It's cold at the Mud House! There is a freeze warning for tonight. I am bringing in my smaller potted plants and covering my tender annuals. Next week the highs will finally be in the low 70s. This is what we wait for all year. This has been an especially warm fall, so we are very happy with these cooler temperatures, at last.
So to celebrate, we are making something warm and spicy. Chicken chilaquiles. As with all Mexican food, there are many regional variations of this recipe, but chilaquiles are basically tortilla chips smothered in a spicy sauce. This dish is often served for breakfast or brunch in order to use-up leftover chips and sauce. Eggs and chicken are sometimes added, along with guacamole and sour cream.
For a quick and easy recipe, you can use canned enchilada sauce. However, If you want to make a homemeade salsa de chile colorado, I am including my recipe for ancho chile sauce.
Chicken Chilaquiles
Sauce - Quick and easy - You will need about 28 ounces of good quality red chile sauce. I like this one:Or... make your own homemade! It's actually easy to do and delicious.
Ingredients:
5-6 dried ancho chile peppers ( They should look and feel like large dark, prunes.)
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
1 Tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
chicken broth
Other ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded
Good quality tortilla chips - don't use grocery store chips. Try to find locally made chips or make your own (see notes below).
Shredded Mexican blend cheese
Optional: Green onions, green olives, sour cream, guacamole, eggs
Here's How:
Cut the chilies in half lengthwise and discard stems, seeds, and membranes.
Place chilies in an un-greased pan oven medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes, roasting the chilies. Be careful not to burn them. Add enough water to cover chilies and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Remove chilies from pan with a slotted spoon and place chilies into the bowl of a food processor. Add garlic and process. Add a little liquid from the pan if necessary to make a smooth paste.
Meanwhile pour off and reserve remaining liquid from the pan. Return pan to low heat and make a rue. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in pan then add 2 tablespoons flour. Whisk mixture until it is foamy then cook gently until it turns brown.
Add oregano, chile powder, and salt. Continue to cook over medium low heat, whisking constantly.
Add reserved liquid and chile paste. Cook and whisk until combined.
Add chicken broth to achieve desired consistency - like a thick gravy. Simmer for as long as possible, adding chicken broth frequently to thin, as needed.
The sauce will be better the longer it simmers and it will much better the next day if you can make it ahead if time. Taste and correct seasonings, per taste.
At this point, you are ready to assemble the chilaquiles. You have two options. For crunchy chips, heat the sauce to boiling and pour over an individual serving of chips. Add cheese, chicken, olives, chilies, sour cream or whatever you want. If you are serving breakfast chilaquiles, just layer the chips with the sauce and cheese and top with fried or scrambled eggs. Serve immediately.
The second option is to layer ingredients in a 9x13 pan and bake for 30 minutes. This results in soft chips in a casserole-type dish.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly grease 9x13 inch pan.
Place a layer of tortilla chips in pan
Add a layer of shredded chicken
Top with sauce
Add cheese, green onion, green olives.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Notes: By far, far, far my favorite way to prepare chilaquiles is the crispy method with homemade chips and homemade sauce. There is just no comparison to homemade chips. If you are comfortable using hot oil to fry food, it is very easy to do. I buy fresh corn tortillas at the local farmers market and cut them into quarters.
Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry a few chips at a time until they are golden brown.
Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and assemble your chilaquiles.
Enjoy!
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