Hatch Chile Hash Browns with Poached Eggs

Hatch Chile Hash Browns are topped with perfect poached eggs for a hearty and comforting breakfast or brunch dish. This make-ahead recipe will make you a star!

Full of rich and intense flavors and all kinds of contrasting textures, while I love this for breakfast and brunch dish, there are no rules about not having it for dinner. 😉

Roasted Hatch chiles and a smoky Hatch chile powder are mixed into the hash brown potatoes in this recipe, making them different from more traditional hash browns. And... double the Hatch!

With perfect poached eggs on top, you seriously won't find a better breakfast bite!

Ingredient Notes

• Russet potatoes - Choose potatoes that are firm, smooth and free of sprouts. Substitutions: Russet potatoes are very starchy which helps them become crispy. Red potatoes and Yukon Golds are good substitutes. Others will work, but might not become as crispy.
• onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
• fresh garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots. I(f there are green shoots in garlic you already have, just cut the cloves in half and remove them with the tip of a paring knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.) Substitution: Though fresh is best for this hash brown recipe, if you are in a pinch, use 1 teaspoon garlic powder as a substitute.
• Hatch chiles - Hot, medium or mild, depending on preference. Hatch chiles are almost always marked with their heat level where they're sold. Substitutions: Anaheim or Poblano chiles are both good Hatch chile substitutions. Anaheim chiles will be the most mild.
• chile powder - I use this Hatch chile powder. Substitution: Chipotle chile powder or your favorite: mild or hot, your choice.
• avocado - Ripe avocados should yield to firm gentle pressure. They will feel slightly soft but not mushy to the touch.

How to Make Hatch Chile Hash Browns

Roasting the chiles is the first step, which can be done a few days ahead. I love roasting chiles - so much so that I created a step-by-step tutorial for you on How to Roast and Peel a Pepper.

Recipe Tip: Don't have time to roast the peppers? You can buy jarred roasted peppers. (You won't find Hatch, but other varieties can work, too. And you can also use the chiles raw, though you'll miss out on the additional smoky flavor.

- Wash the potatoes and dry them very well. Then grate them -- either with a hand-held grater or with the grater attachment in a food processor. (The latter is easier if you've got it.) Set aside in a bowl.

- Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and, stirring frequently, cook until the onions are soft and the edges are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

- One handful at a time, squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the potatoes, adding them to the pan as you go. (The drier they are when you add them to the pan, the crisper they'll become.) Continue until all of the potatoes are in the pan. Keeping the heat at medium, stirring from time to time, cook until the potatoes are soft and crispy, about 15 minutes.

- Add the roasted chiles and the chile powder. Stir to blend and continue to cook until it's very aromatic and everything is nicely browned, another 10 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)

- Poach the eggs by bringing about 3 inches of water to a boil in a small pot, or deep sauté pan. (Preferable non-stick.) Once the water is boiling, reduce it to a simmer. Crack each egg into its own small bowl and then slowly, one at a time, pour them into them simmering water, with as much space between them as possible. Turn off the heat, cover, and set the timer for 3 minutes. Then, using a slotted spoon, remove each egg and place them in a clean, dry bowl.

- Making sure the potatoes are hot, or very warm, add them to a serving platter, and with a small spoon, create indentations for the eggs. Add a poached egg to each indentation and garnish with the avocado and a sprinkling of a bit more Hatch Chile powder.

Variations

• Vegan version. Simply skip the eggs, or swap them for sautéed tofu.
• Other egg preparations. If you prefer fried eggs, over easy, or sunny side up, go for it.
• Spicy version. Be sure you buy the hot Hatch chiles (they should be marked this way). And use a hot chile powder. (The Poblanos will vary in heat and it's hard to know when you buy them, but typically they're between mild and hot, airing on the more mild side. Just taste them first to know what you're getting.)

How to Make a Perfect Poached Egg

The poached eggs in the this recipe are the "icing on the cake," if you will. They complete them in the most delicious way -- they become a sauce for the potatoes.

1. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a small pot.
2. Reduce the water to a simmer and then crack an egg into its own small bowl. From there, slowly and gently pour it into the simmering water.
3. Turn off the heat, cover, and set a timer for 3 minutes.
4. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg.

Can you make it ahead?

• Hash browns are best right out of the pan, but they can be made a day ahead if they're reheated properly. The best way to do this is to spread them out on a baking sheet and heat them in a 400℉ oven until they're hot. This will help them regain their crispiness.
• You can sauté the pepper, onion and garlic a day ahead.
• The chiles can be roasted up to 2 days ahead of time, or weeks ahead if you freeze them.
• Don't slice the avocado or make the eggs until it's almost serving time.

If ever there was a perfect bite . . .

More Must-Try Recipes with Hatch Chiles

I hope you'll make Hatch Chile Hash Browns with Poached Eggs for friends and family, as it will surely be a meal they'll never forget.

Enjoy!

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