Habanero Chilaquiles with Marinated Skirt Steak
A zesty chilaquiles recipe with underlying smoky heat from habanero peppers, served with juicy marinated skirt steak. This easy gluten free dinner is a sure knock-out!
I spent a day cooking with a latina friend of mine.
She’s 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 also informed me that Americans are fat because we always choose wheat tortillas and Mexicans are thin because they always choose corn tortillas.
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.
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 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. Mexican comfort food at it’s best.
But I’ve got to tell you, although I appreciate her thorough instruction, I won’t continue making chilaquiles the “proper” way.
I HATE to fry. 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 effect 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.
1. Instead of making and frying tortillas, I bought good tostadas and broke them up. (Don’t use tortilla chips, they’re too thin.)
2. Then I added a habanero pepper, garlic, and stock to the tomato puree to give it a deeper flavor. Habaneros have a sweet smoky heat that hits the back of your throat the builds over time. A little goes a long way.
3. Finally, I added marinated skirt steak. Skirt steak is a classic beef cut in Mexican cooking, that stands up to spicy dry rubs and marinades. The key in grilling marinated skirt steak is to NOT overcook it. Then slice it thin, against the grain.
This chilaquiles recipe with marinated skirt steak is bold and comforting, and it’s gluten free!
To find more delicious gluten free recipes make sure to visit Udi’s Gluten Free Communtiy. They offer great support and helpful tips to those on a gluten free diet.
I love this chilaquiles recipe and the addition of the marinated skirt steak. Chilaquiles can also be served with hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, shredded chicken or pork, the sky is the limit.
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Chilaquiles Recipe with Marinated Skirt Steak
Ingredients:
For the Chilaquiles:
14 oz. package 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:
1 1/2 lbs. skirt steak
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tb. ancho chile powder
1 Tb. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. onion powder
3 Tb. red wine vinegar
2 Tb. oil
Possible Garnishes:
Chopped red onion
Green onions
Cilantro
Sliced avocado
Crumbled Queso Fresco
Sour cream
Sliced hard boiled eggs
Directions:
For the marinated skirt steak: Mix all the spices, oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Then rub over the entire skirt steak and 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: Break the tostadas into pieces and place them in a 9X13 inch baking dish.
Set a large sauce pan over high heat and add the stock, onions, garlic, tomatoes, habanero and 1 tsp. 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 - 1 tsp. 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.
Other Latin Favorites:
Pollo Rojo (Red Pepper Chicken)
Grilled Steak Fajitas ~ Skinny Taste
Roasted Corn and Ricotta Enchiladas ~ Naturally Ella
Classic Tostadas ~ Simply Recipes













Looks delicious! She may be on to something about wheat….
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Skirt steak is one of our favorites! Love this!
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She DOES sound like a hoot! This looks amazing…..I can almost taste the spiciness!
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Wow, love that tomato broth! Your friend should do a guest post?
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I’d be interested in your friend’s authentic recipe.
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Sommer — September 10th, 2012 @ 7:43 am
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.
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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!
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I fry everything! I do love corn tortillas and this looks great!
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This looks incredible, Sommer!
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Sommer that looks incredible!
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These look great, can’t wait to give them a try!
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this is right up my alley! Bookmarked!
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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!
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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.
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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!
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I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything… I’m starving and this looks amazing Sommer!
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The flavors are outstanding in this one Sommer. Perfect to say goodbye to summer!
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Okay, I’m starving and this is NOT helping. All of my favorite flavors!
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I love ancho chiles – they’re sweet and smoky. The steak looks WICKED good.
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seriously, everything i see on your blog i want to eat immediately. EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!
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The food always looks so delicious! I love this post and the photos!
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Yum! I love skirt and flank steak. So much flavor and its to marination so well! Yum!
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I’m always looking for grilling recipes. This skirt steak looks wonderful! Thank you
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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.
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We don’t eat steak, but how delicious does this recipe looks!!!
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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.
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I think I like the easier version too as I don’t fry anything. Looks delish!
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looks great! why isn’t it time for me to make dinner yet?!?
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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.
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I love Latin food almost as much as Italian, can’t wait to try this recipe!
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Wow, this looks to die for!!
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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!!
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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!
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I love Mexican food & now that I’m eating steak again [after 10 years], THIS sounds delicious!!
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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.
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What a great recipe!!!! I would love a huge serving of this right now! Thanks for sharing!
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