She Strengthens

Spicy Breakfast Casserole with Avocado and Cotija Cheese

Get ready to start your day with a flavorful twist on a classic Mexican dish. This breakfast casserole combines the richness of eggs, the crunch of tortilla chips, and the creaminess of avocado and crema.

The Perfect Combination

To create this mouthwatering casserole, you’ll need to prepare an ancho chile sauce, which adds a deep, slightly sweet flavor to the dish. Simply toast dried ancho chiles, then blend them with canned tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, garlic, and salt. Simmer the mixture until it thickens, and set it aside.

Building the Casserole

Next, whisk together eggs, milk, hot sauce, chili powder, and salt. Pour the mixture into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine tortilla chips with the reserved chile sauce and gently toss to coat. Transfer the chip mixture to the baking dish, spreading it evenly.

Baking and Topping

Bake the casserole until the eggs are just set, about 30 minutes. While it’s baking, prepare your toppings. Halve and pit avocados, then score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern. Scoop out the avocado pieces and sprinkle them over the casserole. Top with crumbled Cotija cheese and a drizzle of crema or sour cream.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your spicy breakfast casserole with extra hot sauce for added flavor. Look for avocados that give slightly when pressed but aren’t completely soft, and substitute feta cheese if you can’t find Cotija.

Yield and Difficulty

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings and is considered easy, with a total preparation and cooking time of 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes in their juices
• 2 jalapeños, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the casserole:

• 10 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon Mexican-style hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tapatío, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (13- to 14-ounce) bag corn tortilla chips
• 2 medium avocados
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled Cotija cheese (about 7 1/2 ounces)
• 1/2 cup crema or sour cream