It was difficult for me to say this word at first; it felt like a tongue-twister. Chilaquiles sounds like “chee-lah-KEE-les,” with the “U” removed. The traditional Mexican breakfast dish may be found across Mexico, from street stalls to cozy hotel breakfasts.
My first taste of chilaquiles was at La Casa de Toño, a bustling, affordable Mexican restaurant always buzzing with eager diners. My husband, who has been living here for a while, recommended I order Chilaquiles con Bistec y Salsa Verde.
I stared at the food as it was delivered to my table. Corn tortillas are sliced into quarters and fried, similar to nachos, but the difference is that they are topped with crema (Mexican sour cream), cebolla (onion), crumbled queso (cheese), and savory meat, all bathed in green salsa.
I’ve always liked salsa verde, but I’m not sure if I’d like it with crema and queso. If you’ve read my story on Mexican dishes, you’ll recall that I said “Strange” when I took my first taste, and the same thing happened with Chilaquiles.
The fried tortillas soaked up the salsa, creating a soft, tangy, and creamy flavor from the crema and cheese. The savory taste of the meat.
My first bite did not satisfy my taste buds. But I’ve realized that I need to try more. So I started eating chilaquiles for breakfast every day.
Until, during a conversation with a talkative taxi driver, he asked, “¿Le gusta Mexico?” “Do you like Mexico?”
“Me gusta mucho, me gusta las comidas,” I replied. “I like it a lot; I like the food.” Mexicans love hearing you like their country. He looked pleased and excited, and then he continued to ask what kind of food I loved the most. I didn’t take much time to think about my answer; I immediately replied, “Me encanta mucho Chilaquiles; es muy rico.” “I love Chilaquiles so much; they’re really delicious.”
It was then that I discovered chilaquiles were my absolute favorite.
If you’ve ever tried Chilaquiles, you’ll know there are two salsa options: Salsa Roja and Salsa Verde. I hadn’t eaten it with Salsa Roja as I had a breakfast package for 75 pesos that included fruits, a cup of coffee, juice, and, of course, Chilaquiles at a nearby local eatery. I forgot to add Salsa Verde to my order. And they showed up, soaked in Salsa Roja and Frijoles (beans). The slightly sweet red salsa and the earthy flavor of the frijoles blended perfectly with all of them.