Chilaquiles Recipe

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped white onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent.

Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in ground cumin and dried oregano and cook 15–20 seconds to bloom the spices.

Transfer the cooked onion, garlic and spices to a blender. Add 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup chicken or pork stock, 2 teaspoons chipotle peppers in adobo (adjust to taste), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Blend until smooth.

Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet and simmer over medium-low heat 6–8 minutes to thicken slightly and meld flavors. Taste and adjust salt, lime or chipotle heat as needed. Keep warm on the lowest heat.

Combine 1 cup diced tomato, 1 cup diced white onion, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and 1/2 minced jalapeño in a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir, taste, and adjust lime or salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve so flavors marry.

Prepare proteins

If your shredded pork is cold, warm it in a small saucepan with a few tablespoons of the prepared chipotle sauce or a splash of stock over medium heat until hot, about 3–4 minutes. Keep warm. Cook bacon until crisp in a skillet or in the oven, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Crisp the chips (optional)

If desired, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread 6 cups of tortilla chips on a baking sheet and bake 3–5 minutes to refresh and prevent sogginess. Remove from oven.

Place the warmed chips in a large shallow skillet or serving dish. Pour the warm spicy chipotle sauce over the chips — start with about 3/4 cup and gently toss to coat. Add more sauce as desired for sauciness, but avoid fully soaking to keep some chips crisp.

Toss in the warmed shredded pork, chopped bacon and sliced jalapeño so they are evenly distributed through the sauced chips. Gently warm everything together over low heat for 1–2 minutes to marry flavors.

Scramble eggs

Whisk 4 large eggs with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of milk or water. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low, add a small knob of butter or oil, pour in eggs and stir slowly until soft-curd scrambled, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat when just set.

Top the sauced chips and pork mixture with the scrambled eggs, then arrange sliced avocado and sprinkle 1 cup crumbled queso fresco over the top. Spoon pico de gallo over or to the side as preferred.

Garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro (about 2 tablespoons) and an extra drizzle of chipotle sauce if you like it spicier. Serve immediately so chips retain some crunch.