Mexican migas
Quick, zingy Mexican migas — scrambled eggs tossed with crisped corn-tortilla strips, tomato, jalapeño and fresh coriander. Ready in 25 minutes.
Migas is the happiest kind of breakfast: simple eggs, bright veg and little shards of crunchy corn-tortilla for contrast. It’s the kind of thing you make when you want something hearty, quick and properly Mexican without faff.
Ready in under half an hour, this version uses fried corn tortillas for texture, tomato and jalapeño for a fresh kick and a hit of coriander to finish. Perfect for a weekend brunch or a speedy midweek fry-up.
Ingredients
- 6 corn tortillas — stacked and cut into strips
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 15 g butter — optional for extra richness; omit for dairy-free
- 8 eggs
- 1 brown onion — small, finely chopped
- 250 g tomato — ripe, diced
- 1 jalapeño — seeded and finely chopped; use 2 for more heat
- 1 garlic clove — finely chopped
- 5 ml salt — adjust to taste
- 5 ml black pepper
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 100 g grated cheddar — optional, for melting on top
- 1 lime — optional, cut into wedges
- 1 ripe avocado — optional, sliced for serving
Instructions
Stack the corn tortillas and slice into thin strips about 1 cm wide. Place the strips on a plate ready for frying.
Heat a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add all the vegetable oil and, in batches if necessary, fry the tortilla strips until crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.
Pour off most of the frying oil, leaving roughly 1 tbsp (15 ml) in the pan. Lower the heat to medium.
Add the brown onion and jalapeño to the pan and cook until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the garlic clove and tomato and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the tomato has softened. Season with half the salt and a little black pepper.
In a bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining salt and a little black pepper until combined.
Push the veg to one side, add the butter (if using) to the empty space, then pour in the beaten eggs. Let them sit for a few seconds, then gently stir and fold to form soft curds. After about 2–3 minutes, when the eggs are still slightly glossy, stir through the crisp tortilla strips. If using grated cheddar, scatter it over now to melt briefly.
Turn off the heat, stir in most of the fresh coriander, and check seasoning. Serve immediately with lime wedges and sliced avocado, scattering the remaining coriander on top.
Tips
- Use day-old tortillas if you have them — they hold their shape and crisp up more easily than fresh ones.
- Fry tortilla strips in batches and drain on kitchen paper so they stay crisp; add them to the eggs just before serving to avoid sogginess.
- Cook the eggs gently over moderate heat and remove while slightly underdone — carryover cooking will finish them.
- If you want a dairy-free version, omit the butter and cheddar and use a splash more vegetable oil when scrambling.
- Migas reheats poorly because of the crisp tortillas; if you must store leftovers, keep the tortilla chips separate and reheat the eggs gently, then combine.
Substitutions
corn tortillas → flour tortillas, sliced and fried the same way
Noticeably differentbutter → extra vegetable oil, same quantity
Stays closegrated cheddar → crumbled queso fresco or feta (use slightly less if saltier)
Stays closejalapeño → mild green chilli or 1 tsp chilli flakes
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 365
- Calories
- 14 g
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 450 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make migas ahead of time?
Not ideally — the crisp tortillas go soft in storage. Make the tortilla strips and eggs separately if you must, then combine just before serving.
Can I use stale bread instead of tortillas?
Yes — that turns this into a Spanish-style migas. Tear the bread into pieces and fry until crisp, but the flavour and texture will differ.
How can I make this vegan?
Replace eggs with scrambled crumbled firm tofu seasoned with a pinch of kala namak for eggy aroma, omit butter and cheddar.
How spicy is this?
Mild–medium using one jalapeño. Remove seeds for less heat or add an extra jalapeño for more.
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