Low Carb Chilaquiles Rojos

Enjoy these low carb chilaquiles for brunch this weekend! A Mexican-inspired recipe with tortilla chips, red enchilada sauce, and fried eggs!

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So what ARE chilaquiles (pronounced chee-luh-key-lays)? Here's what wiki says:

Corn tortillas are cut into quarters and lightly fried (or baked for a lighter version). Green or red sauce is poured over the crisp tortilla triangles. The mixture is simmered until the tortilla starts softening. It is commonly garnished with crema, crumbled queso fresco, raw onion rings and avocado slices. Chilaquiles can be served with refried beans, eggs (scrambled or fried) and guacamole as side dishes. As with many Mexican dishes, regional and family variations are quite common. Usually, chilaquiles are eaten at breakfast or brunch. This makes them a popular recipe to use leftover tortillas and salsas.”

I first saw chilaquiles on a takeout menu for a local restaurant and decided to investigate – especially as I love all Mexican food! I discovered that I could easily low-carbify the dish; combining several ingredients and recipes that I already had available:

• Homemade low carb tortilla chips
• Low carb red sauce (salsa roja) – adapted from Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblanos
• Seasoning for the sauce above is my Mexican Spice Blend
• Queso Fresco – I had some left over from my recent Keto Pão de Queijo and Scrambled Eggs with Queso Fresco recipes

I decided to skip the onion rings and replace with radishes (which I had seen in this recipe), add fried eggs, sliced avocado, and cilantro. Who needs refried beans?!? Oh, and if you'd rather make chilaquiles verde, you could use my low carb green chile sauce!

How to Make Low Carb Chilaquiles Rojos

This is one of those dishes where quite a lot happens right at the end of the preparation, so I'd recommend making the chips and sauce in advance. Both keep well for up to a week! 

Prepare the chips by following my low carb tortilla chips recipe. And yes, it might seen a little counter-intuitive to take soft tortillas, crisp them, and then soften them again – but you won't get the right texture if you don't crisp them first!

To make the sauce, combine canned tomato sauce, paprika, cumin, dried oregano, and onion powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer for five minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.

When the chips and sauce are ready, prepare the toppings: sliced avocado, sliced radishes, and crumbled queso fresco, then set aside. In a small non-stick pan fry two eggs. At the same time, add the chips and sauce to a small cast iron skillet or similar, and place over a low-medium heat. 

When the chips have softened a little (but not soggy!), sprinkle the queso fresco over the top and add the avocado and radishes.

Finally, add the fried eggs, season with black pepper, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

The combination of all the textures and flavors in these keto chilaquiles is SO good!

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Low Carb Chilaquiles Rojos

Yield: 2 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Enjoy these low carb chilaquiles for brunch this weekend! A Mexican-inspired recipe with tortilla chips, red enchilada sauce, and fried eggs!

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Ingredients

• 2 low carb tortillas, made into chips
• 8 oz canned tomato sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• cayenne, to taste
• ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
• ½ avocado, sliced
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs
• fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

Instructions

1. To make the sauce, combine the tomato sauce, paprika, cumin, and oregano in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a low simmer for five minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
2. When the chips and sauce are ready, prepare the avocado, radishes, and queso fresco, then set aside.
3. In a small non-stick pan fry the eggs. At the same time, add the chips and sauce to a small cast iron skillet or similar, and place over a low-medium heat. 
4. When the chips have softened a little (but not soggy!), sprinkle the queso fresco over the top and add the avocado and radishes.
5. Finally, add the fried eggs, season with black pepper, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Notes

The chips and sauce can be made in advance. Both keep well for up to a week! 

7g net carbs per serving (half the recipe) based on using tortillas with 4g net carb count each

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  365 by Whole Foods Market, Queso Fresco 
• 
  Mission Carb Balance Soft Flour Tortillas - 4g net carbs
• 
  Le Creuset Signature Iron Skillet, 11-3/4-Inch, Caribbean

Nutrition Information

Yield 2 Serving Size Half the recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories 293Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 7mgSodium 907mgCarbohydrates 24gNet Carbohydrates 7gFiber 17gSugar 5gProtein 13g