Fresh homemade salsa verde soaked up by crunchy corn tortilla chips and topped with a scrambled egg. This savory chilaquiles verdes con huevos is the perfect Mexican style breakfast or brunch! I love the spice and bits of crispy chips in this delicious dish!
My mother in law taught me how to make her traditional chilaquiles when I moved to Los Angeles. They are a popular brunch dish here. See her chilaquiles rojos (red chilaquiles) recipe I shared if you prefer a red salsa.
Jump to RecipeWhat are chilaquiles?
Chilaquiles (pronounced chee-lay-key-lays) are a savory traditional Mexican breakfast of corn tortilla chips soaked in sauce. There are chilaquiles rojos, which has a red sauce (salsa roja) and chilaquiles verdes that has a green salsa (salsa verde).
This chilaquiles verdes recipe has a homemade green salsa made from tomatillos and peppers. The corn tortillas soak up the delicious salsa verde, and it's topped with a scrambled egg.
Why this recipe works
- Perfect for breakfast or brunch.
- Made with simple fresh ingredients.
- Naturally gluten free.
- It’s a great way to use up your leftover tortillas!
Ingredient notes
This simple recipe uses fresh ingredients to make an easy homemade salsa to soak the corn tortilla chips in.
Tomatillos
Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes, but are in fact not the same as green tomatoes! They are covered with a papery husk that can be easily peeled away. The fruit can be covered with a sticky film, so wash them thoroughly after removing the husks.
Jalapeño peppers
You can substitute for a poblano pepper if needed. Jalapeños will make this salsa mild to medium heat.
Serrano pepper
This is optional, but perfect if you want to make this salsa verde extra spicy. If you love a spicy salsa, try this Spicy Serrano Salsa Verde.
Corn tortilla chips
You can use store bought, or make your own corn tortilla chips with this guide. This recipe is best made with corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Instructions
Step One: Make the salsa
First make the salsa verde. Broil tomatillos, jalapeñoes, and serrano pepper (if using) on a baking sheet until soft and charred.
Place the tomatillos and peppers in a blender with any juices, salt, and cilantro and blend until smooth. This salsa verde is also great on it’s own as a dip for tortilla chips, or to add to tacos!
Step One: Make the chilaquiles
To make the chilaquiles, add the corn tortilla chips to a large skillet on medium-low heat. Warm the chips for a few minutes, and break them up into bite sized pieces. Pour in the salsa verde, and let the chips soak up some of the sauce. Keep some parts of the chips dry so they can remain crispy.
Clear out some space in the middle of the pan, and pour in a lightly beaten egg. Scramble to eggs, then stir them into the rest of the chips and salsa.
You can also choose to serve a fried egg on top instead of scrambled eggs.
Serve the green chilaquiles warm. You can choose to add additional toppings like cilantro, diced onion, queso fresco, sour cream, lime, or avocado.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve these chilaquiles as is or add your favorite toppings to make it your own. Here are some topping ideas:
- Fresh cilantro
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Diced red or white onions
- Cotija cheese
- Fresh avocado or guacamole
- Cilantro garlic sauce
Expert Tips
Make it vegan: To make this recipe vegan, omit the egg or use JustEgg or other egg substitute.
Make it spicy: The serrano pepper in this salsa verde should add some heat, but you can always add 2!
Make it mild: You can scrape the membranes and seeds out of the jalapeños and skip the serrano pepper to keep this recipe mild.
Make it quick: If you want to make this recipe quickly for a busy morning, skip the homemade salsa and use a store bought salsa verde instead.
Make it fresh: To avoid having soggy chilaquiles, do not let it sit for a while. This dish is best served hot and fresh.
Make it ahead: To make this recipe ahead, make the salsa the day (or two) before. Blend until smooth and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Storage directions: Chilaquiles are best served fresh and hot. They can get soggy if they sit for too long. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store bought tortilla chips for chilaquiles?
Yes! Using homemade tortilla chips are used in traditional chilaquiles, but to make this recipe easier, store bought chips work perfectly well!
Are chilaquiles verde spicy?
This recipe can be spicy, but you can alter the spice level by changing the peppers you use. Using 1 jalapeño will make a mild sauce, 2 jalapeños will make a medium sauce, and adding jalapeños and a serrano pepper will make a spicy sauce.
Can I use flour tortillas for this recipe?
Corn tortilla chips are a little more sturdy than flour tortillas and they hold up better to the salsa in this dish. It is best to use corn tortillas for a better texture.
Related Recipes
- Authentic Mexican Chilaquiles Rojos
- Spicy Serrano Salsa Verde
- Mango Habanero Salsa
- Savory Mexican Breakfast Quinoa Bowl
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Chilaquiles Verdes con Huevos
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ pound tomatillos
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 1 serrano pepper optional
- ¼ cup cilantro loosely packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces corn tortilla chips
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Make the salsa
- Turn the oven to Broil.
- Place tomatillos, jalapeñoes and serrano (optional to use serrano as it will be spicy) in a small baking dish. Place on middle shelf, not directly under the broiler.
- Broil the tomatillos and peppers for 5-8 minutes (or until medium-charred on top).
- Allow the second side to broil for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the second side is charred.
- Place the tomatillos and jalapeñoes (and serrano if using) into a blender with any juices. Add salt and cilantro.
- Blend until smooth. If sauce doesn’t form, add one tablespoon of water until able to blend. Leave to the side.
- Crack the large egg into a measuring cup or small bowl and whisk lightly with a fork. Leave to the side.
Make the Chilaquiles
- Heat up a large skillet on medium-low heat.
- Toss the chips onto the pan. Lightly press on them with a spoon to break them in half.
- After 2-3 minutes of warming the chips, carefully pour in the blended chilaquiles verdes sauce.
- Stir the chilaquiles sauce and chips together lightly - you want some pieces to soak up the sauce, while others are nice and crispy still!
- Push salsa-soaked chips to the edges of the pan and add the whisked egg. Using the spoon, move back and forth to scramble and cook the eggs. Once starting to cook through, stir tortilla chips back into the center and toss to combine all together.
- Serve the chilaquiles while warm and add toppings if desired, like cilantro, diced onion, queso fresco, lime, or avocado.
Notes
- Make it vegan: To make this recipe vegan, omit the egg or use JustEgg or other egg substitute.
- Make it spicy: The serrano pepper in this salsa verde should add some heat, but you can always add 2!
- Make it mild: You can scrape the membranes and seeds out of the jalapeños and skip the serrano pepper to keep this recipe mild.
- Make it quick: If you want to make this recipe quickly for a busy morning, skip the homemade salsa and use a store bought salsa verde instead.
- Make it fresh: To avoid having soggy chilaquiles, do not let it sit for a while. This dish is best served hot and fresh.
- Make it ahead: To make this recipe ahead, make the salsa the day (or two) before. Blend until smooth and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Storage directions: Chilaquiles are best served fresh and hot. They can get soggy if they sit for too long. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Ever since she taught herself how to cook, Elise has been making simple recipes with fresh ingredients. She believes the best recipes highlight the ingredients by using the best of cooking techniques. She’s an avid juicer and has juiced each and every fruit and vegetable there is. She also creates savory recipes inspired by what’s available in California. Many of her authentic Mexican recipes are passed down from her from mother in law and is a huge influence on her cooking.
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