Easy Chilaquiles with Eggs

*Updated September 2024 with additional sauce recommendations.

If you aren’t familiar with chilaquiles, it’s a traditional Mexican breakfast dish that’s made with fried tortilla strips, typically tossed in a green or red sauce. I love to add scrambled eggs to mine but other ways to enjoy it are with fried eggs, cheese and fresh veggies like cilantro, diced red onions and avocado.

This is a dish I missed out on as a kid! I didn’t grow up with it, like my husband did, because it’s a Mexican dish, not as commonly cooked in homes in the U.S.. His family is from Oaxaca, Mexico and they like to top their chilaquiles with quesillo, a Oaxacan cheese similar to string cheese in texture, but with a much stronger flavor.

It’s DELICIOUS! Whenever my mother-in-law goes back there, she brings us home a ball of fresh quesillo. (It’s what I used in the picture below.)

Now, chilaquiles are one of my all-time favorite dishes. I love how creative you can get with them. You can make them with green or red sauce, homemade or store-bought sauce and with tortilla chips, or by frying your own corn tortillas. Then, you can get even more creative with the toppings, including different meats and fresh veggies!

Today, I’m showing you how to make the base by preparing and frying the tortillas to the right crispness. I’ll also recommend some sauces and toppings and then, let you decide how to customize them!

INGREDIENTS

• Cooking oil – I like to use avocado or extra virgin olive oil, but use whatever your preference is.
• Small corn tortillas – I love the Guerrero brand.
• Enchilada sauce or salsa – You can use any red or green enchilada sauce. If I want my chilaquiles spicy, I like to use El Pato tomato sauce. That one has a lot of spice though. When I want mild chilaquiles with no spice, I love to use this Cholula salsa. You can use whatever your preference is though! If you have extra time and want to make fresh salsa, check out my Roasted Salsa Verde recipe. It works as a great sauce for chilaquiles too.
• Eggs – Our family loves chilaquiles with scrambled eggs mixed in, which is why they’re a part of this recipe. Traditional chilaquiles don’t include them, but I like to add them in for some protein to make it a more complete meal.
• Milk – To mix with the eggs.
• Smoked paprika, salt & pepper – To season the egg mix.

Here’s what else you can add to your chilaquiles:

• Chicken, pork or beef
• Beans
• Cactus, or nopales
• Fried eggs
• Avocados
• Cilantro
• Red onion
• Sour cream
• Mexican crema (cream)
• Queso fresco or cotija cheese

Here’s a couple versions I’ve had in Mexico:

STORE-BOUGHT SAUCE VS. HOMEMADE

As with most dishes, a homemade sauce is usually better than anything premade. That’s also the case with chilaquiles. If you have the time to make your sauce, you can use my Roasted Salsa Verde recipe.

However, if you can’t make your own sauce, then a store-bought enchilada sauce or salsa works just as well! Keep reading for some of my favorites.

MY FAVORITE STORE-BOUGHT SAUCES

El Pato Tomato Sauce: Now, let’s talk about one of my favorite go-to sauces for chilaquiles – El Pato tomato sauce. I had never heard of it until I met my husband. It’s a tomato sauce, but it has a lot of spice. I LOVE making chilaquiles with a can of this.

Cholula Salsa Verde: However, if I’m making these for anyone that doesn’t like spice, than I use this mild, green Cholula salsa.

VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

First, start by cutting or ripping the tortillas into small pieces. A quick way to do this is by stacking all the tortillas, and then taking a sharp knife to cut through the entire stack in a criss-cross pattern.

You can also just use your hands and rip a small stack at a time into small pieces. They don’t need to be perfect.

NOTE: I like to add scrambled eggs to my chilaquiles. However, it’s not a common way of cooking them. Usually you just fry the tortilla strips and toss them with sauce. Then, eggs are traditionally added on top or sometimes other proteins, like steak and chicken. However, to minimize clean up, I prefer cooking my eggs with the chilaquiles, like I do in this recipe. If you don’t want yours with eggs, just skip the next step. Or, finish making your chilaquiles, and make fried eggs with your pan at the end.

Next, make the egg mixture so you have it ready to go once you start cooking. In a small bowl, add the eggs, milk, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Add the oil to a large frying pan or skillet, and heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil gets hot, carefully lay some tortillas evenly along the bottom of the pan. I’ve found it’s best to fry them in 2-3 batches. You don’t want the tortillas overlapping too much, or else they won’t get as crispy, and you want your tortillas to be extra crispy for chilaquiles. This will ensure that they hold up with the sauce and don’t get too soggy.

Once your tortillas are crispy and golden brown, move them to a plate with a paper towel on it, to soak up any excess oil. (Repeat as needed until all the tortillas are fried.)

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the egg mix.

Cook the eggs to your desired liking. Then, add the tortillas back to the pan and turn the heat to low. 

Next, add the sauce. Gently mix it with the eggs and tortillas, until the sauce is evenly coated on everything. Cook for just a minute or so to warm up the sauce, and then turn off the heat. I like to sprinkle some cheese directly on top so it starts to melt.

Serve immediately with your favorite toppings!