Chilaquiles Rojos- Jalisco Style

Chilaquiles Rojos are crispy tortilla chips smothered in a savory red sauce and topped with crumbly cheese and a fried egg. It’s a popular brunch dish in Mexico, specifically in Guadalajara, Jalisco. I’m making mine slightly healthier with baked tortilla chips.

Reader Kristin Says: “This recipe is simple and perfectly delicious. My go-to for making chilaquiles, and everyone who tries them loves them!” ★★★★★

My husband is from Guadalajara, Mexico and when we visited I made it a point to try all the native dishes from there. This included Chilaquiles, Carne en su jugo, Posole, Jericallas, and Tortas Ahogadas. My mother in-law helped me recreate these recipes for the blog.

Chilaquiles are delicious any time of day, but we love to have them on the weekends for brunch.

How to Bake Tortilla Chips

Traditionally the tortillas are deep-fried, but I prefer baking them in the oven. It’s less oil, and honestly, less mess to clean up. But feel free to fry them if you like!

Cut tortillas into small triangles and place them on a well greased baking sheet. I used a pastry brush, dipped it in oil, and brushed the entire sheet pan.

Place tortilla triangles on baking sheet, trying not to overlap, and spray the top with cooking oil spray, or brush them with oil. Bake them in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes, remove and flip each one over. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden and crispy. Sprinkle with salt while they are still hot.

How to Make the Rojo (Red) Sauce

The sauce is pretty similar to my Homemade Enchilada Sauce, just with the addition of tomato. I did not make the Rojo Sauce spicy, since my kids would be eating them too. If you prefer a spicer sauce, add some chile de arbol to the pot to boil with everything else.

Guajillo Chiles are very mild in spice, and make up the base of the red sauce along with whole roma tomatoes, garlic, and white onion.

Place everything in a small sauce pot with chicken bouillon, or vegetable broth for Vegan. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon remove all the ingredients and place into a blender. Blend until a smooth sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a splash of water.

Assembling the Chilaquiles

Place the blended red sauce in a skillet with a little oil and bring the sauce to a light simmer. Add tortilla chips and stir to coat.

If needed, place a lid on the pan to help the chips soften, but only for a minute. You don’t want the chips to get too soft. Serve immediately with some cotija or queso fresco, crema, onion, and cilantro.

For a complete meal, add a fried egg, refried beans, and even carne asada is a great combo!

I don’t recommend storing leftover chilaquiles, instead, you can make the chips and red sauce ahead of time. Then assemble based on the portions you need.

More Mexican Breakfast Recipes