Campfire Chilaquiles Verdes

The first time I saw chilaquiles on a Mexican buffet — in the middle of a yoga retreat, of all places — I wondered why anyone would serve nachos at breakfast. One bite in, I was both disappointed and completely won over.

Disappointed because the corn chips were limp, as though the whole thing had been made the night before. Won over by the idea itself. I ate chilaquiles in a lot of other places after that, and it became el amor. This is my version, and the whole point of it is timing.

🌮 What Are Chilaquiles Verdes?

Corn tortilla chips turned in hot salsa — green salsa here, made from tomatillos — and served straight away with something rich on top: a fried egg, queso fresco, sour cream. In Mexico it is breakfast, or the thing you eat the morning after. It is also, not coincidentally, the perfect campsite meal: one pot, seven minutes, and it uses up the bag of chips someone crushed in the cooler.

🥚 Green or Red?

Verdes means green — tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro and lime. Rojos uses a red tomato and dried chili salsa: deeper, smokier, a little sweeter. Same technique, different sauce. There is also divorciados, where half the plate gets each, for people who cannot decide.

🔥 Cooking Them Over a Fire

You need two heat sources going at once: the salsa warming in a pot, the eggs frying in a second pan. Over a campfire, that means the pot near the coals and the cast iron pan on the grate — or one on the fire and one on the camp stove.

Get everything to the finish line together. The salsa hot, the eggs nearly set, the plates out and the toppings open. Then the chips go in.

🧀 The Toppings

• Queso fresco — or crumbled feta, which travels better and tastes close enough.
• A fried egg per plate, yolk still soft.
• Raw or pickled onion, for the sharp note that cuts the richness.
• Fresh cilantro, torn rather than chopped.
• Sour cream and hot sauce, to taste.

🥫 Salsa Verde: Homemade or Store-Bought?

Homemade is better and takes five minutes at home: tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime, salt. But a jar of decent salsa verde in the food box is one of the best trades in fire cooking — it turns a bag of chips into a hot meal. I bring both when I can.

❄️ Storage

Chilaquiles do not keep — that is the nature of the dish. The salsa verde, on the other hand, keeps a week in the cooler and gets better after a day.

Chilaquiles Verdes: a classic Mexican meal composed of shallow-fried corn tortillas, salsa verde and optional egg or refried beans – perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

WHAT ARE CHILAQUILES VERDES?

Simply put it’s corn torilla chips soaked in green salsa with an egg or refried beans on top.

The first time I saw a dish of green chilaquiles it was in a buffet at a yoga retreat in Mexico! It was in the morning and I wondered why they were serving nachos so early! I was both seduced and disapointed as soon as I took my first bite. Disappointed because the corn chips were all soft (it looked like the dish had been prepared the day before!) but seduced by the perfect combination of flavours.

I later had several opportunities to taste chilaquiles elsewhere and it was “el amor”. Green chilaquiles and huevos rancheros both are tied as my favorite Mexican breakfast picks. Tasty, nutritious, comforting. Mexico definitely offers breakfasts that I like.

WHY IS MY CHILAQUILES VERDES NOT CRUNCHY?

The type of tortilla chip you use is key. If you go to the supermarket and buy any known brand chances are that your verdes will be all soggy. The chips in stores are too thin. The perfect tortilla chip is home made and thick. You can find thick corn tortilla chips in stores but most likely it would have to be a latin specialty store.

HOW MANY TYPES OF CHILAQUILES?

You should know that there are several versions of chilaquiles. There are chilaquiles rojos, in red sauce. This red salsa is made from ripe chiles. Then there is the chilaquiles verdes that has the green salsa. This sauce is made from chiles that are still green so not as ripe as the red ones.

CHILAQUILES VERDES INGREDIENTS

• Salsa Verde – Salsa made from tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, garlic, coriander (cilantro) and lime juice. But since you are most likely camping or in the yard, feel free to use store bought!
• Corn Tortillas – Absolute must for the recipe. You can now buy some great ones in any grocery store. Even better make them at home!
• Garnishes – Like queso fresco (fresh cheese), white onions, coriander (cilantro) and fried eggs (sunny side up).

WHAT GARNISHES ARE USED FOR CHILAQUILES VERDES?

The classic garnishes are queso fresco (fresh cheese), fresh cilantro (coriander) and onions. But you can also garnish the chilaquiles with chicken, eggs or even steak. I love to put eggs on top. Not only does it make it a complete meal but the different textures offered range from crucnhy, saucy, creamy, spicy tangy, salty and pasty (but in a good way! That’s when you add refried beans on top!)

COOKING CHILAQUILES IN CAST IRON

Like most of the recipes on this blog my cooking pan of choice is a cast iron pan. Since this recipe cooks fast I can place my pan either over my fire (meaning ambers, ideally) or directly on top of the ambers (meaning in the fire pit). If you chose the on top of the fire appreach make sure to be nice and level and have the proper high heat fire cooking mits. Most important is too stay close and don’t take your eyes off of it.

As always, if this is the only recipe you are doing on your fire today don’t forget to extinguish the fire adequately. If you know how please do it! If you do not know how please refer to the Putting out your fire page.

Here is my easy version of verdes or green chilaquiles. Easy, fast and delicious! I hope you enjoy it!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use tortillas instead of chips?

Yes, and it is the traditional way: cut corn tortillas into wedges and fry them in oil until crisp, then proceed. Chips are the shortcut that makes this a campsite recipe.

What are tomatillos?

Small green fruit in a papery husk, tart and slightly citrusy. They are not unripe tomatoes. Canned ones work perfectly well and are easier to carry.

How spicy is it?

As spicy as your jalapeño. Seed it for mild, leave the seeds in for heat, or use two.

Can I make it without eggs?

Yes. Refried beans, shredded chicken or just the cheese and cream are all traditional toppings.

Can I prepare anything in advance?

The salsa verde, absolutely — make it at home and bring it in a jar. Everything else happens in the last five minutes.

What kind of chips should I buy?

Unsalted or lightly salted, and sturdy. Thin salted chips dissolve in the sauce and make the dish too salty once the cheese goes on.

Is this breakfast or dinner?

In Mexico, breakfast. Away from a kitchen, whenever people are hungry — it works at every hour.