by Chef Matthew Krenz

Cooler weather, football and soccer on the weekends, and the kind of food that warms you up on a wet, cool day are starting to hit tables. This one is a big flavorful hug. There’s a chance you may need a nap after indulging, but it’s worth it! The warm flavors from the chorizo, the perfect snap to the tortilla chips, and the heat from fresh jalapeño make for a round and fun bite. This dish was much easier to find when I lived in Texas. I had friends who would have chilaquiles for breakfast, but for me, it makes a great brunch dish after you have gotten a few things behind you on the to-do list and are ready to watch some football or soccer for a few hours.

Chilaquiles Rioja with Choriqueso
Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

12-14 oz. jar medium salsa
14-16 oz. chicken stock
8 oz. ground chorizo
12 oz. queso blanco with green chilies
1 fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced
¼ bunch cilantro, chopped with stems
2 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
1 bag thick tortilla chips (thin chips will turn to mush)
¼ c. cotija cheese

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, brown your chorizo.
2. Strain off the extra fat, then add the queso and simmer on low.
3. In a large bowl, mix together salsa and chicken stock.
4. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
5. Add enough of the chicken stock salsa mixture to fill the base of a sauté pan.
6. Add your thick tortilla chips to your salsa mix once it’s up to a simmer. Toss to coat a few times, roughly 45 seconds to a minute, then scrape them into a platter. Repeat with remaining chips, garnishing between each batch (see next step).
7. As you are finishing the chilaquiles, garnish each layer with cotija, red onions, cilantro, and green onions.
8. For the final layer, ladle or spoon the choriqueso over the top of the chilaquiles, then add one final layer of garnish. Serve immediately.

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