Chilaquiles Verdes

Method

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1. Heat a dry heavy pan or comal over high heat. Char the tomatillos, chillies, onion and unpeeled garlic for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until blackened in patches and softened.

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2. Peel the garlic and blend everything with the coriander and salt until smooth but not aerated.

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3. Heat the oil in a wide pan until shimmering, then pour in the salsa all at once — it will spit violently, so stand back.

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4. Fry the salsa for 5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens and thickens, then add the stock and simmer 8 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt.

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5. Fry the eggs in a separate pan until the whites are set and the yolks still run.

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6. Bring the salsa back to a simmer, then take it off the heat and fold in the tortilla chips with a spatula, coating them thoroughly.

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7. Let them stand for no more than 60 seconds, then divide between warm plates.

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8. Top each plate with a fried egg, crema, queso fresco, red onion, avocado, coriander and pickled jalapeños. Eat immediately.

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Chef’s Tips

• Use thick, sturdy chips. Thin ones dissolve into mush before they reach the table.
• Sixty seconds in the salsa, maximum. Chilaquiles are not nachos and they are not a casserole.
• For chilaquiles rojos, swap the tomatillos for roasted tomatoes and rehydrated guajillo chillies.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.

Pairing Suggestions

• Refried beans on the side
• Strong black coffee or café de olla
• A michelada, if it is that kind of morning

Storage & Reheating

Assembled chilaquiles must be eaten straight away. The salsa keeps 5 days refrigerated and freezes 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.