Chilaquiles Recipe

Roast and prepare produce (if not using pre-roasted chiles)

If your hatch chiles are not pre-roasted: char them directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on all sides, then place in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and roughly chop to measure 1 cup. Husk and rinse tomatillos and pat dry.

Cook aromatics and tomatillos

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add tomatillos and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and slightly blistered.

Blend the salsa

Transfer the cooked onion/garlic/tomatillos to a blender or food processor. Add the roasted hatch chiles, 1/2 cup broth, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured, about 15–30 seconds. Taste and adjust salt or heat if needed.

Simmer the salsa

Return the blended sauce to the skillet and simmer over medium-low for 4–6 minutes to thicken slightly and meld flavors, stirring occasionally. Keep warm on very low heat while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Prepare chips: if using store-bought thick chips, skip to the next step. To make fresh chips: cut 4 corn tortillas into 6 wedges each and shallow-fry in 1 tablespoon oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until crisp and golden, 30–60 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.

Combine chips and salsa: place 6 cups of chips in a large skillet or shallow baking dish. Pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the warm hatch-tomatillo salsa over the chips, gently tossing or folding so most chips are coated but still retain some crunch. Allow to sit 1–2 minutes so chips soften slightly but are not fully soggy. Reserve extra salsa for serving if desired.

Fry the eggs: heat 1 tablespoon butter or oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into the pan and cook for eggs over-easy: cook until whites are set, about 2–3 minutes, then carefully flip and cook 20–30 seconds more for runny yolks (longer if you prefer firmer yolks). Season with a pinch of the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook in batches if needed so eggs remain fresh and warm.

Plate the chilaquiles: divide the sauced chips between 2 dinner plates (about 3 cups chips each). Top each portion with 2 fried eggs.

Add fresh toppings: scatter sliced lettuce and diced tomato over each plate. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sour cream on each plate (or dollop), and sprinkle 1/4 cup crumbled feta over each serving. Finish with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro per plate and a lime wedge to squeeze over before eating.

Serve immediately: chilaquiles are best enjoyed right away while eggs are warm and chips are a mix of crisp and slightly softened. Offer extra salsa, sour cream, or lime on the side.