Chilaquiles with Eggs and Black Beans
Crispy baked tortilla chips smothered in chipotle-tomatillo salsa, loaded with scrambled eggs and black beans for a high-protein breakfast that hits hard.
This is the ultimate post-workout breakfast. I discovered chilaquiles after a rough morning at the gym when the only place open was a little taqueria near my apartment. One plate of these and I was sold, except the restaurant version was mostly chips and salsa with a single fried egg on top. Great flavor, maybe 12g of protein. Not gonna cut it.
So I rebuilt it at home. Eight eggs scrambled into the mix, a full can of black beans stirred through, and enough queso fresco crumbled on top to make it feel indulgent. The chipotle peppers in adobo give it this deep, smoky heat that wakes you up better than coffee. And the thing about that heat is that capsaicin from the chipotles actually increases satiety, which means you stay full longer after a big breakfast. Pretty handy when you're trying to stay in a caloric window and not reach for snacks by 10am.
The trick is baking your own tortilla chips instead of frying them. Cut corn tortillas into wedges, toss with a little oil, bake until crispy. They hold up better in the salsa without turning to mush, and you skip a ton of unnecessary fat. This whole plate comes together in under 30 minutes, and at 28g protein per serving, it's a legit meal.
The Protein Upgrade
A typical restaurant chilaquiles plate relies on a single egg and a handful of chips, delivering about 10-14g protein. We scramble 8 eggs directly into the dish, add a full can of black beans, and finish with generous crumbles of queso fresco, pushing each serving to 28g protein without changing the soul of the dish.
Chilaquiles with Eggs and Black Beans
Ingredients
- 10 small corn tortillas (cut into wedges) 3g protein
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for baking tortillas)
- 8 large eggs (beaten) 12g protein
- 1 can (15oz) black beans (drained and rinsed) 5g protein
- 2 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo (minced)
- 1 medium jalapeño (seeded and diced)
- 1 ½ cups tomatillo salsa
- 4 oz queso fresco (crumbled) 6g protein
- ¼ cup Mexican crema (or Greek yogurt)
- 1 medium avocado (sliced)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 2 whole limes (cut into wedges)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter (for scrambling eggs)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the corn tortillas into wedges, toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt, and spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and crispy, flipping halfway through.
- While the chips bake, heat the tomatillo salsa in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the minced chipotle peppers and diced jalapeño. Let simmer for 5 minutes until the flavors meld.
- In a separate non-stick pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble gently, cooking until just set with large, soft curds. Season with salt. Remove from heat.
- Add the drained black beans to the salsa and stir to warm through, about 2 minutes.
- Add the baked tortilla chips to the salsa-bean mixture and toss gently to coat. You want the chips to absorb some salsa while still keeping a bit of crunch.
- Top the chips with the scrambled eggs, distributing evenly across the skillet.
- Crumble the queso fresco over everything, drizzle with Mexican crema, and add sliced avocado on top.
- Finish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately from the skillet.
Boost Your Protein
- Add an extra egg or two per serving to push protein above 30g without changing the flavor profile.
- Swap Mexican crema for full-fat Greek yogurt to add another 3g protein per serving.
- Stir in a second can of black beans if you want to push the plant-based protein even higher.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No queso fresco? Use crumbled feta cheese.
- No Mexican crema? Use sour cream thinned with a little lime juice.
- No tomatillo salsa? Use a blend of crushed tomatoes with diced green chiles.
- Swap corn tortillas for baked tortilla chips to skip the frying step.
