Chilaquiles Divorciados (and Bonus Fusion Bennies)

Click here to go to printable recipe:  Chilaquiles Divorciados and Fusion Bennies 

It has been a while since I shared a recipe for chilaquiles, which in their most basic form are simply a mix of crisped tortillas and any Mexican sauce. The tortilla chips may be made at home, either brushed with oil and baked, or deep fried (check out my post “This is How the Tortilla Chip Crumbles“), but even a bag of good quality restaurant-style tortilla chips will do in a pinch in this recipe.

“Divorciados” means divorced, and in Mexican cuisine it refers to any dish that has one side dressed with red sauce, and the other side, with green sauce. I have published recipes for example, of huevos divorciados (divorced eggs). So in this case, chilaquiles divorciados are a plate of chilaquiles, half red, and half green. Toppings like sliced onions, crumbled fresh cheese and cream are the norm, as seen in the photo at the top of this post; from there, many other elements may be added, such as shredded cooked chicken or eggs.

In this recipe, I am using Central Mexico (Mexico City region) recipes for the sauces, which must always include epazote, a native herb; if not available, simply omit, since in Northern and Southern Mexico, there are many recipes for chilaquiles without epazote. 

Tortilla Chips in Red and Green Sauces –

Chilaquiles divorciados

Printable recipe:  Chilaquiles Divorciados and Fusion Bennies

Ingredients (for four portions)

8 cups tortilla chips (homemade or restaurant style)
For Red Sauce
2 large tomatoes; washed, stem spots removed, and cut into chunks
1 small onion (about 1/2 cup); peeled, and cut into chunks
1-2 cloves garlic; peeled
4 red peppers, or to taste, such as costeño, chile de árbol, guajillo, Thai, etc.
½ cup water
½ tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 sprig epazote (if available, or omit); washed
For Green Sauce
1 lb (454g) fresh tomatillos; husks removed, and washed
1-2 serrano peppers, or to taste; washed, and stems removed
¼ white onion; peeled
1 small bunch cilantro; washed
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 sprig epazote (if available, or omit)
Toppings:
Crumbled cheese (for example: Añejo, Cotija, or light Feta)
Sliced onions
Mexican cream, or sour cream mixed with a little milk

Prepare red sauce:  I used two red costeño peppers (left) and two chile de árbol (right):

Wipe all the peppers clean, and remove stems and seeds; set aside.  Warm up one tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add onions (photo below, left); sauté for a couple of minutes then add garlic and peppers, stirring  just for a few seconds (photo below, right):

Mix in tomatoes (photo below, left).  Stir and cook for five minutes, then pour in water (photo below, right):

Bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cover (photo below, left); cook for ten minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool down, uncovered (photo below, right):

Transfer to a blender jar, seasoning with salt (photo below, left).  Process until very smooth (photo below, right):

Reserve. 

In a saucepan, warm up the other tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Pour in blended mix; it should sizzle as it touches the hot oil (photo below, left).   Reduce heat to low, and continue simmering to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes. Add epazote (if using, photo below, right):

Adjust seasoning with more salt, if needed, cooking for two more minutes. Keep warm until serving time.

Prepare green sauce:  Set a pot with water over high heat, and bring to boil. Add tomatillos (photo below, left); bring back to boil, and let cook for about five minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain tomatillos into a colander; they should be easy to pierce, but still firm (photo below, right):

Transfer cooked tomatillos to a blender jar along with the peppers, onion and cilantro (photo below, left), processing until smooth. Reserve.  Warm up oil in the pot over medium heat, then pour the sauce in (photo below, right):

Allow to simmer for five minutes, then season with salt and add epazote (if using):

Stir, adjust seasoning with more salt, if needed.  Keep warm until serving time.

Assemble for serving:  For each portion, place two cups of tortilla chips on a dinner plate, pour about one quarter of the green sauce over one half, and the same of the red sauce over the other half, topping with sliced onions, crumbled fresh cheese, and a swirl of cream:

This delicious dish may be supplemented into a full brunch meal by adding fried eggs, shredded cooked chicken, or other meat. 

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Divorciado Bennies – When I visit one of my daughters in Mississauga, Ontario (Canada), we often have brunch from Huevos Gourmet (241 Lakeshore Road East).  Our favourite dish is their “Nachos Benedict”, a clever fusion of Chilaquiles and Benedict Eggs (Bennies), using chilaquiles divorciados instead of an English muffin, topped with two poached eggs, jalapeños, black olives and Hollandaise sauce, and with a side of home fries: 

Bonus recipe:

Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients

4 egg yolks (save whites for another recipe)
1 tbsp lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
½ cup butter; melted
Salt, to taste

For chipotle flavour, optional:
2-3 tbsp adobo from prepared chipotle peppers

Choose a stainless-steel bowl that will fit sitting on top of a pot. Fill pot with water, checking and making sure the bowl will not touch the water. Place pot on the stove over high heat, and bring the water to boil. Remove pot from heat and reserve. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice with an egg beater, until thickened and fluffy. Place bowl on top of the reserved pot with hot water, and continue whisking vigorously; slowly pour melted butter in, whisking until the sauce has thickened and almost doubled in volume. Season with salt, to taste.

Add chipotle adobo, if using, whisking until uniform. 

At home, I tried making this sauce with the chipotle adobo, instead of adding jalapeños and olives to the plate.  The blushed colour looked very pleasant on the poached eggs (photo below, left), and complemented their runny yolks perfectly (photo below, right):

Having this plate is not exactly a good way to stay fit and lithe, but may be an indulgent choice for a satisfying Sunday morning meal, once in while.

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #685 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am also sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #651, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #528  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday, this week co-hosting with  Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.

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