This is what to do with the last of a bag of tortilla chips and a can of tomatoes: a smoky chipotle sauce simmered down, tossed with chips until they soften at the edges but keep some bite in the middle, then topped with a fried egg so the yolk runs into the sauce when you break it. One skillet, start to finish.

Skillet Chilaquiles Rojos with Fried Eggs

Scale

Method

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and turning translucent.
5 min
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
1 min
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chipotle, adobo sauce, stock and salt. Simmer, mashing any large tomato pieces against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon, until slightly thickened.
8 min
Pour the sauce into a bowl and wipe out the skillet. Add a little oil and fry the eggs, two at a time, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and set aside.
3 min
Return the sauce to the skillet, add the tortilla chips and toss gently to coat, cooking just until the chips soften at the edges but still have some crunch in the middle.
2 min
Scatter the cotija over the chips, top with the fried eggs, avocado and cilantro, and serve straight from the skillet with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Substitutions

Cotija cheese — Queso fresco or crumbled feta work the same way.
Chipotle in adobo — No chipotle? Use 1 tsp smoked paprika plus a pinch of cayenne for the heat and smoke.
Tortilla chips — Six stale corn tortillas, cut into wedges and fried in the same skillet in a little oil until crisp, then drained, before you start the sauce.
White onion — Yellow onion works just as well.

Storing leftovers

The assembled dish does not keep well — the chips turn soft and the egg overcooks on reheating. The sauce alone keeps four days in the fridge in a sealed container; reheat it in the skillet and add fresh chips, cheese and a freshly fried egg when you are ready to eat.

Questions

Won't the chips go soggy?

They soften at the edges within a minute or two but keep some bite in the centre if you toss them in just before serving and eat right away — that contrast is the point of chilaquiles.

Can I skip the egg?

Yes. Top with warmed black beans or shredded rotisserie chicken instead, stirred through the sauce in the last minute.

How spicy is this?

Mild to medium with two chipotles. Use one for less heat, or add a third with extra adobo sauce for more.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes, the sauce keeps four days in the fridge. Reheat it in the skillet, then add fresh chips and a freshly fried egg when you are ready to eat.