2 Mexican Chilaquiles Recipes: Black Beans and Tomatillo Chicken

 

Chilaquiles are real Mexican comfort food. Often eaten at breakfast, they make good use of leftover tortillas or sauces, and are known as a hangover cure!

Although these two Mexican chilaquiles recipes, Black Beans with Mushrooms, and Tomatillo Chicken, may resemble Tex-Mex nachos and migas, Nahuatl chilaquiles predate them both by hundreds of years.

In central Mexico the dish is commonly served over crispy fried tortilla chips as in the Black Bean and Mushroom Chilaquiles recipe below. Yet, regional and family variations abound! For a modern casserole style chilaquiles dish, try the vibrant Baked Chilaques con Pollo y Tomatillos recipe which follows.

Chillaquiles make good use of leftover tortillas, beans, eggs and meat. Experiment using your own tastes and frequent leftovers as a guide!

Black Bean and Mushroom Chilaquiles

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced
• 2, 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1, 14 ½ ounce can stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 small can mushroom stems and pieces.
• 1 ½ teaspoons oregano, dried
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin, ground
• 1 cup Monterrey or Pepper Jack cheese, grated
• 6 cups tortilla chips (El Milagro is an excellent brand for this dish)

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized Dutch oven, sauté onions, bell pepper and minced jalapeno until the onions have softened.
2. Add the beans, stewed tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano and cumin to the pot. Bring up to a simmer and cover.
3. Allow pot to continue cooking, covered for about 30 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, uncovering the pot and top with the grated cheese.
5. Re-cover the pot and allow to stand for a few minutes until cheese has melted.
6. Stir in the cheese and serve over a cup of coarsely broken tortilla chips.

Serve hot, garnished with additional cheese, if desired.

Baked Chilaquiles con Pollo y Tomatillos

(Chicken Tomatillo Chilaquiles Casserole)

IngredientsServings: 4 – 6

• 2 medium-sized boneless , skinless chicken breasts
• Small amount of olive oil
• 2 quarts water
• 1 ½ pounds tomatillos, husks removed
• 4 Serrano chiles
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped and divided
• 50 corn tortilla chips
• ½ pound Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 ounces Mexican crema, or sour cream
• 1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a medium-size skillet, and sauté the chicken breast until just done.
2. Slice chicken into 1-inch strips and set aside.
3. Bring water to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan, adding the tomatillos and Serrano peppers, and letting them cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Remove the tomatillos and peppers to a blender.
5. Adding the garlic and half of the onions, blend, using enough of the tomatillo water to achieve a salsa consistency.
6. Discard the tomatillo water and return the salsa to that pot.
7. Bring salsa up to a medium simmer, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary, and fold in the crispy tortillas.
8. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes or until the tortillas get soft.
9. Layer some of the chilaquiles salsa in a 2 quart ovenproof casserole, adding some of the chicken strips, then covering with more of the chilaquiles and tortillas. End by topping with grated cheese.
10. Bake uncovered in a preheated 400° F oven until the cheese melts.

Serve warm, garnished with the crema, chopped onion, and avocado slices.