Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican peasant dish of fried tortillas in salsa. When salsa martajada is on hand I often transform this staple into a hearty meal of chilaquiles. This dish makes use of leftover corn tortillas and salsa, and the tortillas can be fried a day in advance. Skip this step by using extra thick tortilla chips often found in Latin markets. It’s an excellent breakfast or brunch dish when entertaining houseguests. My family enjoys it for dinner, too. Sometimes we’ll add fried eggs or leftover chicken or beef on top. To brighten the dish, I serve it topped with fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, onions and avocado. The final touch is crumbled queso fresco. If you haven’t tried queso fresco, you're going to love the crumbly texture that adds the perfect amount of creaminess to chilaquiles.
Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
Servings: 6
Vegetable oil for frying
12 6-inch corn tortillas, quartered
kosher salt
1 ½ cups salsa martajada
2 cups (8 oz.) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
6 large eggs
1 cup (4 oz.) queso fresco, crumbled
1 avocado, sliced
½ white onion, thinly sliced
4 radishes, thinly sliced
½ bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour oil into large skillet to a depth of 1-inch.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry tortillas until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer chips to prepared baking sheet and season with salt.
3. In large bowl, toss half of the tortilla chips with half of the salsa martajada and arrange in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with half of the Monterey Jack cheese. Repeat with the remaining chips, salsa and Monterey Jack cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the coated chips are heated through, and the cheese is melted, 8-10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, pour oil to lightly coat. When oil is heated, add eggs and fry until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes.
6. Garnish chilaquiles with queso fresco, avocado, onions, radishes and cilantro. Top with fried eggs and serve warm.
