Mexican Chiquillas Recipes

CHILAQUILES IN MULATO CHILLI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a small pan on a low heat. Fry the seeds, garlic and onion for a few mins. Remove the stalks from the chillies, and add another 250ml of water to the soaking liquid. In a food processor or blender, blend the chillies and liquid with the onion mix, cinnamon, clove and the bread until smooth.
• Heat the remaining oil in a mediumsize pan and warm the sauce, stirring non-stop until thick and glossy. Heat the grill while you layer up the tortilla chips and shredded chicken in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and scatter the cheese on. Grill until the cheese has melted and serve with soured cream.

TRADITIONAL CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Blend tomatillos, onion, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, mint, and salt in a blender until smooth. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chicken to tomatillo sauce and continue to simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes more.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until crisp and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Layer about half the fried tortillas in a 2-quart baking dish; spread half the tomatillo sauce over tortillas. Mix pepperjack cheese and Monterey Jack cheese in a bowl; sprinkle half over tomatillo sauce. Repeat layers.
• Bake in preheated oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

CHILAQUILES ROJOS

Steps:

• To make the sauce: Measure the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and cinnamon into a small bowl. Place the bowl near the stove with the tomato paste and broth.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil until it's it's hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on it.
• Once it's ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
• Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and your spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it.
• Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Whisk in the cilantro and vinegar and season to taste with additional salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two).
• To make the chilaquiles: Add the tortilla chips to the skillet. Using a flexible spatula, gently toss until all of the chips are coated in sauce. It might seem like they never will be, but keep stirring!
• Once coated, remove the skillet from the heat. Test a chip to see if it has softened to your liking (this is really a matter of personal preference-I like my chips lightly tender). If the chips are not sufficiently softened, cover the skillet for 1 to 4 minutes, until you're happy with their texture.
• Sprinkle the chilaquiles generously with crumbled cheese, radish and cilantro leaves. Scoop servings onto individual plates, add a few slices of avocado, a fried egg if desired, and a wedge of lime. The chips will continue softening with time, so chilaquiles are best served promptly (do not re-cover the pan to preserve heat; the chips will get far too soggy).

CHICKEN CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread tortilla strips in an even layer on two large baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
• In an extra-large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and oregano; cook about 3 minutes or until onion is softened, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and chile pepper plus the reserved 1 teaspoon adobo sauce. Bring to boiling; cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add broth; return to boiling. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add chicken and black pepper; heat through.
• Set aside a few baked tortilla strips. Gradually stir the remaining tortilla strips into chicken mixture; heat through. Remove from heat; sprinkle with cheese. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and the reserved tortilla strips. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and milk; serve with the chilaquiles.

CHILAQUILES II

Steps:

• In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Carefully stir in the onion and tortilla strips. Fry until tortilla strips are crisp and golden brown. Remove from heat, and drain on paper towels. Drain the skillet, leaving only a thin residue of oil.
• Over medium heat, return tortillas to the skillet, and stir in the eggs. Season with salt. Cook and stir until eggs are firm.
• Mix Mexican style hot tomato sauce and water into the skillet. Reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Top with cheese. Continue cooking until cheese has melted.

A SIMPLE MEXICAN DISH: HOW TO MAKE CHILAQUILES WITH TORTILLA CHIPS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Lightly coat a large frying pan with vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat until oil shimmers.
• Spread tortilla chips in pan.
• Quickly pour salsa over chips and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer the chips in sauce, undisturbed, until chips absorb some of the liquid and soften, for approximately 10 minutes.
• Divide chilaquiles between two plates; sprinkle half of the cheese on each and drizzle with half of the crema.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat in a cast-iron skillet until it registers 350 degrees F on a candy/frying thermometer. (If you don't have a thermometer, carefully dip the corner of a tortilla wedge into the oil. If it sizzles, you are ready to fry.)
• Carefully drop the tortilla quarters into the hot oil and fry, turning them halfway through with tongs or a spider, until crisp but not yet browned, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the tortilla quarters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; set aside.
• Heat the enchilada sauce in a small pan over medium-high heat until hot. While it is heating, fry the eggs. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry until the edges are nice and crispy, a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.
• While the eggs are frying, assembled your chilaquiles. In a shallow 1-quart dish, arrange half of the fried tortillas in a layer. Sprinkle them with half of the cheese. Pour enough of the hot enchilada sauce over the tortillas and cheese to cover most of the chips. Add the remaining chips to the dish in an even layer. Top with the remaining cheese and more sauce. The amount you add here is up to you. You may end up with some leftover enchilada sauce depending on your preference.
• Top with the fried eggs and salsa of your choice. Enjoy while it's nice and hot.

CHILAQUILES VERDES

Steps:

• To make the salsa verde: Put the tomatillos, chile, onion, and garlic in a medium pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are soft and the tomatillos turn pale green, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
• Carefully transfer the boiled vegetables, along with the cooking water, to a blender. Puree for a few seconds to blend; be sure to hold down the lid with a kitchen towel for safety. Add the 1/2 bay leaf, oregano, thyme, salt, and broth. Continue to puree until smooth. You should have about 1 quart of salsa verde.
• Place a wide pot or pan over medium-high heat and coat with the corn oil. When the oil is hazy, pour in the salsa verde; it will bubble a bit. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to very low, and keep warm while you finish the chips.
• Pour the vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or countertop deep fryer to a depth of about 2 inches and heat to 375°F over medium-high heat. Stack the tortillas and fan them with your thumb to separate. Cut the tortillas into 8 wedges like a pie.
• Working in batches, fry the tortilla chips, turning them with a skimmer or slotted spoon so they don't stick together, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chips to a paper towel-lined baking pan or brown paper bag to drain and cool. (Let the oil return to the proper temperature between batches.)
• To finish the chilaquiles, uncover the salsa verde and raise the heat to medium. Just when it starts to bubble, stir in the beaten eggs. Cook and stir for about 5 seconds, until the egg feathers into the sauce, thickening and binding it. Immediately add the chips, tossing gently until they have absorbed enough sauce to become soft. Take care not to break the chips. Sprinkle the Jack cheese on top and let it melt.
• Divide the chilaquiles among 4 plates. Sprinkle with the queso fresco, chopped onion, and cilantro. Garnish with the crema fresca and serve immediately.

CHILAQUILES ROJOS (TRADITIONAL MEXICAN BREAKFAST DISH)

Steps:

• Grill the tomatoes, chiles, garlic and onions until they have a slightly blackened skin. Do not burn!
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil with the blackened veggies until they are cooked through and soft inside.
• Pour the veggies with the hot water and a little added cold water into a food processor and process. Don't blend too much, you want the mixture to be chunky.
• In a large pot, heat up the oil until smoking. Then (carefully!) add a small amount of the sauce mixture and let it burn away for 1 minute (this is for a nice smoky flavor). Then slowly add the rest of the mixture and season with salt and some chicken base.
• Add the tomato puree for color, and mix well. Add the shredded chicken and cook until it is heated through. Add the cilantro. Add the chips and serve immediately on 4 plates. Top each plate with some sour cream, sliced onions, queso fresco and a sprig of cilantro.
• Serve with guacamole, refried black beans and pico de gallo on the side.

CHILAQUILES

Steps:

• Cut the tortillas into strips.
• Cook chicken with a little water, the quartered onion, a pinch of salt and two cloves of garlic. Cover, cook slowly over a medium heat.
• Remove cooked chicken from the pan and discard onion and garlic; allow to cool enough to handle.
• Sautee the chopped onion and garlic in a little olive oil.
• Once the onion is translucent, add tomatoes, cilantro and Tabasco sauce; simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes; salt and pepper to taste.
• Shred the chicken and add to the sauce; lower heat and cook for a few minutes to absorb some of the flavors from the sauce. Do not over cook.
• Deep fry the corn tortillas. When they are crisp, remove and drain on paper towels.
• Assemble the chilaquiles like lasagna. Use a large lasagna pan and layer the following: tortillas, chicken in sauce, thinned sour cream, cheese.
• Repeat layers and finish with cheese and sour cream.
• Bake at 325 degrees F for about 45 minutes.

CHILAQUILES WITH FRIED EGGS

Steps:

• For red chile sauce:
• Place chiles in a medium bowl; cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let chiles soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Discard stems and seeds; place chiles in a blender. Add tomatoes, next 4 ingredients, and 1 cup reserved soaking liquid; purée until smooth.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add purée (it will splatter) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes (add more reserved soaking liquid if too thick). Stir in honey and season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before using.
• For assembly:
• Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of 1 1/2". Prop deep-fry thermometer in skillet with bulb submerged. Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°F. Working in batches, fry tortillas, occasionally turning with tongs, until crisp, 2-3 minutes. Transfer chips to prepared sheet and season with salt.
• Preheat broiler. Toss chips and 1 cup sauce in a large bowl. Transfer half of chips to a large ovenproof platter or skillet. Scatter half of cheeses over chips. Top with remaining chips and cheeses, along with 1/2 cup more sauce. Broil until cheese is golden and melted, 4-5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour oil into a nonstick skillet to lightly coat. Heat over medium heat. Add eggs and fry until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes.
• Top chilaquiles with chopped onion, radishes, cilantro, and lime wedges. Top with fried eggs and serve with remaining sauce alongside.

AUTHENTIC CHILAQUILLAS

Steps:

• In a large frying pan pour 1-1/2 cups of oil. While it is warming up take about 3/4 of the package of tortillas and tear into thin strips. Once the oil is warm place the strips of tortillas in pan and fry until golden brown. Place them on the side on a plate. Repeat until tortillas are gone. Once you are there should only be a few tablespoons of it left in pan, leave it there and place all the fried tortillas back in pan. Add onion, water, salt & hotsauce to pan. Mix well, you want the tortillas to be soft you may need to add more water. Keep let simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionly. Then turn heat to low and tear cheese into small peices and place in pan and cover with lid. Let cheese melt and serve. You could add steak or chicken to the top if you would like.

CHILAQUILES CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
• Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the pan. Top with half the vegetable mixture, half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese. Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese. Cover with foil.
• Bake the casserole for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.