Description
This Pulled Chicken Chilaquiles recipe is a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish featuring crispy homemade tortilla chips layered with a spicy tomato-jalapeño sauce, tender pulled chicken, and melted cheese. Perfect for a hearty breakfast or a satisfying dinner, this recipe combines textures and bold flavors with fresh garnishes and a touch of heat.
Ingredients
Scale
Tortilla Chips
- 24 6-inch yellow corn tortillas
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
Chicken
- 2 pounds cooked Mexican pulled chicken (prepared from half batch of specified recipe)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 large or 2 medium fresh jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar (or 2 tablespoons honey as substitute)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dry coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Cheeses and Garnish
- 2 cups jack cheese, shredded
- 1 cup queso fresco (or Farmer’s cheese), crumbled
- 1/4 cup diced red onion, for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Hot sauce for garnish (or, for a milder topping, sour cream or crema)
Instructions
- Prepare and Stale the Tortillas: The night before cooking, cut the 24 corn tortillas into eight wedges each. Lay them out on racks uncovered and let them sit overnight to stale and dry, which helps them crisp better when fried.
- Fry the Tortilla Chips: The next day, heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron skillet. Fry the stale tortilla wedges in small batches for 15-30 seconds until golden brown, watching carefully to avoid burning. Remove with a strainer and drain on paper towels, then set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook diced onion and minced jalapeños for about 4 minutes until slightly tender. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes with juice, agave nectar (or honey), ground cumin, coriander, and chili powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 5 minutes. Keep the sauce warm on low heat.
- Preheat and Prepare Chicken: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Heat the pulled chicken in a covered saucepan until hot, then keep it covered and warm until ready to use.
- Assemble the Chilaquiles: In a large oven-proof flat pan such as a paella pan or large skillet, spread the fried tortilla chips evenly. Pour the warm sauce over them, then layer on the hot pulled chicken. Sprinkle the shredded jack cheese evenly on top.
- Bake and Garnish: Bake the assembled chilaquiles in the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove immediately and top with crumbled queso fresco, diced red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and your choice of hot sauce or crema. Serve hot.
Notes
- Staling the tortillas overnight is essential to achieve crispy chips when fried.
- Fry tortilla chips in small batches to maintain oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
- Adjust jalapeño quantity to control heat level.
- Use agave nectar or honey to balance the acidity of the tomato sauce.
- For a milder topping, substitute hot sauce with sour cream or crema.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron skillet to maintain consistent frying temperature.
- Prep Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
