Slow Cooker Layered Mexican Brunch is perfect to serve on Cinco de Mayo, or anytime a brunch dish with a little Mexican flavor is called for. This recipe can be layered the night before, brought to room temperature in the morning, and cooked unattended for 4-6 hours or until the guests arrive. It’s easy on the cook, but the lucky diners won’t have a clue- they’ll think the cook slaved in the kitchen just for them.

This dish is quite spicy, due to the chorizo sausage and the salsas. If a milder version is preferred, substitute mild salsas and a milder type of sausage.

8 Servings

1 1/4 pounds such as Johnsonville (not the high-fat kind in the tube) uncooked chorizo sausage*

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, divided
1 4 oz. can chopped mild green chilies
2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup medium salsa
1/2 cup green chile salsa
12 eggs
Salsa

1. Remove the casings from the sausage; brown over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks; drain well on paper towels.
2. Spray the inside of the crock of a 3-4 quart oval slow cooker with non-stick spray.
3. Spread 2 cups of the hash browns evenly over the bottom of the crock.


4. Sprinkle half of the green chilies over the potatoes, then half of the chorizo, the medium salsa, and 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat.
5. Whip the eggs until smooth (the blender does it in under a minute), and pour over the mixture.
6. Cook on low 4-6 hours or until the eggs are set.
7. Serve with additional salsa

Note: The dish can be made up to 24 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. One hour before the start of cooking, remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature before cooking.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 522 Calories from Fat 317
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 61% Protein 23% Carb. 16%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 35 g
Saturated Fat 15 g
Cholesterol 389 mg
Sodium 964 mg
Total Carbohydrate 21 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 30 g

Vitamin A 18% Vitamin C 26% Calcium 0% Iron 17%

*Just a note on Chorizo sausage - Chorizo sausage comes in several forms: the high fat variety that is packaged in tubes which is quite hot and must be drained through a fine strainer after cooking; the Spanish cured variety that is fully cooked and can be diced or sliced and added to recipes right from the package (this is usually used in Spanish dishes and the spices are not the same as in the Mexican versions – it has no heat and is usually not suitable for Mexican dishes); and the uncooked variety that comes in large links and is distributed by some of the larger sausage companies such as Johnsonville which is labeled “premium Mexican recipe sausage.”. The following recipe calls for the latter, but the high fat variety can be substituted (you will need 2 10 ounce tubes, cooked and pressed through a fine strainer to remove the excess fat).