Traditional chilaquiles feature fried tortillas in a spicy ranchero sauce. We like ours extra crunchy and topped with scrambled eggs, two kinds of cheese, sour cream, fresh radish and cilantro.
Most often thought of as a breakfast dish, we like to think chilaquiles can be served any time of day and customized with whatever toppings your tastebuds like best. You can use jarred enchilada sauce if you like, but our homemade version is easy and flavor-packed.
But are they chilaquiles, or are they nachos?
Traditional chilaquiles are a Mexican breakfast dish born out of necessity: to use up leftover tortillas from the night before. Normally the tortillas are fried until crisp and then cooked in a spicy sauce until no longer crisp. I personally dislike soggy tortilla chips, which is why our version has noticeably less sauce than most so the chips retain their crunch.
If you’re a stickler for tradition and refuse to call these true chilaquiles, then breakfast nachos it is! Noted and acknowledged; but whatever you call them, they’re delicious any time of day.
We topped our breakfast nachos with scrambled egg (which seemed easier to eat than fried, but you could use either) as well as sour cream, cilantro, and, our secret flavor weapon: pickled jalapeños. I could put these things on just about anything and it’d improve the overall flavor.
For more meaty flavor you could even add something like ground chorizo or shredded smoked chicken, or refried black beans for a vegetarian protein addition.
So I fully admit the radishes are there for appearances only.
In Taylor’s words… radishes aren’t worth the dirt they grow in.
Taste-wise, maybe, although they do add a nice sharp contrast to the rich cheese, egg and sour cream.
But they’re more for looks than anything (and you have to admit, this recipe wouldn’t be half as pretty without them.) These watermelon radishes in particular, which are basically the reverse of the typical radishes you’re used to: plain and white on the outside, with a stunning fuchsia starburst on the inside. Talk about gorgeous.
We baked and served ours in a cast iron skillet, but you could also easily use a rimmed baking sheet as well (a thinner layer of chips means a more even distribution of toppings).
We’re now one step closer to being able to enjoy nachos any time of day. Just need to tackle the quandary that is dessert nachos. Hmm…
Fried tortilla chips in a spicy ranchero sauce topped with scrambled eggs, two kinds of cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, fresh radish and cilantro.
Let us know what you think!
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