Turn your leftovers into a swoon-worthy morning meal with my recipe for Migas Breakfast Tacos! This tasty and filling cheesy, crispy egg scramble uses up whatever veggies you have on hand and can easily be tucked into flour tortillas for a hand-held meal. Migas are cheap to make and certain to keep you powered up until lunch!   

Migas Breakfast drizzled with salsa verde served on a gray plate with two folded flour tortillas on the side on a colorful textile.

I grew up eating breakfast burritos in El Paso, Texas but never heard of breakfast tacos until a visit to Austin. The city has a love affair with tacos of every type, and I just couldn’t help but bring home the enthusiasm with me! The comforting ingredients for this dish are likely already in your fridge, meaning a tasty, hearty breakfast is never far from reach.

What are Migas?

Migas is Spanish slang for leftovers, which makes perfect sense in this simple, fridge-raid breakfast recipe. Stale, leftover corn tortillas are fried until crispy, then scrambled together with eggs and whatever leftovers are lurking in your crisper drawer.

As a proud Mexican-American Mom, I always have onions, tomatoes, roasted chilis, and some kind of melty cheese on hand, so my Tex-Mex migas recipe reflects that. The whole idea of migas is to use up whatever you have on hand, so feel free to take some liberties with the recipe listed below.

I prefer to make my own corn chips by cutting up corn tortillas and lightly frying them in oil, but you can always opt to use store-bought tortilla chips instead. Just note that the texture of homemade chips is far superior (and not that difficult!). If you have an open bag of corn tortillas that needs using, do yourself a favor and try making your own!

These breakfast tacos are also vegetarian as written, but you can feel free to jazz them up however you please. You can certainly add breakfast sausage, chorizo, beans, or bacon for a heartier take on migas.

While this homemade breakfast recipe yields a hot and satisfying meal, the recipe itself is super easy to follow. In fact, these migas tacos can be on the table in under 10 minutes. So make your family (and fridge) very happy this week and make my breakfast migas tacos!

Ingredients & Substitutions 

The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

ingredients to make breakfast Migas. Platters of diced tomatoes, onion, green Chile, cheese, and fried tortilla chips, and brown eggs.
  • Corn Tortillas & Canola Oil – Making your own tortilla chips is a snap, and it’s a great way to use up store-bought stale corn tortillas that would otherwise be destined for the trash. Feel free to swap in sturdy store-bought tortilla chips from a Mexican grocery store sold in a clear bag with no brand name. Those are most likely perfect for making chilaquiles. 
  • Olive Oil – This is my go-to for sautéing. Feel free to use more canola oil or the neutral oil of your choice if you prefer.
  • Onion – I like to use white onions because they hold their shape better during cooking, which gives the ranchero salsa a nice bite. That said, feel free to swap with yellow or red instead.
  • Tomatoes – Opt for a meaty variety like Romas, or use a can of drained fire-roasted tomatoes for a shortcut.
  • Roasted Green Chiles – I love using roasted Hatch or Pueblo chiles depending what I have in the freezer, but you’re welcome to swap in the roasted green chiles of your choice. You can easily swap in poblanos, jalapeños, or even canned roasted chiles. Check out my Introduction to Mexican Chiles to help you decide which chile will work best for your family.
  • Eggs – Very similar to making chilaquiles, but instead the eggs will be scrambled in with all the ingredients.
  • Oaxaca Cheese – This mild, melty cheese is a staple in our fridge. If you can’t find it, queso quesadilla, low-moisture mozzarella, or Jack cheese may be used instead.

How To Make Migas

Step 1: Fry tortillas chips. In a small cast iron skillet, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; fry tortilla pieces in hot oil for 30 to 60 seconds or until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.

Step 2: Sauté onion. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat olive oil; add onion, and cook about 2 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Add tortilla strips and cook salsa. Add the tomato, chile, and tortilla chips; cook for another 2 minutes.

skillet with fried tortilla strips, onion, tomato and Chile.

Step 4: Add eggs and cheese. Mix in eggs, salt, and pepper; scramble, and when everything is perfectly combined, add cheese and let it melt.

scrambled eggs combined with fried tortilla strips, tomato being combined with a wooden spoon.

Step 5: Serve. Serve breakfast migas with warm flour tortillas, avocado slices, and salsa verde or salsa of your choice.

closeup of a deconstructed plate of breakfast migas tacos.

Optional Variations

The beauty of migas is that they are a perfect canvas for whatever leftovers you might have hanging around in the fridge. While I opted for a classic Mexican combination of onions, tomatoes, and chiles as my base, you can give yourself the latitude to use whatever you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Shortcuts: Instead of using roasted chiles, try canned roasted diced chile for a shortcut. Swap fresh tomatoes and onions for the last few tablespoons of salsa in the jar or salsa casera. You can also use (drained) canned diced tomatoes instead.
  • Spice level: For extra spice, dice fresh jalapeños or serranos. Or if you prefer more mild flavors, try roasted poblanos instead.
  • Beans: Add plant-based protein with the addition of pinto beans, refried beans, or black beans.
  • Breakfast burrito: Migas also makes a delicious filling in burritos.

Serving & Topping Suggestions 

  • Cheese: Use any type of melty cheese you have on hand, or feel free to omit.
  • Toppings: Fresh salsa, hot sauce, chopped cilantro, crema Mexicana, sliced green onions, pickled red onions, or escabeche would all be welcome additions.

Storage & Heating Instructions 

  • Refrigerate: Once assembled, migas are best eaten fresh. If you leave the fried tortillas in the sauce for too long, they tend to get soggy. That said, feel free to store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  • Reheat: Place migas on a plate and reheat in the microwave, lightly covered for 2 to 3 minutes.
breakfast tablscape with a vase filled with flowers and Migas and flour tortillas on a plate with salsa verde on the side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between migas and chilaquiles?

While both feature crispy fried tortilla chips, the primary difference between these two dishes is in the preparation. Migas is prepared as an egg scramble, whereas chilaquiles are drenched in a salsa-style sauce and topped with an egg.

Can I make this a vegan dish?

Absolutely! Simply swap eggs for silken tofu, then use your favorite plant-based melty cheese alternative.

Can migas tacos be made gluten-free?

So long as you find a good gluten-free tortilla, you should be good to go! Alternately, feel free to eat the migas as a breakfast scramble instead of a breakfast taco.

Can migas tacos be made ahead of time?

If you have leftover migas, no worries! The scramble should last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat and wrap in a tortilla.

More Delicious Breakfast Recipes

If you tried this delicious recipe for my Breakfast Migas Tacos, please be sure to rate and review it below! For more tasty recipe ideas, be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter. 

breakfast Migas on a plate topped with salsa verde and served with flour tortillas and slices of avocado.

Migas Breakfast Tacos

4.72 (7 ratings)
Hold breakfast in your hand, Austin style! Its food for the soul folded in half and stuffed with eggs, fresh ingredients, and crunchy tortilla chips. Try this easy recipe for a taste of a Tex-Mex breakfast.
Print Pin Rate
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4  cup vegetable oil for frying
  • 3  corn tortillas, cut into pieces
  • 1  tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2  white onion, chopped
  • 1  cup chopped tomato
  • 6  eggs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 Anaheim or Hatch chile peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped
  • 1/2  cup Oaxaca or pepper jack cheese , shredded
  • 8  flour tortillas, warmed
  • 1  avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced, if desired

Instructions 

  • In a heavy skillet, heat vegetable oil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; fry tortilla pieces in hot oil 30 to 60 seconds or until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels.
  • In a 10-inch skillet, heat olive oil; add onion, and cook about 2 minutes or until translucent, stirring occasionally.
  • Add tomato, chile ,and tortilla chips; cook 2 minutes.
  • Mix in eggs, salt, and pepper; scramble, and when everything is perfectly combined, add cheese and let it melt.
  • Serve the migas with warm flour tortillas and avocado slices.

Notes

  • Do not use bagged tortilla chips, instead cut up corn tortillas and lightly fry.
  • This recipe is vegetarian, but if you want heartier tacos add bacon or chorizo.
  • Migas also makes a delicious filling in burritos.
Calories: 618kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 39g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 259mg, Sodium: 776mg, Potassium: 608mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 592IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 236mg, Iron: 4mg
Author: Yvette Marquez
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: February 2015. And guess what? It was featured over at Betty Crocker.