Description
Crispy tortilla chips layered with shredded chicken and smothered in tangy red sauce create a dish that comes together faster than you’d expect. Top everything with melted cheese, sour cream, and fresh cilantro for a satisfying meal that works just as well for breakfast as it does for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and dairy:
- 2 pounds cooked Mexican pulled chicken
- 2 cups jack cheese, shredded
- 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
Base ingredients:
- 24 6-inch yellow corn tortillas
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Aromatics, seasonings, and sauce:
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 large fresh jalapeno stemmed, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomato with juice
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dry coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 cup diced red onion for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
- hot sauce for garnish
Instructions
- Cut your 24 corn tortillas into 8 wedge-shaped pieces each the night before, spread them on racks, and leave them uncovered overnight so they dry out and become crispy when fried.
- Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil to 350 degrees in a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet or similar pan.
- Working in small batches, fry your tortilla wedges for 15 to 30 seconds until they turn golden brown, then transfer them to paper towels using a strainer to drain the excess oil.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook your 1 cup diced onion and minced jalapeno for about 4 minutes until they soften slightly.
- Add your 1 tablespoon minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Stir in your 15-ounce can of diced tomato with juice, 3 tablespoons of agave nectar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon dry coriander, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer your sauce for 5 minutes, keeping it covered and warm on a low burner.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Warm your 2 pounds of cooked pulled chicken in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, keeping it covered and warm.
- In a large oven-safe pan like a paella pan or 14-inch skillet, layer your fried tortilla chips, then pour your warm sauce over them, top with the 2 pounds of warm pulled chicken, and finish with 2 cups of shredded jack cheese.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 450 degrees until the cheese melts completely.
- Remove from the oven and immediately top your chilaquiles with 1 cup crumbled queso fresco, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, and hot sauce or crema as you prefer, then serve right away.
Notes
- Stale tortilla chips are essential to this dish, so don’t skip the overnight drying step as fresh tortillas will become mushy rather than crispy when baked.
- Watch your oil temperature carefully when frying because corn chips brown in just 15-30 seconds and can go from golden to burnt in a flash.
- Assemble everything right before baking since the chips will start absorbing moisture from the sauce once combined, and baking for only five minutes keeps them from getting soggy.
- Use an oven-safe skillet or paella pan with low, wide sides so the heat distributes evenly and your chilaquiles cook through without the edges drying out.
- Prep Time: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 16 to 31 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 477 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 389 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 69 mg