Vivi’s Chilaquiles with Enchilada Sauce & (Optional) Steak

Chilaquiles and weekend mornings were made for each other. Plus, we can’t think of a more delicioso use for day-old corn tortillas, can you?

Chilaquiles with a fried egg o dos is the definición of breakfast felicidad at Familia Kitchen and for everyone we know from a Mexican family and everyone we know who loves Mexican food. That’s a lot of people. (We are so into these chilaquiles, we make them for both everyday and special occasions, including Christmas morning.)  

Gracias to one of our favorite Mexican cooks, Vivi Abeja, for sending us this recipe steeped in her commitment to make simple, accessible meals that respect tradition and honor their ingredients. Vivi was inspired by her much loved and deeply missed Abuelita Elisa Abeja, who gave this approach to cooking the name comida de pobre or poor-people food.

“This is comida de pobre on steroids because of how filling it is,” says Vivi, who grew up and lives in Chicago’s Little Village, a traditional Mexican neighborhood, and often hosts cooking Lives on her Vivi’s_Table channel.  “It’s simple but very filling, and the type of comida de pobre that makes you feel rich. My grandmother was the queen of comida de pobre.”

It all started when her grandmother made it mission to turn a small amount of simple ingredients into filling, affordable meals to feed her large family of eight kids and husband. She taught Vivi many of the resulting recipes and to always put faith and food at the center of her life and family. “I’m on a mission to keep my abuela’s recipes going. Sharing food with people makes my heart full.”

“This is one of my favorite breakfasts. It’s put together so quickly and so simply,” says Vivi. “The smell and sound of frying tortilla chips feels like home, and I love sneaking a few chips in between frying them. There are a few components to this meal, making the salsa, frying the tortillas, preparing the filling and any extras like eggs and steak or chicken, but my grandmother moved so effortlessly in the kitchen, it made this simple meal feel like a treat.”

This chilaquiles recipe is a bit unusual, adds Vivi. It uses enchilada sauce to coast the tortilla chips, instead of red salsa. “I like using enchilada sauce best for my chilaquiles because of the color and spice it gets from the chiles rather than just using tomatoes and jalapeños.”

Making your own enchilada sauce is not hard, she adds. Try this easy, homemade  recipe from Vivi. Or use store-bought from a can. Whatever works for you, time-wise, she says.

How often does Vivi make this dish? Pretty often, it turns out. ”I make chilaquiles when I have left over salsa in my fridge. Sometimes I make them with scrambled eggs, other times with fried eggs. It’s a very fast and filling meal when you’re short on time, especially if you already have the salsa made.”

This dish is such a favorite of hers, Vivi makes exceptions when she goes out to eat. “I don’t usually like to order meals I can easily make at home — except for chilaquiles. They are usually my go-go for brunch and I love trying all the different salsas.”

Vivi and all of us at Familia Kitchen hope you will try this dish. Let us know if you do! To try more of Vivi’s abuela-inspired comida de pobre dishes, check out her frijoles guisados or stewed pinto beans, uchepos or corn tamales, champurrado and flautas de papa , plus many more here.

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Vivi’s Red Chilaquiles with Enchilada Sauce & Steak

Recipe by Vivi Abeja

5.0 from 1 vote

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings

4 to 6

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak, optional, thin cut, served on the side

• 1 tsp steak seasoning

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp salt, divided, or to taste

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 12 corn tortillas, chopped into quarters

• 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, freshly made or store-bought

• 1 to 2 eggs per person, cooked sunny side up or over easy, to your preference

• For Garnish

• 1 large avocados, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup crema Mexicana or sour cream

• 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled

Directions

• Sprinkle the thin-cut slices of sirloin steak with steak seasoning, garlic powder, and 1 tsp salt, to your liking.
• Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium high. Add the steak and let sizzle for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until it turns golden brown. Set aside.
• In a second pan set to medium-high heat, add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan by about 1 inch.
• Cut tortillas into quarters.
• When the oil is frying hot (about 350°), gently add the tortilla quarters into the pan, working in batches so as not to crowd them.
• Fry until all the tortilla pieces are golden brown. Place on a plate with lined paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Season the just-fried tortillas with salt.
• Continue until all tortillas are fried.
• Cook fried eggs (sunny-side up or over-easy, depending on your preference) in the same pan with the remaining vegetable oil, and set aside.
• Return the salted, fried tortillas back to the pan. Add enchilada sauce and gently mix until all the tortilla chips are coated with the sauce.
• Assemble your plate: Start with a bottom layer of fried tortilla chips, and 1 or 2 fried eggs on top. Garnish with a sprinkle of queso fresco, a drizzle of Mexican crema or sour cream, and 2 to 3 avocado slices. Add the thin-sliced steak slice on the side and enjoy!