Chilaquiles Rojos- Guadalajara Style

Chilaquiles Rojos are baked tortilla chips covered in a savory red sauce and topped with crumbly cheese and a fried egg.

Chilaquiles Rojos are a popular brunch dish in Southern Mexico, specifically in Guadalajara where my husband’s family is from.

When we were there this past Summer, I made it a point to try all the native dishes of Guadalajara. This included Chilaquiles, Carne en su jugo, Posole, Jericallas, and Tortas Ahogadas.

Chilaquiles can also be made Verde, with green salsa. Both ways are delicious!

How to Bake Tortilla Chips

Tradtionally the tortillas are deep fried, but I prefer baking them in the oven.

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-degree oven for 15 min, remove and flip each one over. Bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden and crispy. Sprinkle with salt while they are 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

Using 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 little bit 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 even feta cheese crumbles work, 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.