried guajillo chiles (seeded)
1 dried ancho chile (optional)
½ small onion
2 garlic cloves
1 cup chicken broth or water
Salt to taste
Green Chilaquiles Sauce
6–8 tomatillos, husked
1 jalapeño or serrano
½ small onion
2 garlic cloves
½ cup cilantro
1 cup chicken broth or water
Salt to taste
Shortcut: Use 2 cups of high-quality store-bought salsa roja or salsa verde.
For the Base
8–10 corn tortillas (cut into triangles) OR 6 cups tortilla chips
Neutral oil for frying
Toppings (add as many as you love!)
Crumbled queso fresco or cotija
Mexican crema or sour cream
Sliced red onion
Fresh cilantro
Fried or scrambled eggs
Shredded chicken
Avocado slices
Radishes
Lime wedges
⭐ Instructions
1. Make the Sauce
Red Sauce
Boil tomatoes, chiles, onion, and garlic until softened.
Blend with broth and salt until smooth.
Simmer for 5 minutes to develop flavor.
Green Sauce
Boil tomatillos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic until softened.
Blend with cilantro, broth, and salt.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
(Store-bought salsa? Just warm it in a pan.)
2. Prep the Tortillas
Traditional Method: Fry the Tortillas
Cut corn tortillas into triangles.
Fry in hot oil until golden and crisp.
Drain on paper towels and salt lightly.
Faster Method: Use Tortilla Chips
Use thick, sturdy tortilla chips so they don’t get soggy.
3. Combine Chips + Sauce
Heat the sauce in a large skillet.
Add the fried tortillas or chips.
GENTLY fold and cook for 1–2 minutes until the chips soften slightly but still keep some crunch.
Remove from heat immediately to avoid over-softening.
4. Add Toppings
Add any combination of:
Queso fresco
Crema
Cilantro
Onion
Avocado
Chicken
Fried eggs (classic for breakfast chilaquiles!)
Squeeze a little lime on top for brightness.
⭐ Tips for Making the Best Chilaquiles Ever
Use thick tortilla chips to avoid mushy chilaquiles.
Don’t overcook once chips are in—they soften fast.
Simmer the sauce briefly for richer flavor.
For spicier chilaquiles, add a serrano pepper to the blend.
For smoky flavor, add a chipotle in adobo to red sauce.
Want a creamy version? Add ½ cup crema to the sauce while heating.
⭐ Optional Add-Ins
Chorizo
Refried beans
Black beans
Corn
Melted Oaxaca cheese
Steak strips
⭐ Why This Recipe Is the Best
✔ Authentic flavor
✔ Fast and easy
✔ Customizable
✔ Works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner
✔ Absolutely DELICIOUS