Name: Chilaquiles Verdes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 120 g Tortilla Chips, thick corn chips; 300 g Tomatillos, husked and rinsed; 1 Jalapeño Pepper, stem removed; ½ cup Onion, roughly chopped, divided; 2 clove Garlic, peeled; ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, chopped, divided; 2 tbsp Mexican Crema, for finishing; ¼ cup Queso Fresco, crumbled; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, for cooking salsa; ½ Lemon, juiced, preferably lime; to taste Salt, for seasoning; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed

35 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Medium

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Method

Simmer the tomatillos and jalapeño in water until softened and olive-green, then drain them.
Blend the softened tomatillos and jalapeño with garlic, part of the onion, part of the fresh coriander, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Heat the measured cooking oil in a pan, add the salsa verde, and simmer until the raw sharpness softens and the sauce thickens slightly.
Add the tortilla chips and toss gently for a short time so they are coated but still hold some texture.
Transfer to plates and finish with Mexican crema, queso fresco, remaining onion, and remaining fresh coriander.
Serve immediately before the chips become too soft.

How to tell it's done

The finished dish should be saucy, warm, and slightly crisp in places, not dry or fully soggy.

Getting it right

Tip

Add the chips only near the end; chilaquiles should be saucy but not completely mushy.

What to serve it with

Serve for breakfast or brunch with extra salsa verde and a simple side of beans.

Common mistakes

The chips dissolve into mush.: Toss them in the hot salsa for under a minute and take the pan straight to the table. Chilaquiles should have chips that are softening but still have some structure — a minute more and it is porridge.
The salsa is harsh and sour.: Simmer it in oil after blending until it darkens and thickens. Raw blended tomatillo is aggressively tart, and that cooking stage is what rounds it out.

Substitutions

Use Corn Tortillas cut and fried until crisp if Tortilla Chips are unavailable.
Use Green Chilli instead of Jalapeño Pepper if needed; the flavor will be less specifically Mexican.
Use plain thick curd as a local substitute for Mexican Crema, but it changes the traditional finish and still contains dairy.
Check packaged tortilla chips for formulation-dependent allergens or additives.

Storing and reheating

Eat immediately. The salsa verde keeps four days in the fridge and freezes for two months, which is the part worth making ahead. Chips and salsa should never be stored together.

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Ingredients