Traditional chilaquiles feature fried tortillas in a spicy ranchero sauce. We like ours extra crunchy and topped with scrambled eggs, two kinds of cheese, sour cream, fresh radish and cilantro.

Most often thought of as a breakfast dish, we like to think chilaquiles (chee-ya-key-yays) can be served any time of day and customized with whatever toppings your tastebuds like best. You can use jarred enchilada sauce if you like, but our homemade version is easy and flavor-packed.

But are they chilaquiles, or are they nachos?

Traditional chilaquiles are a Mexican breakfast dish born out of necessity: to use up leftover tortillas from the night before. Normally the tortillas are fried until crisp and then cooked in a spicy sauce until no longer crisp. I personally dislike soggy tortilla chips, which is why our version has noticeably less sauce than most so the chips retain their crunch.

If you’re a stickler for tradition and refuse to call these true chilaquiles, then breakfast nachos it is! Noted and acknowledged; but whatever you call them, they’re delicious any time of day.

We topped our breakfast nachos with scrambled egg (which seemed easier to eat than fried, but you could use either) as well as sour cream, cilantro, and, our secret flavor weapon: pickled jalapeños. I could put these things on just about anything and it’d improve the overall flavor.

For more meaty flavor you could even add something like ground chorizo or shredded smoked chicken, or refried black beans for a vegetarian protein addition.

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