Chicharrones in Tomatillo Salsa Verde with Poached Eggs {cooking for one}

Everyone needs a quick, go to breakfast recipe that’s simple yet wholly satisfying. Bonus points if it also uses up leftovers and this one does. This breakfast for one poaches a couple of eggs in the leftover salsa verde from last week’s roast pork loin recipe.

About this time last year, I shared my chicharrones in a homemade red salsa recipe and I mentioned then that it can be made in red or green salsa. I’d be hard pressed to decide which I prefer. Yes, they are both basically the same dish but the salsas impart their own unique flavors on the chicharrones.

Now, let’s talk about chicharrones. A chicharrón is fried pork skin or pork belly. Typically, the kind you get at the store in those $2 bags are fried pork skin. If you have a Mexican market in your neighborhood that makes their own in-house, it’s worth it to seek them out and pick up your chicharrones there. They will typically have two kinds: regular huge pieces of fried skin (I’m talking foot-long and more) or chicharrón botanero which is fried pork belly (many of the pieces will also have some meat still on them). This is the kind I like to buy, especially for this dish. They are heartier and become much more “meaty” once they’ve soaked up some of the salsa.

If you haven’t made last week’s recipe, you can just make the salsa portion of the recipe to have on hand. Or check out my post on a smoother, roasted salsa verde. You can, if you have a favorite red salsa sitting in your refrigerator right now, feel free to sub it for the green. Either way you make it, it’s gonna taste great!

Chicharrones in Salsa Verde with Poached Eggs 

Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ small white onion, thinly sliced
¾ cup homemade or store bought tomatillo salsa verde, or to taste
1 cup water, more if needed
1 ½ ounces chicharrón botanero
2 eggs, preferably room temperature

Optional garnishes:
Chopped tomatoes, avocado slices, chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in an 8-inch skillet. When hot, add the onions and sauté until the onions are softened and translucent. Add the salsa and the water and cook for 1-2 minutes to heat through, stirring occasionally. Break the chicharrones into 1-1½-inch pieces, then add to the pan, stirring to make sure they are well covered in sauce. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and allow to simmer on low for 3 minutes, or until the chicharrones have absorbed some of the sauce and softened. Add more water and or salsa if the sauce has thickened or evaporated too much. You don’t want it soupy but you want enough liquid to nestle the eggs in and allow them to poach.

Carefully crack the eggs into a ramekin, make a divot in the center of the pan and gently slide in the eggs. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 10-12 minutes or until done to taste. If you don't like sunny side up looking eggs, you can cover to cook for about 8 minutes until done to taste. To serve, top with your choice of garnishes and enjoy with some warmed tortillas.

Until next time, friends … ¡Buen Provecho!
xo, ani