Chilaquiles Verde

Traditional Chilaquiles In Tomatillo Sauce W/Classic Garnish

Talk about an easy dinner. I fell in love with chilaquiles the first time I tried them. Although there are different variations, you can typically find them in a red sauce or green, I prefer green. The tangy tomatillos, hearty tortilla chips and bold chicken will leave your mouth wanting more. Serve these with a side of traditional refried beans and you have one deliciously inexpensive meal.

The Sauce:

2 c Tomatillo Sauce

6 c chicken stock

2 tsp epazote

The Chips:

25 yellow corn tortillas

Oil for frying

The Chicken:

2 med chicken breasts, trimmed

6 c water

1 tbs chicken base or bullion granules

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2/3 tbs chili powder

2 tsp cumin

The Rest:

4 lg eggs

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 c queso fresco, crumbled

1 med yellow onion, thinly sliced

Sour cream (optional)

Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Preheat deep fryer to 338

Start off by combining the tomatillo sauce, chicken broth and epezote in a large nonstick pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until the sauce has reduced by half. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, you can make your tortilla chips. Line a large-deep metal bowl with paper towels, set aside. Stack tortillas on a cutting board and cut the stack into 1/6. Fry in batches of 25 chips, separating in your deep fry basket and submerging them in oil. Use a slotted fry tool to move them around constantly. Fry for roughly 1-11/2 minutes or until they are golden (not brown). Drain off oil and transfer to the lined bowl. Repeat process until you’ve cooked up all of your chips. Set aside.

Boil the chicken in water over medium high heat. Add seasonings and cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from water and allow to rest.

Now it’s time for the chilaquiles. Once the sauce has reduced, add about 4 good handfuls of chips. Some people like to gently move the chips around, keeping their shape and giving them a light coating of sauce. I like to give mine a little crush, not a big one, just a little crush here and there will do. This will act as a thickener for the sauce and give the chips a softer texture that I like. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring and turning the chips to ensure they are all coated well.

This is a good time to fry up your eggs. Heat oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Gently swirl oil around and crack eggs into the the pan. Cook until whites are almost completely solid, then flip over. Cook to your preferred doneness. Remove from heat and set aside. For an easier method, you can simply cover the eggs as they cook, thus steaming them to doneness.

Once the chips have softened and absorbed some of the sauce, spoon out about 1 1/2-2 c of chips per plate (roughly 4 servings). Sprinkle with a little queso fresco and onion slices. Shred chicken and divide into four servings. Add to chilaquiles. Sprinkle with onions and cilantro. Add one egg to each plate and serve with a side of sour cream. And there you have it, traditional Chilaquiles.