Mexican Chilaquiles with Fried Egg (Printable Version)

Golden tortilla chips simmered in salsa, crowned with fried eggs and fresh toppings for a satisfying morning meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tortillas & Oil

01 - 6 small corn tortillas, cut into triangles
02 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil for frying

→ Salsa

03 - 1 cup store-bought or homemade salsa verde or roja

→ Eggs

04 - 2 large eggs

→ Toppings

05 - 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta
06 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
08 - 1/2 avocado, sliced
09 - 2 tablespoons sour cream or Mexican crema
10 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla triangles in batches until golden and crisp, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
02 - Remove excess oil from skillet, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon. Reduce heat to medium and add salsa. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
03 - Add crispy tortilla chips to salsa, tossing gently to coat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until chips are well coated while retaining some crunch.
04 - In a separate nonstick skillet, fry eggs to preferred doneness with sunny side up as traditional preparation, keeping whites set and yolks runny. Season with salt and pepper.
05 - Divide salsa-coated chips between two plates. Top each portion with a fried egg.
06 - Top each plate with crumbled cheese, sliced red onion, cilantro, avocado slices, and a drizzle of sour cream. Add optional jalapeños, radishes, or protein as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ready in 25 minutes but tastes like you spent all morning on it, which means impressed people and a smug feeling of culinary competence.
  • The contrast between crispy chips and creamy yolks hits different—there's a textural pleasure that plain scrambled eggs just don't deliver.
  • You can make it with whatever you have on hand, so it becomes your signature dish even when you're pretending to improvise.
02 -
  • The chips must stay crispy, which means timing is everything—add them to the salsa just long enough to coat them, not so long that they start absorbing moisture like little sponges and turn into something textually sad.
  • That runny yolk isn't an accident or a cooking failure; it's the entire point and the reason you need to eat this immediately while everything is still warm and the contrasts still matter.
03 -
  • If you're making this for someone and you want to look like a genius, set up a little topping station so they can add their own cheese, avocado, and onion—they'll feel invested in the outcome and you'll look thoughtful rather than controlling.
  • The salsa is your secret weapon for flavor—taste it before you add it to the skillet and adjust if needed; this is where you can make the whole dish sing with just a pinch more lime or heat.
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