Discover a delicious and vibrant Mexican classic with this Make Chilaquiles recipe! All the delicious ingredients you need are included, from crunchy totopos and salsa rojo to slaw, crema, and perfect toppings like longaniza sausage, avocado, eggs, cilantro, jalapeños, and cotija cheese! Enjoy the flavors of this authentic and flavorful dish!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- One skillet does double duty for the salsa. Toasting, rehydrating, and reducing the chiles all happen in the same Finex skillet — no extra pots for a from-scratch salsa rojo.
- The salsa reduces to a real sauce, not a thin puree. Cooking it down until a spoon leaves a trail behind is what separates this from a watery blended salsa.
- Chips tossed just before serving, never soaked. Combining the totopos with salsa right before plating keeps them crisp-but-coated instead of going soggy.
- Every topping serves a purpose. Crema for richness, pickled jalapeños for acid, cotija for salt — nothing on this plate is just decoration.
Chilaquiles
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.5 stars by 2 users
Category
Pork
Cuisine
Mexican
Servings
4
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
1161
Embark on a culinary journey to Mexico with this tantalizing recipe for Chilaquiles. Indulge in the vibrant flavors and textures of this authentic dish that combines crunchy totopos, zesty salsa rojo, and a medley of delectable toppings.
Ingredients
- 10 corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 qt vegetable oil, for frying
-
Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, to taste
- 3 each dried guajillo chiles
- 1 dried chipotle chile
- 1 (28 oz) can Ciao San Marzano Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
-
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Taco Seasoning
- 2 cups green cabbage
-
1 tbsp Colonial Chile Oil
- 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
-
1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub
- 1 cup Mexican Crema
- 2 tbsp lime juice
-
1 tsp Cattleman’s Grill Mexicano Taco Seasoning
- 8 oz longaniza sausage
- 1 each avocado, sliced
- 4 each eggs
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
Totopos (tortilla chips):
Salsa Rojo:
Slaw:
Crema:
Toppings:
Directions
- Heat about 1 1/2 quarts vegetable oil in a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet on the infrared side burner of the Napoleon P500 Gas Grill. Bring the temp up to about 375ºF-400ºF.
- To make the Totopos, cut the tortillas into quarters. Working in batches so as not to overflow the hot oil, fry the tortillas until golden brown, then flip and fry the opposite side. Remove from the hot oil with a spider or tongs and place in a bowl on paper towels. Immediately season with a shake of Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt.
- While the chips are frying, grill the longaniza sausage in the main cooking chamber of the grill over high heat. Grill on both sides to get good color and a little char all around.
- Remove from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 160ºF. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly, then dice into small pieces.
- To make the salsa rojo, place a Finex 10” Cast Iron Skillet on the side burner. Toast the guajillo and chipotle chiles over medium heat just until slightly softened, about 45-60 seconds, then flip and give it another 45-60 second. Pour water into the hot skillet to cover the chiles. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, turn off the heat and leave the skillet covered for 15 minutes to rehydrate the chiles.
- In the pitcher of a Vitamix Blender, combine the rehydrated chiles with the remaining ingredients for the salsa rojo. Blend until smooth.
- Dump the water from the skillet and return the skillet to the side burner. Pour the salsa rojo into the skillet. Cover with a grease screen to control the splatter. Bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low. Let cook until thickened. You should be able to pull a spoon across the bottom of the skillet and the salsa doesn’t immediately fill back in behind the spoon. At this point, remove from the heat.
- Before assembling the chilaquiles, first make the slaw and crema.
- To make the slaw, combine the Chile oil, vinegar and Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub. Whisk. Then add the cabbage to the bowl and toss to coat.
- To make the crema, combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer to a squeeze bottle.
- Finally, fry four eggs to your liking, then assemble the chilaquilas.
- Combine the fried tortilla chips and the salsa rojo and toss to coat the chips in the salsa. Divide between four plates.
- Top the chips and salsa with an egg, crema, diced longaniza sausage, pickled jalapeños, cilantro and cotija cheese.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
How do I know when the salsa is thick enough?
Drag a spoon across the bottom of the skillet — if the salsa doesn't immediately fill back in behind it, it's ready to come off the heat.
Can I make the chips ahead of time?
Yes — fry the totopos a day ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll soften slightly once tossed with warm salsa either way, so a little advance frying won't hurt the final texture.
Can I make the salsa rojo ahead of time?
Absolutely — it holds well in the fridge for several days and actually deepens in flavor overnight. Reheat gently before tossing with the chips.
What can I substitute for longaniza sausage?
Chorizo is the closest substitute and works well here — just adjust for its slightly different spice blend. Cook it to the same 160ºF internal temperature either way.
Do I need a high-powered blender for the salsa?
A standard blender works fine — just blend a little longer to get the same smooth consistency a high-powered blender achieves quickly.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
5 out of 5 — perfect for indoor or outdoor cooking. Every step here, from frying the chips to grilling the sausage, works just as well on a stovetop as it does on a grill's side burner.
Recipe Highlights
Chiles toasted and rehydrated in the same skillet: Direction Step 5 toasts the guajillo and chipotle chiles, then adds water directly to that same hot skillet to rehydrate them — no separate pot needed, and the residual heat speeds up the process.
Salsa reduced back down after blending: Steps 6–7 blend the rehydrated chiles smooth, then return the salsa to the skillet to simmer and thicken — that reduction step is what turns a thin puree into a real sauce that clings to the chips.
Sausage grilled separately, diced after resting: Steps 3–4 grill the longaniza to 160ºF, then let it cool slightly before dicing — cutting it too soon would lose more juice than necessary.
Assembled just before serving: Step 12 tosses the fried chips in salsa only right before plating, which is what keeps them crisp-but-coated instead of turning soggy from sitting in sauce.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 8 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 1161
- Fat
- 90 grams
- Saturated Fat
- 21 grams
- Cholesterol
- 695 milligrams
- Sodium
- 1310 milligrams
- Carbs
- 35 grams
- Fiber
- 16 grams
- Sugar
- 4 grams
- Protein
- 35 grams
