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Migas translates to English as ‘crumbs’ and has its origins as a Spanish “peasant dish.” Spanish and Portuguese migas typically use leftover bread and other ingredients that will vary across the different provinces. Mexican migas are made from leftover corn tortillas that are fried until crispy with eggs added to create a delicious scramble.
Living in Texas for decades, and having eaten our fair share of migas at our favorite restaurants, our migas are definitely Tex-Mex. In addition to eggs, other ingredients are added such as onions, peppers, tomatoes, Mexican-style chorizo, and/or cheese.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
In addition to leftover chips, eggs, chorizo, and cheese, this recipe for Tex-Mex migas can easily be modified to use whatever other ingredients you have on hand.
The full ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Tortilla Chips. Don’t throw out the leftover crumbs at the bottom of your bag of tortilla chips. They are perfect for this recipe and even better if they are stale.
- Cheese. Any cheese will do for this recipe including cheddar and Monterey Jack, or opt for a traditional Mexican cheese like queso asadero or queso de Oaxaca.
- Chorizo. We like locally-made Mexican-style chorizo in our migas but bacon or breakfast sausage can be substituted.
- Other Additions. There are so many ingredients that can be added to customize this recipe. Here are a just a few:
- Jalapenos
- Onions / Scallions
- Cilantro
- Tomatoes
- Spinach
- Mushrooms
- Avocado
How to Make Tex-Mex Migas
Here are the quick step-by-step instructions with visuals; you will find the full instructions with the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.
Pro-tip: Mexican-style chorizo is an uncooked sausage, usually made from pork and seasoned with paprika and chiles. It is typically stuffed in a casing that will need to be removed prior to cooking.
1. Cook the Onions, Peppers, and Chorizo: In an 8 to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat cook the chorizo, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon until brown, for approximately 6-8 minutes. Add onions and peppers and cook for 2 minutes or until they begin to soften.
2. Add the Chips: Add tortilla chips and combine them with the chorizo, onion, and peppers. Stir often, coating the tortilla pieces with the fat in the pan, until the chips begin to brown and lightly crisp (approximately 4 minutes).
3. Cook the Eggs: While tortilla chips are cooking, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper. Once tortillas chips have browned, add the whisked eggs and stir occasionally until the eggs are set (approximately 4-6 minutes).
4. Add the Cheese: Fold in the cheese stirring just enough to combine. Remove from heat as the cheese begins to melt.
7. Serve: Migas are best served hot. Top with your favorite salsa, pico de gallo, avocado or guacamole, and/or an additional sprinkle of cheese.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Don’t overcook your eggs. You want your eggs just set but not running or brown so cook them low and slow to get fluffy eggs.
- We love cast iron but sometimes a non-stick skillet is better. To avoid even the slightest possibility of the eggs sticking to the pan we recommend using your favorite non-stick skillet.
- Get creative. If you don’t like onions or jalapenos, then leave them out or exchange them for a different ingredient. Try experimenting with different cheeses or some cream and use your favorite salsa instead of pico de gallo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Migas is more of an egg and tortilla scramble. Chilaquiles traditionally do not contain eggs. Tortillas are cut into triangles, fried, then cooked in red or green salsa, and served topped with cheese.
Yes, there are lots of varieties of soy chorizo that actually taste quite authentic, or skip the protein altogether. If you skip the protein, then crisp up the tortilla chips in a tablespoon or two of olive oil before adding the eggs, which will help prevent them from sticking.
The best way to reheat leftover migas is in a frying pan on medium heat for approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Note: the tortillas will become soft so leftover migas will not have the same crunch and the eggs will be drier than when they were cooked fresh.
Leftover migas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. We recommend cooking just what you need since the leftover tortillas will become soft and the eggs will dry out.
Let’s Connect! If you make our Tex-Mex Migas or any other recipe on Casual Epicure, please don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It helps others who are considering making our recipes and we love hearing about your cooking experiences. And if you snapped some shots, share them on Instagram and be sure to tag @casual.epicure so we can feature them in our stories.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this recipe, we recommend checking out some of these:
- Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole
- Puff Pastry Breakfast Tart with Bacon and Eggs
- Breakfast Quesadillas with Bacon and Spinach
Tex-Mex Migas
Ingredients
- 4 ounces chorizo
- ¼ cup onions, chopped
- ¼ cup jalapenos, chopped with seeds removed
- 2.5 ounces tortilla chips, broken up
- 4 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup cheese
- salsa, optional
- cilantro, optional
- avocado, optional
Instructions
- In an 8 to 10-inch frying pan over medium heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon until brown, approximately 6-8 minutes.
- Add onions and peppers and cook for 2 minutes or until they begin to soften.
- Add tortilla chips and combine with the chorizo, onion, and peppers. Stir often, until the chips begin to brown and lightly crisp (approximately 4 minutes.)
- Whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Once tortillas chips have browned, add the whisked eggs and stir occasionally until the eggs are set (approximately 4-6 minutes.)
- Fold in the cheese stirring just enough to combine. Remove from heat as the cheese begins to melt.
- Serve topped with salsa, pico de gallo, avocado, and/or an additional sprinkle of cheese.