Best Baked Chilaquiles Rojas Recipes

ANNE'S CHICKEN CHILAQUILES ROJAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a large (10x15-inch) casserole dish.
• Combine drained tomatoes and chipotle chiles in adobo in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in hot oil until brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add pureed tomato-chile sauce and simmer until mixture starts to thicken. Pour in chicken broth and stir in cumin, oregano, and salt; let simmer until mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
• Mix tortilla chips and tomato-chile sauce, folding carefully to cover chips completely. You may have to do this in 2 batches.
• Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with half of the chip/sauce mixture. Sprinkle a layer of Mexican cheese and cotija cheese over top. Add shredded chicken to cover all of the chips and cheese. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with 1/2 of the green onions and 1/2 of the cilantro. Spoon 3/4 of the sour cream evenly over top. Spread with the remaining tortilla mixture then top with remaining Mexican and cotija cheeses. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream, green onions, and cilantro.

CHILAQUILES ROJOS

Steps:

• To make the sauce: Measure the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and cinnamon into a small bowl. Place the bowl near the stove with the tomato paste and broth.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil until it's it's hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes. Keep an eye on it.
• Once it's ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
• Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and your spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it.
• Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Whisk in the cilantro and vinegar and season to taste with additional salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two).
• To make the chilaquiles: Add the tortilla chips to the skillet. Using a flexible spatula, gently toss until all of the chips are coated in sauce. It might seem like they never will be, but keep stirring!
• Once coated, remove the skillet from the heat. Test a chip to see if it has softened to your liking (this is really a matter of personal preference-I like my chips lightly tender). If the chips are not sufficiently softened, cover the skillet for 1 to 4 minutes, until you're happy with their texture.
• Sprinkle the chilaquiles generously with crumbled cheese, radish and cilantro leaves. Scoop servings onto individual plates, add a few slices of avocado, a fried egg if desired, and a wedge of lime. The chips will continue softening with time, so chilaquiles are best served promptly (do not re-cover the pan to preserve heat; the chips will get far too soggy).

CHILAQUILES ROJOS (TRADITIONAL MEXICAN BREAKFAST DISH)

Steps:

• Grill the tomatoes, chiles, garlic and onions until they have a slightly blackened skin. Do not burn!
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil with the blackened veggies until they are cooked through and soft inside.
• Pour the veggies with the hot water and a little added cold water into a food processor and process. Don't blend too much, you want the mixture to be chunky.
• In a large pot, heat up the oil until smoking. Then (carefully!) add a small amount of the sauce mixture and let it burn away for 1 minute (this is for a nice smoky flavor). Then slowly add the rest of the mixture and season with salt and some chicken base.
• Add the tomato puree for color, and mix well. Add the shredded chicken and cook until it is heated through. Add the cilantro. Add the chips and serve immediately on 4 plates. Top each plate with some sour cream, sliced onions, queso fresco and a sprig of cilantro.
• Serve with guacamole, refried black beans and pico de gallo on the side.

RED CHILAQUILES WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, chiles, chopped onion and garlic in a blender, and blend until coarsely pureed.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet or a wide saucepan over medium-high heat, and add a drop of the puree. It should sizzle. Add all of the tomato puree, and cook, stirring, for about five to ten minutes, until the sauce darkens, thickens and begins to stick to the pan. Add water or stock if the mixture seems dry, and season to taste with salt. Turn the heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, until the sauce coats the front and back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.
• Stir in the chicken and heat through. Stir in the tortilla chips or pieces, stir together for a half minute, and remove from the heat. Spinkle the cheese, cilantro and sliced onion over the top, and serve.