Chicken Chilaquiles Recipe

This is yummy!

My mom was 6 months old when she moved with her family from Las Vegas, New Mexico to Northern California in 1941. My mother’s mother, my Nana, brought along all of her delicious New Mexican recipes with her, like chile verde, chile Colorado, pinto beans, calabacitas, fideo, bunuelos, flour tortillas and so on. Over the years, before my Nana passed away, I tried to learn as many of her recipes as possible. It was a little difficult since Nana didn’t really ever write anything down. She had learned by watching her mother, and her mother before her.

This recipe is not one of hers but the flavors reminds me of many of her stews.

I like making this recipe for large parties. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser, and since it’s so easy to make, it is great for making in advance and reheating when the party starts!

Chicken Chilaquiles Recipe
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large red onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
4 28oz cans whole peeled or crushed tomatoes
2 7oz cans green Chiles diced
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp Paprika
2 rotisserie chickens
salt and pepper to taste

Tortilla chips
Monterey Jack cheese grated

Preheat a large stock pot on medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and onions. Cook onions until edges start to slightly brown, add garlic and cook an additional minute or two.

Combine next 6 ingredients in stock pot and set to medium heat.

Meanwhile with your hands, pull off chicken meat from bones and skin and separate into small chunks. Add chicken chunks to stock pot. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 – 2 hours.

Grate Monterey Jack cheese.

To serve: Place a handful or two of tortilla chips in a bowl. Sprinkle grated cheese on top, then add a generous helping of the chicken mixture!