Chilaquiles

How to make it

1. Put the chicken breasts in a pot with the water, half the white onion for the chicken, the two garlic cloves, and the salt. Bring it slowly to a boil, then reduce the heat until the water is just barely trembling. Let the chicken simmer for 22-24 minutes, until the meat is white all the way to the center and cooked through (internal temperature 75°C). ⏱ 20 min–25 min · passive
2. Lift the chicken onto a cutting board with a slotted spoon and pour the cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Reserve 3 dl of the strained broth for the salsa.
3. Let the chicken cool for 10 minutes, until you can handle it without burning your fingers. ⏱ 10 min · passive
4. Pull the chicken apart into thin shreds with two forks, until no whole pieces remain. Shreds soak up the salsa, whereas cubes stay dry.
5. Put the tomatillos, serrano chiles, half the white onion for the salsa, and the three garlic cloves in a pot and cover with the water. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the tomatillos have changed from bright green to dull olive green and are tender all the way through but still whole. ⏱ 8 min–10 min · passive
6. Transfer the tomatillos, chiles, onion, and garlic to a blender with the whole bunch of cilantro, the salt, and 1 dl of the tomatillo cooking water. Blend for 2 minutes to a smooth, light green salsa with no visible bits of skin.
   Chef's tip Hot contents build steam in the blender and can force the lid off. Fill it no more than two-thirds, hold the lid down with a folded towel, and start on the lowest speed before you turn it up.
7. Heat the lard in a deep, wide skillet over high heat until fully melted and clear. Pour in the salsa all at once; it will sputter vigorously since it's cold and wet. Cook it down for 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until the color has darkened to deep olive green and a trail from the spoon briefly stays open across the pan.
   Chef's tip The fat must be hot enough that the salsa shrieks on contact — that sputter is water flashing off. Poured into lukewarm fat it just stews, stays raw-tasting and sharp, and never darkens or holds a spoon trail.
8. Thin the salsa with the 3 dl of strained chicken broth and let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until it coats the back of a spoon and still flows slowly. Season with salt, but hold back a little — the queso fresco will add salt at the table.
   Chef's tip Aim looser than feels right — pourable, like cream, not clinging. The chips drink it up within a minute of going in, and a salsa that's already thick turns the pan pasty.
9. Cut the corn tortillas into sixths with a large knife and spread the pieces out so they don't steam together.
   Chef's tip Day-old tortillas matter here: fresh ones carry more moisture, so they spit in the oil, soak up more of it and come out limp. If yours are fresh, spread the pieces out for 20-30 minutes to dry first.
10. Heat the sunflower oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes. The oil is ready when a single tortilla piece sizzles vigorously and rises to the surface immediately.
    Chef's tip You want around 175-185°C. Too cool and the pieces sit and absorb oil instead of sealing — heavy, greasy chips; too hot and they colour before the inside dries out. A test piece should surface within a second or two, not sink.
11. Fry the tortilla pieces in four batches of 2-3 minutes each, until they are light golden and snap cleanly when pressed. Lift each batch onto paper towels and immediately sprinkle with the salt while the pieces are still glossy enough for it to stick.
    Chef's tip Keep the batches small. Too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature noticeably, and the sound falls from a vigorous sizzle to a faint whisper. Wait until the vigorous sizzle is back before the next batch goes in.
12. Cut the remaining half white onion for serving into paper-thin rings, roughly chop the handful of fresh cilantro, and crumble the queso fresco. Put the three into separate small bowls along with the crema.
13. Toss the pulled chicken in the reduced salsa and let it heat through for 2 minutes, until every shred is coated and the salsa is bubbling again.
14. Pour the crispy tortilla pieces into the salsa all at once and gently fold with a large spoon for no more than 1 minute, until every piece is coated. Take the pan off the heat immediately, while the pieces still have bite in the middle and have not gone soft.
15. Divide the chilaquiles among four flat plates while they're still steaming. Set the bowls of crema, queso fresco, onion rings, and cilantro on the table so everyone can top their own plate. The dish is eaten right away, since the tortilla pieces soften minute by minute in the salsa.