Chilaquiles a la Lydia Child Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my chilaquiles soggy? ›

Pay attention to your chips

Also, this may be hard to buy but it's true: if you want to avoid a soggy dish, you need to get your hands on cheap chips at your supermarket. They'll soak everything right up when you're simmering the dish. If you buy more expensive chips, you'll find yourself trying to avoid a soggy mess.

Chilaquiles (pronounced “chee-lah-keel-ehs”) is a Mexican dish made up of fried crispy tortilla chips, a red or green sauce, fried eggs and various toppings and garnishes. I will say that styles of chilaquiles vary from region to region in Mexico.

Chilaquiles is an authentic Mexican meal that originated in 1898 and is still a staple for many families today. In its most basic form, Chilaquiles consist of fried tortilla strips that are simmered in salsa or mole to soften them up. It is a very versatile dish but it is most commonly served for breakfast or brunch.

The word “chilaquiles” is a combination of three terms in Nahuatl (the language spoken by the Aztecs): “chilli,” “atl” (water), and “quilitl” (edible herb).

The best chilaquiles (the kind we're after) aren't so much wet as moist, and aren't so much limp as "gently softened until the chips retain just a bit of crunch but dissolve in your mouth into a mix of comforting starch and hot salsa." But still, when it comes down to it, chilaquiles are essentially soggy nachos—an ...

How do you prevent chilaquiles from getting soggy? The beauty of Chilaquiles is that they do get a bit soggy. But you can prevent them being TOO soggy by just adding a bit of salsa at a time until every chip is just lightly coated!

Chilaquiles verdes are made with a salsa made from tomatillos, onions, jalapeños, and cilantro (hence the “greens” in the translation). Chilaquiles rojos are made with a salsa made from tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, garlic, and broth.

But there's a difference in that regard: migas usually feature short strips of fried tortilla, while chilaquiles use what are essentially tortilla chips. There are other distinctions too. The tortillas in migas are mixed with scrambled eggs; chilaquiles' are drenched in salsa.

chi·​la·​qui·​les ˌchē-lä-ˈkē-lās. : a Mexican dish of fried corn tortilla pieces simmered with salsa or mole and typically topped with cheese and other accompaniments (such as sliced onions, shredded chicken, and fried or scrambled eggs)

The word chilaquiles (pronunced: [tʃilaˈkiles] or chee-lah-kee-lehs) derives from an ancient word in the Aztec Nahuatl language meaning “chilis and greens.” The Nahuatl language originated in Central Mexico and can still be heard spoken today in some regional communities.

Is chilaquiles sauce the same as enchilada sauce? ›

Where have these red chilaquiles been all my life? Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lah-key-less) are a traditional Mexican breakfast made with tortilla chips simmered in sauce. Typically, they're made with green salsa (in Spanish, salsa verde, which yields chilaquiles verdes) or red enchilada sauce (chilaquiles rojos).

This dish is found all throughout Mexico, and at its most basic, it consists of fried tortilla chips covered with a red or green salsa, which makes the chip soft. Chilaquiles are commonly served with a side of refried beans and are eaten quite regularly in most Mexican homes.

It is typically eaten for breakfast or brunch, much like the Tex-Mex dish migas, which is made with scrambled eggs and tortilla strips.

Chilaquiles are an unchallenged icon of Mexican breakfast. Since Chilaquiles are a little spicy and and served warm, it's like a gentle jolt that dispels your morning drowsiness. “Tasty” is the best way to describe chilaquiles. They can be prepared with red or green sauce, but the former is the classical option.

Which is spicier? It all comes down to the chilies used. If serrano peppers are used in the salsa verde, it will knock the socks off of any red enchilada sauce made with ancho chiles (which is a poblano chile when green). The same role reversal can take place by swapping chiles to make red enchilada sauce spicier.

The trick is to microwave your tortillas first to get them nice and pliable, then spray them with your cooking spray and drape them over the oven rack. From there, let the oven take over and do its thing. Soon enough, you've got perfectly crispy baked taco shells.

To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.

The simplest ways to revive stale tortilla chips

You can also make stale or soggy chips crisp again by lightly baking them in the oven. Lay them out on a baking sheet and toast them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for three to five minutes or until they reach your desired crispiness (up to 10 minutes).