Chilaquiles Rojos

Have you ever had chilaquiles for brunch? You know, the tortilla chips doused in a yummy salsa and topped with lots of goods. If you haven’t, you are in for a treat! Once you try these chilaquiles rojos you won’t want any other kind of brunch!

Chi-la-kee-les is how you pronounce this dish and trust me, you don’t have to say it right to thoroughly enjoy them. Chilaquiles are so versatile, economical, and easy to make. I am definitely giving you the “more complicated version” by making my own red sauce for these but you can certainly use your favorite sauce or salsa. Honestly, the sauce isn’t all that complicated it is just a matter of finding the right peppers for it and I understand not everyone has access to these. Speaking of peppers, let’s go ahead and talk about these a little more.

I know I have gone over dried peppers in other posts, like my pozole post here, so I’ll give you a run down. Chile guajillo and chile ancho are what we need for this sauce and the guajillo is what gives it the beautiful red color. I have found both of these at my local Mexican shops and at my local grocery stores including Sprouts and Walmart. You can also find these online here. The sauce is simply made by soaking the peppers in hot water to soften, blending these with some water, and seasoning to taste. Seriously you guys, it is that easy!

Moving on to the tortilla chips. While you can use store-bought tortilla chips, trust me when I say that making your own chips is the way to go. That’s how my grandma makes them, how my mom makes them, and how I learned to make them. It is worth the extra time and effort but certainly not necessary. You can make the tortilla chips by pan frying the tortillas or by baking them. Once these are done, combine the sauce and the tortilla chips letting it simmer for a few minutes. The tortillas will soften and absorb all the delicious sauce. Now you have a base for your chilaquiles rojos but it’s time to top it off with all the goods.

Traditionally chilaquiles are topped with queso fresco, onions, peppers, sour cream, and cilantro. However, the topping possibilities are endless. Add some fried eggs on top because it is just the right thing to do and it makes for the best brunch! There is seriously nothing like cutting into a yolk, letting it run out onto the delicious chilaquiles, and getting a little bite of everything at once. Give these a try next time you want a good brunch and don’t forget the Paloma or Margarita on the side to wash it all down. Oh, and don’t forget my invite because I’ll be right over!