History

While Mexican enchiladas are typically rolled, the New Mexican stacked style emerged in the early 1900s as a home cooking shortcut: layer rather than roll. The fried egg crown became canonical at heritage New Mexican counters across Albuquerque. Sadie's, El Pinto and Mary and Tito's all serve them this way.

Common allergens: Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 20 minTotal 40 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 6 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups red chile sauce or green chile sauce (or 1 cup each for Christmas)
  • 200g grated cheddar or Monterey Jack
  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon oil or butter
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Heat chile sauce gently in a saucepan. Keep warm.
  2. Heat a dry pan and warm each tortilla 30 seconds per side until pliable. Stack the warmed tortillas under a tea towel.
  3. Build on a heat proof plate: tortilla, dip in chile sauce, top with cheese and onion. Repeat 2 more times.
  4. Run the stack under a hot broiler 2 minutes or microwave to melt the cheese.
  5. Fry the eggs sunny side up in butter. Crown each stack with one egg.
  6. Serve immediately with extra chile and warm flour tortillas alongside.

Tip from the editors. Order Christmas (red AND green chile, half each side) the first time you eat this in Albuquerque. It is the local way to taste both styles in one plate.

Where to eat stacked enchiladas with fried egg

Stacked enchiladas with fried egg in Albuquerque

El Pinto ★ 4.5

New Mexican$$north-valleyMon-Thu 11:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 10:30-21:00

El Pinto on Fourth Street NW in Albuquerque's North Valley is the ten acre mission compound serving New Mexican since 1962, with red and green chile.

Signature: Carne adovada, Stacked enchiladas

Mary and Tito's Cafe ★ 4.7

New Mexican$north-valleyMon-Thu 11:00-15:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-17:00; closed Sun

Mary and Tito's on Fourth Street in Albuquerque is the James Beard America's Classic 2010 winner serving carne adovada turnovers and red chile enchiladas.

Try: Carne adovada turnover

Garcia's Kitchen Fourth Street ★ 4.3

New Mexican$north-valleyMon-Thu 08:00-15:00; Fri-Sat 08:00-20:00; Sun 08:00-15:00

Garcia's Kitchen on Fourth Street in Albuquerque is the family run New Mexican counter since 1975, with six city locations and Christmas plates that never.

Signature: Huevos rancheros, Carne adovada burrito

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