Chicken and Avocado Skillet Chilaquiles

The first time in my life that I ate Chilaquiles was at the Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration sponsored by the California Avocado Commission at Ciudad Restaurant with the Too Hot Tamales, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. I saw on the menu that they were going to prepare it, but I had no clue what it was. It turned out to be a dish that is easy to make and very tasty, but looks like a blob of brown stuff. But that’s ok, because some really delicious food looks like a blob of brown stuff.

Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish that is usually eaten at breakfast or brunch, served along with scrambled or fried eggs and roasted chiles. Chilaquiles are often recommended as a cure for a hangover, because in Mexico spicy foods are believed to help with this condition. This dish is popular from the U.S. border all throughout Mexico into Guatemala because it’s a popular way to use leftover salsa and stale corn tortillas.

Recipes for chilaquiles have been found in a U.S. cookbook published in 1898 by Encarnacion Pinedo called El Cocerina Espanol (The Spanish Cookbook).

Mary Sue prepares her knife.

Mary Sue and Susan each made a big skillet of the chilaquiles, starting off with chicken broth, salsa and half-and-half. It was brought to a boil and the chicken and tortillas were added, turned over and over to coat. The cheese was added and stirred in, and then the avocado, onion, jalapeno and cilantro. It was cooked for about a minute more, just to heat through. When it was served it got a squeeze of lime and a dollop of sour cream. That’s it. Fast. Easy.

You can read here about the other dishes prepared for Cinco de Mayo by the Too Hot Tamales.

Crispy Avocado Taco with Chipotle Corn Relish
Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Salad
Avocado and Mango with Honey Yogurt and Avocado and Orange Liquado with Lavender Shortbread Cookie

Chicken and Avocado Skillet Chilaquiles

Serves: 4

1 cup tomato salsa, medium heat
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup half-and-half
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
6 cups corn tortilla chips
1 cup cubed panela cheese
2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
½ small red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, if desired, and minced
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges
½ cup sour cream

1. In a wide skillet, bring salsa, chicken broth and half-and-half to a boil. Add chicken and tortilla chips, mixing gently to coat each chip while simmering for 1 to 2 minutes.

2. When some of the chips have moistened and begun to break up, but others are still holding their shape, add cheese. Continue stirring gently for another minute or distribute cheese evenly.

3. Add avocado, onion, jalapeno pepper and cilantro; stir well to distribute. Cook for 1 minute, just to heat through. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from stovetop and divide evenly among warmed plates. Top with a squeeze of lime and a dollop of sour cream, and serve immediately.

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