Chilaquiles Mexicanos Recipe: Easy Green Salsa Breakfast 2026

Isabel Gaines
Chilaquiles Mexicanos Recipe: Easy Green Salsa Breakfast
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Chilaquiles mexicanos are one of the most beloved breakfast dishes in Mexico, and for good reason. Crispy triangles of fried corn tortilla, known as totopos, get drenched in a warm, tangy salsa verde and finished with cool crema agria and crumbled queso fresco. It is simple comfort food that comes together in about half an hour.

Plate of chilaquiles mexicanos with green salsa, crema and queso fresco


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This version keeps the tortilla chips crunchy by spooning the hot salsa over them at the very end, rather than simmering them in the pan. The salsa verde itself is built from tomatillo, jalapeño, onion, garlic, cilantro and cumin, blitzed into a smooth, bright green sauce that is fried briefly to deepen its flavor.

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Chilaquiles mexicanos ready to serve on a plate

Ingredients for Chilaquiles Mexicanos

This makes 2 generous servings.

  • 25 g onion
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1 jalapeño chile
  • 250 g canned crushed green tomatillo
  • 4 sprigs cilantro
  • Half a teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Salt
  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 60 g sunflower oil
  • Sour cream, to taste
  • Queso fresco, to taste

Ingredients for chilaquiles mexicanos laid out on a table

How to Make Chilaquiles Mexicanos Step by Step

1. Boil the onion, garlic and jalapeño

The first thing we are going to do is prepare the green salsa. To do this, put a small pot of water over high heat and when the water starts to boil, add 25 g onion, 1 small peeled garlic clove and 1 jalapeño chile. Let them cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat, then remove them from the pot.

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Onion, garlic and jalapeño boiling in a small pot of water

2. Add the salsa verde ingredients to the blender

In a blender cup, put the cooked onion, garlic clove and jalapeño, and add 250 g canned crushed green tomatillo, 4 sprigs cilantro, half a teaspoon cumin seeds and salt.

Green salsa ingredients placed in a blender cup

3. Blend the green salsa

Blend with an immersion blender until you have a smooth, homogeneous sauce, then set it aside.

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Smooth green salsa blended in a cup

4. Cut the corn tortillas into triangles

Now we are going to cut 6 corn tortillas into triangles, cutting each tortilla into 6 or 8 triangles depending on its size.

Corn tortillas cut into triangles on a cutting board

5. Fry the totopos

To fry the corn tortillas, put a frying pan over medium-high heat with 50 g sunflower oil and when the oil is hot, fry the totopos in batches so the oil does not drop in temperature. Fry them for about 1 minute per side, take them out of the pan draining the oil well, and place them on a tray lined with paper towels.

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Tortilla triangles frying in hot oil in a pan

6. Fry the green salsa

Once the totopos are ready, we are going to fry the green salsa. To do this, put a frying pan over medium-high heat with 10 g sunflower oil, and when the oil is hot, add the green salsa and fry it for about 3-4 minutes, stirring it frequently.

Green salsa frying in a pan with oil

7. Plate the chilaquiles with salsa, crema and queso fresco

And at this point, we can plate the chilaquiles mexicanos. To do this, put the totopos on the base of a plate and add the green salsa over them. Then add sour cream to taste and a little crumbled queso fresco on top, and they are ready to serve!

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Chilaquiles mexicanos plated with green salsa, sour cream and crumbled queso fresco

Tips for the Best Chilaquiles Mexicanos

Use dry tortillas for the totopos

To make the totopos it is very important that the corn tortillas are quite dry, so if they are fresh tortillas, use day-old tortillas, and if they are packaged corn tortillas, which is what we usually find in the market, take them out of the package in advance so they dry out. Taking them out of the container the night before should be enough.

Cut each tortilla into 6 or 8 pieces

When cutting the tortillas to make the totopos, cut each tortilla into 6 or 8 pieces depending on the size of the tortilla. As a guide, keep in mind that the tortillas used here were 14 cm in diameter and each one was cut into 8 pieces.

Choose crunchy or soaked chilaquiles

In this recipe we have chosen to make crispy chilaquiles, which are achieved by pouring the salsa over them, although in Mexico it is traditional to pour the totopos into the pan with the boiling salsa so they soak up the sauce. If you prefer, you can opt for this way of preparing them, they are equally delicious.

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Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 35 minutes
Servings 2
Category Breakfast
Cuisine Mexican
Calories 363 calories

30 Go-To Recipes I Keep Coming Back to in My Own Kitchen

Universal Meals: Recipes

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Street-food cravings and party spreads usually lead me to this juicy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, crispy Salchipapas recipe, punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crackly Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These effortless Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe are another favorite of mine for a quick appetizer or snack.

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Even More Tasty Recipes to Cook for Your Family

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After years of cooking, testing, and tweaking in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the greatest dishes boil down to three things: straightforward methods, techniques you can trust, and serious flavor.

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On the sweet side, the rich, silky Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something that feels fancy yet comes together without fuss. Another dessert I adore is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps a lot, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

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Air fryer cooking is another category I turn to often, since it cuts down on time without sacrificing texture. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

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And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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Isabel Gaines

Author

Isabel Gaines

As a former restaurant owner turned reporter, Isabel brings a unique perspective to Grand Goldman. With decades of experience, her articles on cooking and homemaking are both informative and engaging, reflecting her deep knowledge and love for all things culinary.


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