Today’s Google Doodle Celebrates The Best Breakfast Food, Chilaquiles

Today’s Google Doodle is a foodie’s delight. The Doodle is a celebration of one of my very favorite breakfast meals, the wonderful chilaquiles, which ironically I made for myself not once, but twice this week.

According to Google, Oakland-based guest artist Chava Oropesa created the Doodle.

The chilaquile is a simple dish, though you can spruce it up as much as you like. At its most basic, you just need some fried tortilla strips or chips, some enchilada sauce, some cheese and a fried egg or two. Cover the chips in enchilada sauce and cheese, heat it up, top with eggs, devour. Easy, quick and delicious!

As with all Mexican dishes, the type of chilaquiles you’ll find in Mexico varies by region.

You can add avocado, guacamole, salsa, cotija cheese, melted queso, jalapenos, or really whatever your heart (or stomach) desires, including slow-cooked pork or chicken. You could even think way outside the box and make a green chile gravy and do a hybrid biscuits and gravy chilaquiles, though maybe with corn muffins instead.

My point is, this is a great opportunity to set the universe right if you haven’t had chilaquiles before. You can pick red or green enchilada sauce. I think it’s perfectly fine out of a can, but if you wanted to get real fancy-like, you could make it from scratch. Just don’t overcook the eggs! You want the yolk nice and runny. Another good idea is to make your own tortillas and use some for tacos for dinner, then use whatever’s left and fry them up for breakfast the next day.

Chilaquiles can be traced back to ancient Aztec times, but were only introduced to American eaters by Encarnación Pinedo, “The Spanish Cook” in 1898. I’ve had them in Mexico and and US restaurants, though mostly I just make them at home.

I will say, a good batch of hash browns with runny eggs is also in the running for best breakfast food. And it’s hard to beat homemade biscuits and gravy. But I think if I had to pick just one breakfast for life, it would be chilaquiles. Though I do also love breakfast tacos.

Or maybe huckleberry pancakes. Hard to beat huckleberry pancakes.