I'm not really a fan of leftovers. Some people are really into meal prepping one meal for the entire week, but I just find that so boring! A normal recipe will feed me for an entire week and I'm only interested in one or two meals maximum. When I made the Instant Pot Chicken Salsa Verde this week, I was unsure what to do with all of the leftovers. I was leaning towards nachos, but then Adam suggested chilaquiles! For those unfamiliar, chilaquiles (pronounced “chee-la-qee-les”) is a breakfast food where chips are folded into a sauce with eggs. In Seattle, it's pretty hard to find decent Mexican food, much less chilaquiles, so when they're on the menu it's a go-to. It turned out delicious and beautiful!
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When I made the original recipe, I wasn't really considering the spice level. I was cooking and adjusting for my tastes, not those around me. When Adam came over for breakfast, I had to reevaluate what this recipe was like for others in terms of spice level. I love spicy food that is just on the edge of hurting. Adam, on the other hand, thinks paprika is spicy. Things I don't even consider spicy have him racing to the fridge for something to cool the burn. When he heard that I had added not only salsa but jalapenos and green chile, he requested that I tone it down in the future.
It's a great point for all of us though! If you're cooking for just you, keep in mind the kind of spice level you want to experience. If you're cooking for others, think about ways that you can customize the level of spice per dish. Fry up some more jalapenos for those who want them, or add sour cream to the side to tone down the spice for others.
How to Fry an Egg
I like my eggs with slightly runny yolks. It adds a thickness to dishes that I really enjoy. You can put whatever style eggs you prefer here, but if you like over easy eggs as well I have a super simple hack for you!
- Put a pan over medium high heat, add some butter and how ever many eggs you want.
- Season the eggs and the put a lid on the pan.
- Wait around 2 minutes until you see the yolks turn white.
Then they’re done! Just slide them onto your plate. With time you’ll get an idea of how much time you like and how much heat. A higher heat will result in a crispier egg. No flipping means you’ll never break your egg yolks again!! I also find that having a pan with a see through lid that fits makes this process a lot easier. I love this All Clad Non-Stick Pan that comes with a glass lid.
For this recipe we are using leftovers from Instant Pot Chicken Salsa Verde, but you can make it fresh too! I used gluten-free tortilla chips and made my eggs over easy, but use what you like. Since you already put your own spin on the salsa verde chicken, this recipe is already starting out customized by you! But don't stop there. Think about what kind of toppings you like on tacos since they'd be great on this too! Next time I'm definitely going to add a insta-worthy fan of avocado and a spoonful of vegan sour cream.
Let me know what you think and tag me in your pictures @thatzestlife! If you used your leftovers in a different way or bought a special ingredient lately that you don’t know what to do with, let me know! You may be the source of inspiration from our next dish.
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Recipe
Salsa Verde Chilaquiles
Ingredients
- 4 servings leftover Salsa Chicken Verde
- 4 servings tortilla chips (as needed)
- 8 eggs
- 4 tbsp cotija cheese, grated
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 2 stalks green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Pour leftover salsa verde chicken into a large pan over medium heat. Reheat to a low simmer.
- Fold in tortilla chips until evenly covered. Transfer to a bowl.
- Meanwhile, fry eggs in a separate pan to desired temp. Add to bowl with chilaquiles.
- Add cotija cheese, lime wedges, cilantro and green onions to the top an serve.
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, be sure to tag @thatzestlife in your photo! I would love to see what you made!
Lexie
So here's what happened after I read your blog on chilaquiles. My mouth started watering. I realized I was hungry (it was 9:30pm at night). So I cooked eggs and doused it in siracha, added tortilla and ate it in front of your blog photo of the real thing ?Can't wait to make the REAL thing.
I love this blog! I am constantly struggling to find new recipes. I always end up eating out when I am bored with my own cooking. You are bringing the best of dining out, into my kitchen with your colorful writing and flavorful recipes. I'm so excited to follow along!
Megan
That’s such a high compliment! I’m excited to bring you more inspiration as times goes on. Definitely let me know when you try something yourself!
Renee Lehr
Made this today for breakfast and it was SO GOOD! For two of us, we ate the Salsa Verde Chicken recipe for dinner twice with the leftovers and then the breakfast this morning so great value for little effort. Really, really tasty and healthy meals! Thanks, Megan!!
Megan
It’s so nice to not have to eat the same leftovers for days. I’m so glad you liked them for breakfast!