ABC'S HOME ECONOMICS: Marina’s Traditional Chilaquiles
INGREDIENTS
  • Cooking Time: 65 minutes
  • Servings: 8
  • Preparation Time: 25 minutes
  • 8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed
  • 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper, peeled and seeded
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
  • ¾ cup chopped cilantro
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 leaves fresh mint
  • salt to taste
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 12 (6 inch) white corn tortillas, cut into 3 strips
  • ¾ cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • ¾ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Add tomatillos, onion, poblano pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, mint, and salt to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chicken to tomatillo sauce and continue to simmer until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
  3. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry tortilla strips in batches until crisp and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and pat dry on a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of excess oil.
  4. Layer about half the fried tortillas in a 2-quart baking dish; spread half the tomatillo sauce over tortillas. Mix pepperjack cheese and Monterey Jack cheese in a bowl; sprinkle half over tomatillo sauce. Repeat layers.
  5. Bake in preheated oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
When I was growing up, chilaquiles (pronounced “chee-lah-KEE-lays”) were my favorite Sunday morning breakfast. Now that I have my own family, it’s so much fun to hang out in the kitchen and snack on this delicious mix of crispy tortillas swimming in rich salsa and covered with plenty of cheese. It doesn’t get better.