Southwestern Breakfast Skillet

Have you ever craved a fancy breakfast but thought it was beyond your abilities or required special kitchen equipment? Well, if you have a medium sized pan that can go from stovetop to oven (cast iron or enameled cast iron is great for this, but copper and stainless steel can often go into the oven at lower temperatures), you can have your fancy breakfast, and eat it, too!

This southwestern breakfast skillet is hearty and flavorful and very easy to throw together. It is a riff on the filling for the breakfast burritos I make with my foodie best friend Justine and even though it makes a great burrito filling with scrambled eggs, it tastes next level decadent topped with a fried egg and accompanied by some ripe avocado. The rich, runny yolk is cut deliciously by the spice and acid in the salsa and the veggies really complete the flavor. In fact, it was in discussing how much we would love to top our burrito filling with a runny yolk egg that this breakfast skillet was conceived.

Southwestern Breakfast Skillet

Serves 4

1 large russet potato, diced

1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4” rounds

4 ounces chipotle salsa (see notes)

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup fire roasted corn kernels

1 ounce sharp cheddar, grated

3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained

1/2 teaspoon + 1 pinch cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon + 1 pinch chili powder

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Accompaniments:

8 eggs, fried (see notes)

1 avocado, sliced (1/4 per serving)

1/2 ounce cotija cheese, crumbled

Optional:

Chopped cilantro

Warm corn tortillas

1. Preheat the oven to 425f. Toss diced potatoes with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, a small pinch of salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Mix thoroughly. Arrange in a single layer on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

2. While potatoes are cooking add remaining oil to a cast iron skillet. Saute onions over medium heat until they begin to soften, then add zucchini, remaining cumin and chilli powder. Continue to saute until zucchini is almost cooked through.

3. Add salsa and beans. Bring the heat down to medium low and turn the oven down to 350f. Cook beans, salsa and zucchini for 5 minutes, then top with potatoes and cheese.

4. Transfer skillet to the oven and bake until cheese melts.

Serve topped with two fried eggs, 1/4 avocado and sprinkled with cotija cheese. Optional: sprinkled also with chopped cilantro and warm corn tortillas.

Notes: any medium heat salsa will work, but I absolutely love the strong, zesty flavors in the chipotle garlic salsa I've been able to find here. This skillet is best with an over medium, over easy or sunny side up fried egg; in other words an egg with a liquid yolk. Unless liquid egg yolk really squicks you out I highly recommend it. It really makes a world of difference.