Name: Chiles Rellenos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 5-6 medium-to-large Anaheim chile peppers (unpeeled, stems attached); 1 cup cheddar cheese (grated); 1 cup Monterrey jack cheese (grated); 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup for coating; 2 eggs (separated); 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/2 tsp olive oil plus enough to coat deep skillet to approx. 1/4-inch; vegetable/canola oil (enough to coat deep skillet to approx. 1/4-inch); 1 tbsp olive oil; 2/3 medium onion (chopped); 3 garlic cloves (smashed); 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 28- oz can crushed tomatoes; 2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade); 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1 bay leaf

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That’s right, mis amigos. Chiles Rellenos.

If you read my post on Shredded Chicken Enchiladas, you probably know I tend to shy away from making Mexican food at home. Why? I guess it’s because I just prefer it to be made by the experts. Oh — and Dustin doesn’t tend to like much Mexican food — so, there’s that too.

However, that doesn’t mean I don’t yearn for some delicious homemade Mexican food…in my home. So, when our CSA gave us — yet another — bag of beautiful Anaheim chiles for the third straight week, I figured something had to be done.

And, really, what better way for Anaheim chiles to meet their full potential than as chiles rellenos, right? I mean, c’mon!

Before we go any further, I have a confession to make: this was my first attempt at making chiles rellenos. Kinda hard to believe when they’re one of my top favorite Mexican comfort foods, huh? I know…your minds are all blown by this revelation. I’m sorry.

I have to admit: I was a bit nervous to try my hand at making them. They look so complicated…and, well, stuffed. I always figured it was tons of work to perfect. Again, another reason I’ve avoided them in the past.

The result? Perfectly delicious. Crunchy, yet fluffy, exterior. Delicate, cheesy and tender chile interior. So. Good. And not too much work. Yes, they do require some love…but they’ll pay you back double. Plus, the special chile relleno sauce I made as an accompaniment will likely have you wanting to lick your plate to get every last drop. Okay, maybe that’s just me.

And, no, I didn’t lick my plate…but I thought about it.

Buen provecho!

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If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating it. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #asweetpeachef on Instagram! I LOVE seeing what you come up with. Enjoy!

5 from 2 votes

Chiles Rellenos

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Perfectly delicious Chiles Rellenos. Crunchy, yet fluffy. Delicate, cheesy and tender chile interior. Plus a recipe for awesome chile relleno sauce.

Categories: Dinner

Difficulty: Easy

Keyword: chile relleno, chile relleno recipe, how to make chile rellenos

Servings: 4

Calories: 671 kcal

Author: Lacey Baier of A Sweet Pea Chef

Ingredients

Chiles Rellenos

5-6 medium-to-large Anaheim chile peppers unpeeled, stems attached
1 cup cheddar cheese grated
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese grated
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup for coating
2 eggs separated
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp olive oil plus enough to coat deep skillet to approx. 1/4-inch
vegetable/canola oil enough to coat deep skillet to approx. 1/4-inch

Chile Relleno Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 medium onion chopped
3 garlic cloves smashed
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
28- oz can crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock preferably homemade
2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

Instructions

There are several ways to peel a chile pepper: (1) place about six inches beneath the broiler on a baking sheet, (2) place on an outdoor grill or (3) place on top of a gas stove (my method -- though be sure to have ventilation 'cuz it can get a bit smoky). Any way you choose, use tongs to turn the chile peppers as they darken. The idea is to burn as much of the peel/skin as possible. Keep a close eye on the chiles as they may go from blistered to burnt very quickly.
Once the skin is fully charred, place the hot chiles into a Ziploc bag and seal. Set aside for several minutes. The steam within the bag will help with removal of the skin.
Once the chiles are cool enough to touch, carefully make one slit up the side of each chile, keeping the stem intact. Gently remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers. Gently stuff each chile with a combination of grated cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese until you're just able to close at the slit comfortably. If the chile is refusing to stay together, you can try using a toothpick, but I found it unnecessary.
Whip the egg whites by hand or with an electric mixer until stiff. Set aside. Combine milk, 1/2 cup flour, egg yolks, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. olive oil in a deep large bowl. Gently fold in the egg whites until just mixed.
Pour equal amounts olive oil and vegetable/canola oil to reach 1/4-inch depth in a large, deep skillet. Heat oil to medium-high.
In a shallow bowl, spread out 1/4 cup flour. Roll each stuffed chile in the flour and gently shake off all excess flour. Dip chile into batter, holding the chile by its stem. Cover the chile as much as possible with the batter up to the stem, but leave the stem uncovered. The stem will be your holding/flipping device. Quickly transfer to hot skillet. Cook each chile until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels until ready to serve. Serve quickly if possible, and with some chile relleno sauce (see below for recipe).
Heat oil in medium-large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until sweating, about 5-8 minutes. Add kosher salt, pepper and garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add flour, tomatoes and oregano and cook until thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
Add stock and bay leaf and bring to a boiling, cooking for about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard.
Using a stick blender, blender or food processor, puree the sauce until smooth. Serve with chiles rellenos.

Nutrition Facts

Chiles Rellenos

Amount Per Serving

Calories 671 Calories from Fat 266

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 29.5g 45%

Saturated Fat 13.4g 67%

Cholesterol 140.6mg 47%

Sodium 2013.4mg 84%

Total Carbohydrates 74.8g 25%

Dietary Fiber 12.9g 52%

Sugars 30.9g

Protein 33.1g 66%

Vitamin A 64%

Vitamin C 362%

Calcium 61%

Iron 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Comments

Penny says
April 24, 2019 at 7:05 pm
I made this tonight and it was delicious! More work than I thought, looked like their was a small explosion in the kitchen, but well worth the effort. Plus I learned where to do some prep ahead of time to make the process smoother. Will definitely make this again. 5☆☆☆☆☆ couldn’t get the star rating to fill in.
Sandy says
February 7, 2019 at 10:54 pm

Fantastic! Mmm! Took me a lot longer than the predicted time, but was happy hubby helped with the batter while I peeled the Anaheims!
Sheran says
January 5, 2019 at 10:51 pm
I tried this recipe tonight and it’s now my favorite!
Dustin says
May 15, 2017 at 4:04 pm

Another good one to refresh 🙂
Sarah says
October 18, 2013 at 10:01 pm
This is exactly the sauce I was looking for, I can’t wait to try this! I love chile rellenos!
nora says
August 25, 2013 at 4:02 pm
I have aquestion? Do I have to broil the chilies.Can I just stuff and cook?
Azzany M says
January 27, 2013 at 6:54 pm
Hey lacey that one of my fav’s and if ypu stuff them w ground beef and cheese their awesome , you can also serve them w ground beef(inside) and top them w white sAuce made w heavy cream , pecans and parmesan… Its really good
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  January 29, 2013 at 8:24 pm
  Sounds good to me! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Tracee says
February 29, 2012 at 8:57 am
Try some of the chicken from your enchildas in these. Have you ever had these at Chuy’s? OMG Delicious!
alma barron says
July 17, 2011 at 10:26 pm
Wow Lacey!! These are exactly like my mom’s, right down to the sauce. The only difference is the bay leaf. Chile rellenos are always a disappointment in
restaurants…congrats, you’ve got the authentic recipe!!!
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  July 20, 2011 at 10:00 pm
  Hooray!! 🙂
Linda says
May 8, 2011 at 3:28 pm
SO YUMMY-GOOD!!! Thanks for the recipe. My husband and I made this for my Mother’s Day dinner and loved it!
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  May 9, 2011 at 12:51 pm
  Yay! So glad you both enjoyed it!! Happy Mother’s Day, Linda! 🙂
sally says
January 31, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Yum! Love chiles rellenos! I’ve never attempted to make them myself though. I’ll have to give your recipe a try.
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  January 31, 2011 at 11:12 pm
  I hope you like it if you try it out, Sally! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Priya Mahadevan says
January 21, 2011 at 1:00 pm
That looks completely delectable! I will be trying this recipe soo – The chillies are calling out to me – Hi! first time on your blog – happy my blog hopping brought me here :0
Hop over to my blog, if you like some simple, yet tasty veggie recipes from India and other places too
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  January 21, 2011 at 9:57 pm
  Thanks, Priya! Welcome to my blog — I’ll make my way over to your as well!
NanaBread says
January 19, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Oooooo… these are one of my all-time favorite foods. And cheese-filled is the best. I could eat them until I get sick. And yes…I would have TOTALLY licked the plate. Yours look divine. So yummy…so very, very yummy. I want one right now!
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  January 19, 2011 at 10:21 pm
  Couldn’t agree with you more, Jeanne. Thanks!
Miss Becky says
January 19, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Lacey I clicked on this right before leaving for the store, and I’m so so happy that I did, because I’m making these. They’ve been one of my favorite dishes to eat but I’ve never made them and you’ve motivated me to try. This recipe looks scrumptious, and it doesn’t seem that difficult. thanks for including the photos, it helps. I have everything but the Anaheims. oh yum.
- lacey - a sweet pea chef says
  January 19, 2011 at 10:20 pm
  Yay, Miss Becky! I hope you like the chiles rellenos. They are a tad more work than normal, but definitely worth it. So yummy. I’d love to know what you think.