Get ready for a truly phenomenal brunch dish with these Smoky Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles! This recipe takes classic chilaquiles – freshly fried tortillas simmered in sauce – and gives them an incredible fall-inspired twist. Crispy tortilla chips are blanketed in a smoky, slightly sweet pumpkin-tomato sauce infused with chipotles in adobo, layered with gooey pepper jack and cheddar cheese, and then broiled until bubbly. While pumpkin and chipotle scream autumn, and here we are enjoying a lovely spring evening on May 2nd, this unique Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles recipe is too delicious not to share! It’s perfect for bookmarking for fall, or for adventurous cooks looking to try amazing flavor combinations any time of year (see notes for substitutions!). Topped with fried eggs and all the best fixings, it’s pure comfort food bliss.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles
- Unique Flavor Profile: Smoky chipotle, earthy pumpkin, savory spices, and tangy tomatoes create an unforgettable sauce.
- Ultimate Comfort Food: Cheesy, saucy, crispy tortillas topped with eggs – what’s not to love?
- Perfect Brunch Dish: A fantastic centerpiece for a special brunch gathering.
- Customizable Toppings: Load them up with your favorite chilaquiles toppings like avocado, cotija, cilantro, and more!
- Surprisingly Doable: While there are a few steps, none are overly complicated.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles
Here’s what you’ll need to create this amazing brunch dish. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Fried Tortillas
- Tortillas, cut into wedges (corn, flour, or a mixture) (Wraps)
- Avocado oil (or other high-heat oil) (Oil)
- Salt (Seasoning)
Pumpkin Chipotle Sauce
- Garlic, minced (Aromatic)
- Pomi chopped tomatoes (or other chopped/crushed tomatoes) (Canned Vegetable) (Specific brand mentioned)
- Sauce from canned chipotles in adobo (Smoked Chili Sauce) (See Notes/Variations)
- Canned pumpkin purée (Vegetable) (100% pure pumpkin, not pie filling – See Notes/Variations)
- Chili powder (Spice Blend)
- Cumin (Spice)
- Nutmeg (pinch) (Spice)
- Allspice (pinch) (Spice)
- Salt (Seasoning)
- Pepper (Spice)
Assembly & Toppings
- Pepperjack cheese, freshly grated (Dairy)
- Cheddar cheese, freshly grated (Dairy)
- Fried eggs (Protein)
- Sliced avocado (Fruit)
- Diced red onion (Vegetable)
- Halved cherry tomatoes (Vegetable)
- Chopped cilantro (Herb)
- Crumbled cotija cheese (Dairy) (Or substitute feta)
- Sliced jalapeños (Vegetable)
- Lime wedges (Fruit)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
Given that some key ingredients might be seasonal or less common everywhere, here are some variations for these Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles:
- Pumpkin Substitute: If canned pumpkin puree isn’t available, use an equal amount of pureed roasted butternut squash or sweet potato for a similar earthy sweetness.
- Chipotle Substitute: Chipotles in adobo provide smoky heat. If unavailable, substitute with 1-2 teaspoons of smoked paprika plus a pinch (or more) of cayenne pepper or a different smoky chili paste like harissa (adjust amount to taste).
- Cheese Swap: Use Monterey Jack, Colby, or just more cheddar if you can’t find pepper jack. Feta can be substituted for Cotija.
- Different Meat: Add cooked chorizo, shredded chicken, or pulled pork layered with the tortillas and sauce.
- Vegetarian: Omit meat variations and ensure broth used (if subbing for tomato sauce base) is vegetable broth.
- Store-Bought Chips: Use sturdy store-bought tortilla chips instead of frying your own to save time (though freshly fried are amazing!).
How to Make Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles
Making these fantastic Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles involves a few delicious steps:
Fry the Tortillas
- First, I heat the avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet or another oven-safe skillet over medium/high heat.
- Working in batches so I don’t overcrowd the pan, I fry the tortilla wedges for 2-3 minutes per side, until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, I transfer the fried tortilla chips to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. I immediately sprinkle the hot chips with salt!
- I may need to add more oil between batches and potentially reduce the heat to medium if the pan seems to be getting too hot.
Make the Pumpkin Chipotle Sauce
- In a separate medium saucepan, I heat a teaspoon of oil (or use residual oil if cooking garlic in the main skillet after the chips) over medium-high heat.
- I add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Then, I add the chopped tomatoes, the adobo sauce from the chipotle can, the canned pumpkin puree, chili powder, cumin, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper.
- I stir everything together well.
- I reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the flavors to meld.
Assemble and Broil
- I preheat my oven’s broiler to high.
- In the large cast iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet/baking dish – wipe out excess oil if needed), I place several spoonfuls of the pumpkin chipotle sauce to coat the bottom.
- I add a layer of the freshly fried tortilla chips over the sauce.
- I sprinkle a layer of the cheese mixture (pepper jack and cheddar) over the chips.
- I add another layer of sauce over the cheese.
- I repeat the layers – tortillas, cheese, sauce – until I’ve used up all the ingredients, making sure to end with a good layer of sauce and plenty of cheese covering the top.
- I carefully place the skillet under the preheated broiler for about 5 minutes, watching it very closely, until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and golden brown in spots.
Top and Serve
- I let the Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles sit for a few minutes after removing from the broiler (it will be extremely hot!).
- Then, I top it generously with the fried eggs and arrange the sliced avocado, diced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and sliced jalapeños over the top.
- I serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Chilaquiles
Here are my secrets for making phenomenal Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles:
- Freshly Fried Chips: While store-bought works, frying your own tortilla wedges results in the best texture – crispy edges that soften slightly in the sauce without becoming completely mushy. Salt them while hot!
- Don’t Drown the Chips: Layer the sauce and chips rather than soaking the chips completely before broiling, unless you prefer very soft chilaquiles.
- Watch the Broiler!: Broilers work incredibly fast! Stay right by the oven and watch constantly to prevent the cheese from burning.
- Fresh Toppings are Key: The cool, fresh toppings (avocado, onion, cilantro, lime, cotija) provide essential contrast to the warm, rich, cheesy base. Don’t skip them!
- Use Pure Pumpkin Puree: Ensure it’s 100% pure pumpkin, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
How to Serve
This Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles dish is a hearty brunch or main course! Serve it hot, straight from the skillet, loaded with toppings. It’s perfect for:
- Weekend Brunch: An impressive and satisfying centerpiece.
- Breakfast-for-Dinner: A fun and flavorful switch-up.
- Feeding a Crowd: Easily scalable if needed (using a larger baking dish).
- Using Leftovers: A creative way to use leftover tortilla chips or even leftover roasted pumpkin puree (if substituting).
Make Ahead and Storage
Chilaquiles are best enjoyed immediately after assembly and broiling for the optimal contrast of textures.
- Make Ahead: You can fry the tortilla chips and make the pumpkin chipotle sauce up to 2 days ahead. Store chips in an airtight container at room temperature and sauce covered in the refrigerator. Reheat sauce gently before assembling. Prep toppings (chop onion, cilantro, etc.) ahead too.
- Assembly: Assemble and broil just before serving.
- Storage: Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, but the chips will become quite soft upon reheating. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
FAQs about Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles
- What kind of tortillas are best for frying?
- Corn tortillas are traditional and provide great flavor and texture when fried. Thin corn tortillas work well. You can also use flour tortillas or a mix, as suggested.
- Can I make this less spicy?
- Yes! Use less adobo sauce from the chipotles (start with 1 tsp), ensure your chili powder is mild, and omit the optional jalapeño topping.
- What can I substitute for canned pumpkin puree?
- Use an equal amount of smooth, pureed roasted butternut squash or roasted sweet potato for a similar earthy sweetness.
Enjoy this unique, smoky, spicy, cheesy, and utterly delicious Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles! It’s a fantastic brunch adventure.
Print
Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican, American Fusion
Description
These Pumpkin Chipotle Chilaquiles are a fantastic brunch to serve this fall! Freshly fried tortillas are blanketed in a smoky pumpkin tomato sauce with chipotle, layered with pepperjack and cheddar cheese, and finished with delicious toppings like fried eggs and avocado.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Fried Tortilla Chips:
- 8 tortillas (corn, flour, or a mixture), cut into wedges (6–8 wedges per tortilla)
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other high-heat oil), plus more if needed
- Salt (for sprinkling on chips)
For the Pumpkin Chipotle Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, can use residual oil from frying tortillas if desired)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (27-ounce) box or can chopped tomatoes (like Pomi)
- 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly:
- 6 ounces pepper jack cheese, freshly grated
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Optional Toppings:
- 4–6 fried eggs
- Sliced avocado
- Diced red onion
- Halved cherry tomatoes
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Sliced fresh or pickled jalapeños
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Fry Tortilla Chips:
- Cut tortillas into wedges. Heat the avocado oil in a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Carefully add tortilla wedges in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side, until crispy and golden brown.
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the fried tortilla chips and drain them on paper towels. Immediately sprinkle the hot chips generously with salt. Repeat with remaining tortilla wedges, adding more oil if needed. Set chips aside.
- Make Pumpkin Chipotle Sauce:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil (or use residual oil if available and clean) in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, adobo sauce, pumpkin purée, chili powder, cumin, nutmeg, allspice, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer gently for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Prepare Toppings (While Sauce Simmers): Prepare your desired toppings: fry eggs, slice avocado, dice onion, halve tomatoes, chop cilantro, crumble cotija, slice jalapeños.
- Assemble Chilaquiles:
- Preheat the oven broiler to high. Use a large oven-safe skillet (the cast iron used for chips works well, or transfer chips to another oven-safe dish).
- Spread several spoonfuls of the pumpkin chipotle sauce in the bottom of the skillet/dish.
- Add a layer of the fried tortilla chips.
- Sprinkle about half of the grated pepper jack and cheddar cheeses over the chips.
- Add another layer of sauce over the cheese.
- Repeat with another layer of chips, the remaining cheese, and the remaining sauce, ending with cheese and sauce on top.
- Broil: Place the skillet/dish under the preheated broiler for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown. Watch very carefully to prevent burning.
- Serve: Let the chilaquiles sit for a few minutes after removing from the broiler. Top generously with fried eggs and other desired toppings like sliced avocado, diced red onion, cherry tomatoes, chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, sliced jalapeños, and serve with lime wedges on the side. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas provide a more traditional flavor and texture, but flour tortillas also work. Store-bought tortilla chips can be used as a shortcut, but freshly fried are recommended.
- Chipotle Adobo Sauce: This adds smoky heat. Use just the sauce from the can, not the peppers themselves unless you want it very spicy. Adjust amount to taste.
- Pumpkin Puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Cheese: Freshly grating the cheese ensures better melting. Feel free to use other melty cheeses like Monterey Jack.
- Broiling: Keep a very close eye on the chilaquiles under the broiler as they can burn quickly.
- Storage: Chilaquiles are best enjoyed immediately as the chips will soften over time.