16ouncesthick tortilla chips or 24 corn tortillas cut into 8 triangles
1poundroma tomatoeshalved lengthwise
½yellow onioncut into 8 pieces
3unpeeled cloves of garlic
1tablespooncanola oil
2Ancho chilesstems and seeds removed
3Guajillo chilesstems and seeds removed
2tablespoontomato paste
2cupschicken broth
2cupswater
1teaspoonsalt
2teaspoonscumin
2tbspfresh oregano
Juice of ½ lime
Large handful cilantrostems separated from leaves
Eggs, cotija cheese, avocado, crema, lime wedges, and chopped onion for garnish
Instructions
Position rack in middle of oven and preheat broiler.
On a large sheet pan, toss tomatoes, onion and garlic in canola oil with a pinch of salt and pepper, place tomato halves cut side up, broil for 10 to 15 minutes or until blistered and charred. Set aside.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, and dry toast the chiles until they are fragrant and starting to turn dark, 1-2 minutes, remove from heat. Add tomato paste, saute 1 minute. Add broth, water, and toasted chilis, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until chiles are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove chiles, reserve cooking liquid.
Add roasted tomatoes, onions, chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, cilantro stems, lime juice and 1 cup reserved cooking liquid to a blender. Cover the blender with a clean towel, carefully blend until smooth, and strain back into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, and toss in the chips. Cook for 2-3 minutes tossing and allowing the chips to soak up some of the sauce.
Portion chips onto plates, serve topped with fried egg, avocado, cotija, cilantro, crema and chopped onion.
If you are frying your own tortilla chips, before you begin: Fill the cast iron pan with 2 inches of canola oil, bring to 350℉, and fry chips in batches until crispy, 2-3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain, and sprinkle with salt. Drain oil from pan once cooled, and proceed with recipe.
Notes
Pasilla, or cascabel chiles can be used as a substitute for the guajillo or anchos. Just make sure you understand the heat levels of the chiles you are using and scale accordingly.
This recipe is best enjoyed immediately. Stored, the chips would get very soggy and mushy. You can however make the sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just heat to a simmer in the pan and add the chips.