Name: Chorizo Chilaquiles
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: MexicanLatin America & Caribbean
Ingredients: 1 pound Mexican-style chorizo sausage , casings removed; 1 (16-ounce) jar medium-hot red salsa; 1 cup water; 8 ounces tortilla chips; 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese , shredded (1 cup); 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion; 1/4 cup very coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems; 1 avocado , sliced thin; 1/3 cup Mexican crema , plus extra for serving

Why This Recipe Works

Chilaquiles are a classic thrifty dish: You take stale corn tortillas, crisp them up, and then soften them in a pan of spiced red sauce. We were after an easy version loaded with flavorful chorizo sausage (the fresh Mexican kind, not the cured Spanish variety). Starting with tortilla chips (instead of corn tortillas) and store-bought salsa made this meal ultraconvenient. Combining everything in a Dutch oven kept stirring easy, so we didn't lose chips over the side. We topped the almost-finished chilaquiles with plenty of melty Monterey Jack cheese, sliced red onion, coarsely chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, and a drizzle of tangy Mexican crema.

Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with Frontera medium-hot red salsa. Mexican crema can be found near the sour cream in many supermarkets. If you can't find it, you can substitute a mixture of ⅓ cup of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and ¼ teaspoon of table salt.

Instructions

Cook chorizo in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until cooked through and starting to brown, about 7 minutes.

Add salsa and water to chorizo and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Using large spoon, gently fold chips into sauce to coat, taking care to minimize breakage. Transfer mixture to shallow platter.

Sprinkle with Monterey Jack, onion, and cilantro; top with avocado; and drizzle with crema. Serve with extra crema.