When I saw the jar of Gilberto’s Sort of Smokin’ Mango Salsa waiting for me, I wondered if there would be something different enough about it that would inspire a new recipe. I mean, there are a lot of salsas out there. And I’ve made plenty of my own salsas.

A lot of salsas are very similar to each other. Tomatoes, onions, peppers. There are only so many ways you can combine them. Most of them are good, but a lot of them are also similar to each other.

I cracked open the jar the new salsa and introduced it to a chip. And then another one and another one. It was a miracle that I managed to put the jar away while there was still enough to use in a recipe. Yep, there are a lot of salsas out there, but this one got it right. A good balance of flavors and the right amount of heat so you can eat it plain without blowing puffs of smoke out your ears or burning out your tastebuds.

Maybe you like hotter salsas, and that’s okay. I’ve eaten – and liked – hotter salsas. But this one, right off the bat, had a lot of potential for recipes because it had all that interesting flavor along with the heat.

I knew that I needed to come up with a recipe where the salsa was a major flavor component instead of an accent.

I think this one fits the bill.

The idea for this recipe started with the idea of eggs in purgatory where eggs are baked in a tomato sauce. I’ve done the same thing with eggs baked in salsa. You end up with eggs that are like poached eggs, but they’re in the tomato sauce.

But … it’s summer. No one is going to want to bake eggs. So I poached them instead.

The other ideas rattling around in my head were nachos and chilaquiles. When I combined them all and teased them apart again, this is what I got. It’s great for a spicy breakfast, or for a light lunch.

Breakfast Nachos
Per serving:

• Tortilla chips
• 1 ounce mild cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 egg, poached
• 2 tablespoons Gilberto’s Sort of Smokin’ Mango Salsa
• 1/4 avocado, large dice

Arrange the tortilla chips on a plate. Top with the grated cheese and microwave until the cheese is melted, about 10-15 seconds.

Place the poached egg on top of the chips (try to avoid pointy chips so you don’t break the yolk), Drizzle the salsa on, then top with the avocado. Serve warm.

Note: You can add more toppings: diced tomatoes, sour cream, thinly sliced scallions, refried or pinto beans, cilantro, more cheese … whatever you like.

Donna Currie is a Colorado-based food writer who operates the blog Cookistry.

Ingredients

• 1 Jar Gilberto’s gourmet salsa
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 2 handfuls celery, diced
• 1 can corn kernels
• Diced jalapenos (to taste)
• 2 large heirloom tomatoes, diced
• 1 28oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 12oz can of chicken stock

Instructions

Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, brown chicken breasts in olive oil. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, celery, jalapenos, and corn kernels to the pot. Season lightly with salt, pepper, and chili powder (don’t add too much salt at first–you can always add more, but you can’t take it out once it’s in there!) and saute until onions are translucent and soft.

Add fresh and canned tomatoes, and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes.

Add chicken stock, 26oz water, and the jar of Gilberto’s gourmet salsa. Bring to a boil and add the chicken back into the soup. Let simmer for 20 minutes, then remove chicken, shred, and add back into soup.

Add the juice of 1 lime just before serving, if desired. Garnish with sour cream, green onion, tortilla strips, cilantro, shredded cheese, and avocado chunks.

Enjoy!

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