Chilaquiles with Avocado

Chilaquiles with Avocado - my take on fresh healthier chilaquiles. Made with corn tortillas, eggs and red chile salsa. A favorite for breakfast or brunch. Gluten free.

Chilaquiles with avocado / loveandlemons.com

I’m thinking of trying to grow avocados this spring… I don’t really have a green thumb, but I eat so darn many of them, I figure it’s worth a try. (Also, I’m just now realizing that this is my 3rd avocado recipe in a row – oops!) If anyone has any experience growing them, please let me know! I’m guessing that I probably have to start soon…

Today’s recipe is something I really love to make at home because it tends to be a little too greasy for me at restaurants. Chilaquiles are usually considered hangover food and it all starts with frying tortillas in a skillet. Of course, I went a little (a lot) lighter on the oil so they toast in the skillet and crisp up without becoming an oily mess. This way, we reserve a few extra calories for that brunch-time margarita!

Chilaquiles with avocado / loveandlemons.com

Remember this chile salsa from a few weeks ago? Here’s another way to use it… this meal comes together really quickly if you have some on hand in your fridge. (If not, see below for other sauce suggestions). This is perfect topped with fried eggs, but it would be equally delicious with black beans if you’re vegan.

chilaquiles with avocado

 
Author:
Serves: serves 2
Ingredients
  • 1-2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 stale corn tortillas, sliced into strips
  • ½ cup dried chile salsa (or smooth store-bought salsa or chile sauce)
  • handful of chopped scallions
  • a bit of diced red onion
  • ½ an avocado, chopped w/ a bit of lime + salt
  • 2 fried eggs (vegan sub: black beans)
  • ¼ cup, or so, crumbled cotija cheese (vegan: omit)
  • squeeze of lime
  • salt, pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add tortilla strips and a few pinches of salt. Lightly fry/toast strips until the edges become browned and crispy. (Flip a few times so both sides cook).
  2. Pour the chile sauce into the center of the skillet to coat the tortillas. (I like to leave the tortillas that are a few inches from the edges un-sauced so they remain a bit crispy). Let the sauce sizzle in the skillet with the tortillas for a few minutes while you fry your eggs. (turn heat down or off if you’re skillet is getting too hot).
  3. Fry eggs and add to the skillet along with scallions, red onion, avocado, and cheese. Add a squeeze of lime, and more salt, to taste.

Side note – I find that the Whole Foods brand corn tortillas crisp perfectly without being fried (they’re thin and a bit more dry than others)… I’ve done a lot of tortilla testing and those are my favorite for crisping in the skillet (or baking in the oven). I store them in my freezer.

41 comments

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  1. Amy from AHealthyLifeForMe
    02.17.2014

    What a wonderful simple and delicious looking recipe. Perfect for breakfast, or dinner….

  2. What a yummy-looking meal! I love avocado too. It’s so good for many dishes. Sometimes I just eat it along with breakfast without any alteration.

  3. I loooooove chilaquiles!!!! I agree, sometimes they are way too greasy! I wanna throw in some soyrizo to this mix too for some extra protein!

  4. I had this dish (hung over!) for brunch last year at a restaurant, but it was super greasy. I can’t wait to try this at home, thanks for the delish recipe!

  5. Annie
    02.17.2014

    I have heard that it takes an avocado plant 7 years to bear fruit. So if you start one from a pit now, I wouldn’t count on having any this spring! 🙂

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      I’ll probably plant a small tree that’s already sprouted… you know, to save some time!

  6. I love a good batch of spicy chilaquiles! They are a typical breakfast food down here, and are SO good. Chilaquiles verde would be yummy too. You could make a n avocado chile sauce.

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      ooh yes definitely – I can hardly wait for summer & tomatillo season!

  7. I use the Whole Foods brand corn tortillas to make my own tortilla chips/tostadas in the oven. I use spray a little olive oil on them and sprinkle with salt. They bake up nice and crispy – better than the other brands I’ve tried.

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      agreed – they’re a little bit dry (I don’t love them for tacos or anything else) but they crisp so perfectly!

  8. Put an egg on anything and its truly amazing!!! This looks delicious =)

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      I know, egg + avocado is usually a complete meal for me 🙂

  9. I’m with you that chilaquiles can be too greasy and just heavy — great idea to toast the tortillas instead of frying them! And, yes, to the avocado tree! I’m sure you’ll have a green thumb in no time.

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      thanks Aida 🙂

  10. Tereza from lifeandcity.tumblr.com
    02.17.2014

    Avocados are definitely a beautiful ingredient!

  11. Woah. Growing avocados – I never thought how convenient that would be. I wonder how difficult the process is? I presume you’d keep them inside. Curious to hear about this if you decide to do it!

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      I’ll keep you posted :). I’m thinking I’ll have to keep it in a pot that I can move in and out – we live in a warm climate, but it gets too hot (and too cold) from what I’ve read is ideal.

  12. Chiliquiles with an egg on top are so freakin good. And I think that we’d all be happy even if all you did was post avocado recipes.

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      Ha, good to know, I just love them 🙂

  13. Goretti Tada
    02.16.2014

    Chilaquiles are delicious. If you’re ever in San Francisco, try the chilaquiles from Mijita’s at the Ferry Building. I’m Mexican and I think they serve THE best chilaquiles ever! Way better than my mom’s!

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      I’ll be sure to go there next time, thanks!

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      ha, it is kind of a fun word 🙂

  14. Eileen from hampiesandwiches.blogspot.com
    02.16.2014

    Hey, there’s nothing wrong with plenty of avocado! These chilaquiles sound wonderful for a weekend breakfast.

  15. This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try making it!! Thank you for sharing!

  16. Chilaquiles is one of my favorite meals! I have everything to make this on hand… maybe this will be dinner!

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      Eggs for dinner are the best 🙂 Let me know if you give it a try!

  17. Marin
    02.16.2014

    This looks amazing! I will have to make it soon. I dont know much about growing avocados, but my grandma has a tree and they are soo delicious. I think you can start growing a tree from the pit In a windowsill or something. Thanks for the recipe!

    • jeanine
      02.17.2014

      Thanks Marin! I’ll read up a bit and give that a try 🙂

      • Fiona
        06.03.2016

        Here is video on training avacados to grow small (they can become giants)
        http://youtu.be/kLzRCa-1TDg
        also Highly recommend you buy hass seedlings fomr a nursery so you get the right rootstock and the friut you want.
        Their climate requirements are specific( it is difficult to grow Hass well here – at sea level in the tropics (Costa Rica) for instance- but i am trying too! I planted seedlings two yrs ago and apparenlty have a few years to wait , so maybe you can find a nursery selling older young trees)

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.