Chilaquiles con Rajas Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 31, 2025
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Note: You can use store-bought tortilla chips and salsa verde for this dish, but I strongly recommend making your own. The fried tortillas can be stored at room temperature overnight in a sealed container (allow to cool completely before storage), and the salsa verde can be made up to a week in advance and refrigerated until needed. To roast the poblanos, hold them directly over the flame of a gas burger or grill until deeply blackened and charred on all sides, about 10 minutes (you can also do this under a preheated broiler). Let sit for 10 minutes, then peel off the blackened skin and remove the stem and seeds.

Recipe Details

Chilaquiles con Rajas Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 25 mins
Active 45 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 2 servings
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Ingredients

For the Salsa Verde:

  • 1 medium onion, peeled, trimmed, and cut into rough chunks

  • 1 jalapeno pepper, split in half lengthwise, stem removed

  • 1 pound tomatillos (4 to 5 medium), peeled and split in half

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

  • 2 large roasted poblano peppers, cut into thin strips (see note)

For the Chilaquiles:

  • 2 quarts vegetable, canola, or peanut oil

  • 8 corn tortillas, cut into quarters

To Serve (all optional):

  • Lime wedges

  • Cotija cheese

  • Mexican crema

  • Chopped cilantro

  • Chopped onions

  • Refried beans

  • Scrambled eggs

  • Shredded roast chicken

  • Sauteed chorizo

  • Sliced avocado

Directions

  1. Preheat broiler to high. Combine onion, jalapeño, tomatillos, garlic, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large bowl. Season with kosher salt and toss to combine. Transfer vegetables to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until completely tender and charred in spots, rotating once or twice during broiling, 10 to 15 minutes total.

  2. Transfer vegetables to a blender, add cilantro and half of the pepper strips. Blend until smooth (be careful, hot contents can blow the lid off the blender. Start with the slowest speed and slowly build up). Season to taste with salt, then transfer salsa to a wide saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining pepper strips.

  3. Heat 2 quarts oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 375°F (use an instant-read thermometer). Fry tortillas in two batches, agitating and flipping during frying with a wire-mesh spider. Fry until pale golden brown and completely crisp, about 2 minutes. Lift chips, allow excess oil to drain, and transfer directly to saucepan with sauce.

  4. After all chips have been added, fold sauce and chips together with a large spoon or spatula. Cover pot and allow to rest for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on how soft you like your chips. Serve immediately, garnished with your choice of toppings.

Special equipment

Large wok or dutch oven for frying

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
445Calories
19gFat
66gCarbs
9gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories445
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g24%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 209mg9%
Total Carbohydrate 66g24%
Dietary Fiber 13g46%
Total Sugars 13g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 66mg328%
Calcium 133mg10%
Iron 3mg18%
Potassium 1027mg22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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