A Spicy Perspective

Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak

Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak: A zesty chilaquiles recipe with underlying smoky heat from habanero peppers, served with juicy grilled skirt steak. This easy gluten free dinner is a sure knock-out!

Mexican Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak

Learning to Make an Authentic Chilaquiles Recipe

Recently, I spent a day cooking with a latina friend of mine.

My friend Adriana is a funny little bird. She has told me on several occasions that I’m not a real cook because I don’t make my own tortillas. She has also informed me that Americans are fat because we always choose wheat tortillas and Mexicans are thin because they always choose corn tortillas. Hmmm.

She is emphatic that wheat makes people fat, while corn, even fried corn, is a health food.

Listening to her dogmatic opinions on life and food always gives me a good chuckle.

On my birthday, she came to my house with grocery bags in tow. Little did I know, I’d be spending the day learning to “properly” make her Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak.

what ingredients you will need for chilaquiles

We teased each other as we went through the painstaking process of making, then frying tortillas, just to crumble for the chilaquiles. She threw out half the tortillas I fried, because the color was a quarter-shade too light or too dark.

She showed me how to make the tomato puree for the chilaquiles recipe, with fresh jalapenos and onions.

Then acutely critiqued my onion-cooking abilities.

Finally, when the dish was finished we sat down to taste it.

Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak is Mexican comfort food at it’s best.

But I have to tell you, although I appreciate her thorough instruction, I won’t continue making chilaquiles the “proper” way.

Chilaquiles Recipe - authentic but easy to make

My Chilaquiles Recipe – Authentic But Easy

Personally, I HATE to fry foods. It’s the lingering smell of hot oil in my house, and the fact that I always get a splatter burn.

Plus, I like shortcuts, as long as they don’t affect flavor, texture, or visual appeal.

So I took my friend’s chilaquiles recipe and revamped it. …Please don’t tell on me, I’ll get another rigid scolding.

This Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak is bold and comforting, and it’s gluten free!

I absolutely love this Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, even though it is a tad off the classic preparation.

Chilaquiles can also be served with hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, shredded chicken, or pork; the sky is the limit.

lay the tostadas in the baking pan

What Ingredients You Will Need

For the Chilaquiles:

  • 14 ounces thick tostadas
  • 6 cups stock, any variety
  • 3 large tomatoes, cored
  • 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 habanero chile, halved and seeded
  • Salt

For the Marinated Skirt Steak:

  • 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons oil
break the shells into the dish

Possible Garnishes:

  • Chopped red onion
  • Green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Sliced avocado
  • Crumbled queso fresco
  • Sour cream (or Mexican crema)
  • Sliced hard-boiled eggs
Cooking in the pot

How to Make Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak

For the marinated skirt steak

Mix all the spices, oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Then rub over the entire skirt steak and let the steak rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to high heat. Grill for 2 minutes per side, for medium-rare. Rest the steak under foil for at least 5 minutes. Then cut into 4 equal pieces. Turn each section and sliced thinly against the grain. (If you dont have a grill, you can use your cast iron skillet).

get ready to pour over the tostadas

For the chilaquiles recipe: 

Break the tostadas into pieces and place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Set a large saucepan over high heat and add the stock, onions, garlic, tomatoes, habanero, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the habanero pieces and carefully pour the veggies and liquid into the blender. Open the vent on the lid a little and cover it with a dish towel. Puree until smooth. *Be careful! Hot liquid in the blender can be dangerous.

Once pureed, taste for salt and heat. It may need 1/2 to 1 teaspoon more salt. If you really like spicy food, you could always puree half or all of the cooked habanero.

For slightly crispy chilaquiles, pour half the puree over the tostadas. For soft chilaquiles (like a casserole) pour all the puree over the tostadas. Allow the tostadas to sit and soak up the liquid. 

Pro Tip: For soft chilaquiles with a crispy top, bake the chilaquiles in the oven at 400 degrees, for 20-30 minutes. Garnish and serve warm with steak.

easy chilaquiles

Other Latin Favorites:

grill the meat

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do leftovers last?

You can store the leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. If you want to make sure that the dish doesn’t get soggy, you can make the sauce ahead of time and pour the mixture on individual servings when you are ready to serve it. 

How did Chilaquiles originate?

This dish is a great way to use leftover day-old tortillas for breakfast and make it taste irresistibly good. 

Why is it called Chilaquiles?

This word comes from the Aztecs when they said ” chilis and greens” since this dish is traditionally made with homemade mole or salsa.

Don’t forget to check the printable recipe card below for this traditional Mexican dish’s prep time, total time, and nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, sodium, potassium, fiber, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, vitamin C, and calcium percentages.

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Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Amazing and easy Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak! This authentic chilaquiles recipes offers shortcuts to make the process much faster.
Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the Chilaquiles:

  • 14 ounces thick tostadas
  • 6 cups stock, any variety
  • 3 large tomatoes, cored
  • 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 habanero chile, halved and seeded
  • Salt

For the Marinated Skirt Steak:

Possible Garnishes:

  • Chopped red onion
  • Green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Sliced avocado
  • Crumbled queso fresco
  • Sour cream
  • Sliced hard boiled eggs

Instructions

  • For the marinated skirt steak: Mix all the spices, oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Then rub over the entire skirt steak and let the steak rest for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the grill to high heat. Grill for 2 minutes per side, for medium-rare. Rest the steak under foil for at least 5 minutes. Then cut into 4 equal pieces. Turn each section and sliced thinly against the grain.
  • For the chilaquiles recipe: Break the tostadas into pieces and place them in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  • Set a large sauce pan over high heat and add the stock, onions, garlic, tomatoes, habanero and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the habanero pieces and carefully pour the veggies and liquid into the blender. Open the vent on the lid a little and cover with a dish towel. Puree until smooth. *Be careful! Hot liquid in the blender can be dangerous.
  • Once pureed, taste for salt and heat. It may need 1/2 to 1 teaspoon more salt. If you really like spicy food, you could always puree half or all of the cooked habanero.
  • For slightly crispy chilaquiles, pour half the puree over the tostadas. For soft chilaquiles (like a casserole) pour all the puree over the tostadas. Allow the tostadas to sit and soak up the liquid. *For soft chilaquiles with a crispy top, bake the chilaquiles in the oven at 400 degrees, for 20-30 minutes. Garnish and serve warm with steak.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 429kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 1689mg, Potassium: 534mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1085IU, Vitamin C: 9.6mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 3.2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Sommer Collier

Making this recipe? Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what you’re cooking!

Other Latin Favorites:

Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Chili Verde

Green Chile Steak Tacos

Grilled Steak Fajitas ~ Skinny Taste

Roasted Corn and Ricotta Enchiladas ~ Naturally Ella

Classic Tostadas ~ Simply Recipes

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38 comments on “Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak”

  1. This is as close as the original recipe as you’ll get.

  2. What a great recipe!!!! I would love a huge serving of this right now! Thanks for sharing!

  3. Pingback: Weekly Meal Plan & My Happy Things: A Sprouting Garden, Kid's Art, & More! | The Spicy RD

  4. This makes me already miss those long warm summer evenings! Pinned this and I WILL be making it. of course, I’ll buy the pre-made tostadas, so your secret is safe with me.

  5. I love Mexican food & now that I’m eating steak again [after 10 years], THIS sounds delicious!!

  6. AWESOME post! What a great story. And the photo of that slab of steak on the grill…want! I’m a chilaquiles fan, but haven’t attempted making it at home. You’ve given me my place to start, thanks!

  7. Glad your up and running again~ Oh the ultimate comfort food chilaquiles. My 7yr old could live off these. Thanks for sharing. Oh and your lo mein recipe is happening soon at our house~ my daughter bookmarked it,LOL!!

  8. Wow, this looks to die for!!

  9. I love Latin food almost as much as Italian, can’t wait to try this recipe!

  10. I have a skirt steak sitting at home just waiting to get dressed up in that marinade! I have a feeling this will be a night of diner perfection.

  11. looks great! why isn’t it time for me to make dinner yet?!?

  12. I think I like the easier version too as I don’t fry anything. Looks delish!

  13. What an awesome day of learning in the kitchen with your friend!! I love to learn from others…but I’m with you on the frying. I’m terrible about all that oil. It’s just not my thing. Not that I don’t love eating the fried stuff…just not the actual act of frying :)

    This looks AMAZING. I can just smell that sauce, the steak, all of it, from here.

  14. We don’t eat steak, but how delicious does this recipe looks!!!

  15. Love skirt steak, we had the last bit of summer here this weekend, maybe a few more days of the grill so need to get a skirt steak on it, this just looks so good.

  16. I’m always looking for grilling recipes. This skirt steak looks wonderful! Thank you

  17. Yum! I love skirt and flank steak. So much flavor and its to marination so well! Yum!

  18. The food always looks so delicious! I love this post and the photos!

  19. seriously, everything i see on your blog i want to eat immediately. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!

  20. I love ancho chiles – they’re sweet and smoky. The steak looks WICKED good.

  21. Okay, I’m starving and this is NOT helping. All of my favorite flavors!

  22. The flavors are outstanding in this one Sommer. Perfect to say goodbye to summer!

  23. I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything… I’m starving and this looks amazing Sommer!

  24. I’ve done a similar thing before (minus the steak) and loaded it with veggies and topped with quac. Ok, now i’m hungry. Time to make some lunch!

  25. Sounds like you got an authentic cooking lesson, and shhh, I won’t tell about the store bought tostadoes! I love learning how to make all different ethnic cuisine – thanks for sharing your friend’s recipe.

  26. I was wondering what you had cookin when you posted the picture of the tomatoes and onion stewing in the dutch oven and I’m so pleasantly surprised! I love Mexican food and I’ve actually never heard of chilaquiles but it looks fabulous and I’m definitely wanting to give it a try! Looks like you cooked the steak to absolute perfection and all the ingredients in this meal look very appealing! Hope you had a great weekend!

  27. this is right up my alley! Bookmarked!

  28. These look great, can’t wait to give them a try!

  29. I fry everything! I do love corn tortillas and this looks great!

  30. I like your way better too. I have tried frying exactly once and that was all I needed to know that I do not like frying. Do not!

  31. I’d be interested in your friend’s authentic recipe.

    • Hey Melissa, she used jalapenos instead of habaneros, no garlic, and water instead of stock for the sauce. Her Corn Tortillas were equal parts masa and water, then pressed and deep fried. She crumbled about 25 tortillas into the baking dish.

  32. Wow, love that tomato broth! Your friend should do a guest post? ;)

  33. She DOES sound like a hoot! This looks amazing…..I can almost taste the spiciness!

  34. Skirt steak is one of our favorites! Love this!

  35. Looks delicious! She may be on to something about wheat….