Chilaquiles with Salsa Roja and Chorizo
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time1¼ hours
- 3
Basic chilaquiles consists of thick, crisp tortilla chips coated with a green or red salsa, and garnished with crumbly Mexican cheese, chopped onion and crema. Chilaquiles parranderos is a deluxe version—parrandero translates as “partygoer”—with more embellishments, including meats, piled on at the finish. At Nicos restaurant in Mexico City, chef Gerardo Vázquez Lugo prepared for us his version of chilaquiles parranderos. He included both shredded chicken and chorizo. For our iteration, we opted for only the latter, but we also added avocado for creaminess and color. Supermarket tortilla chips lack the substance needed for good chilaquiles, as they quicky turn soggy. We recommend frying your own, but if that’s too daunting, we also offer instructions for oven-baked tortilla chips. They aren’t quite as crisp as deep-fried, but are much better than store-bought. Serve with lime wedges.
Don’t forget to prepare your garnishes before tossing the tortilla chips with the salsa, as the chilaquiles should be served immediately, while hot and the chips are crisp. Also, don’t worry if the salsa is a little loose after 1 cup water is added. When the chips are tossed in, they will absorb some of the sauce so the consistency won’t be too wet.
Step 1
In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil to 350°F. Line a large plate with paper towels. Stir about half of the tortilla wedges into the hot oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the plate and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining tortillas; set aside.
Step 2
Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium until water flicked into it sizzles, about 2 minutes. Place the onion wedges, tomatoes, garlic cloves and guajillo chilies in the skillet. Toast, occasionally turning them, until spottily charred on all sides, about 5 minutes, transferring them as they are done to a blender; reserve the skillet. To the blender, add the chipotle, oregano, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper and ¼ cup water. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute; set aside.
Step 3
In the now-empty skillet over medium, cook the chorizo, breaking the meat into small bits, until nicely browned and some fat has rendered out, about 5 minutes. Off heat and using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl; cover to keep warm.
Step 4
To the rendered fat in the pan, add the reserved 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add the puree and cook over medium, stirring, until the sauce has thickened slightly and is a few shades darker, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Add the tortilla chips, toss to coat and remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Transfer to a wide, shallow serving dish. Sprinkle with the chorizo, chopped onion and queso fresco. Top with the avocado, sour cream and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Step 6
Oven-Baked Tortilla Chips: Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss twelve 6-inch corn tortillas (each cut into 8 wedges) with 3 tablespoons neutral oil, then sprinkle with kosher salt. Distribute in an even layer and bake until browned and crisped, 8 to 10 minutes, tossing once about halfway through.
