How To Make Chile Relleno

A traditional Mexican meal called Chile Relleno is created with green peppers that have been packed with melty cheese, battered, then fried to a golden-brown perfection.

These vegetarian, cheese-stuffed peppers are going to replace Chicken Enchiladas as your family’s new favorite Mexican meal.

Any cheese lover will adore this simple, traditional Mexican dish. The peppers are fried in a thick, eggy batter till puffy and golden brown while being filled with a melty cheese mixture. Each bite of Chiles Rellenos is like a wonderful cheese explosion thanks to the superb filling and the crispy exterior created by the batter.

Chile Rellenos are a beloved, well-liked meal that can be found on the menu of the majority of Mexican eateries, from the upscale fine dining establishments to the neighborhood late-night taco stand. With some simple ingredients and this step-by-step recipe, you can easily duplicate the eggy, crispy batter, soft roasted peppers, and gooey cheese combo at home. Next Tuesday, instead of tacos, serve these fried stuffed peppers with refried beans and Mexican rice for a delicious, entertaining meal.

What are Chile Rellenos?

A classic Mexican delicacy known as “Chile Rellenos” is produced by filling roasted peppers with cheese, drenching them in a thick, airy egg-based batter, then frying the peppers until the batter is brown. The poblano and anaheim peppers are the most typical peppers used in chile rellenos. They are offered as a main course and frequently accompanied by traditional garnishes like sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo. Similar to enchiladas, they are occasionally covered in red sauce and melted cheese, albeit the red sauce is more akin to enchilada sauce blended with chunky salsa fresca.

How to Make Chile Rellenos

Start by grilling the peppers until they are charred. In the event that you don’t want to use a grill, you may lay the peppers on a baking sheet and broil them in the oven. Peppers should be grilled or broiled until they are softened and completely charred. The peppers should be put in a large, covered dish and left to steam for five minutes.
Filling: Slice the cheese into cheese sticks that will fit inside the peppers. Remove the peppers’ seeds, then core and peel them. Place a slice of cheese into each pepper before replacing the core and using wooden toothpicks to seal the pepper closed.
Batter: In a separate dish, combine the milk, 1 cup flour, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vegetable oil. Incorporate the egg yolks into the flour mixture by whisking.
Pour cooking oil into the bottom of a large, heavy dutch oven while frying. Bring the oil to frying temperature and increase the heat on the burner to medium-high. Each pepper is coated after being rolled in the flour and batter. Before putting the filled chiles to the saucepan to cook for 2-3 minutes until browned on both sides, let excess batter drop off of them. Serve after taking the chilies out.

Key Ingredients

Anaheim Peppers: Anaheim peppers are ideal for stuffing since they have a mild flavor. The little light green chile peppers are still big enough to slice and stuff, though. The meal may be enjoyed by the entire family and still has just the right amount of heat to give it a delectable flavor.
Cheese: The mild flavor of the peppers contrasts beautifully with the strong, acidic flavor of cheddar cheese, which also gives the dish a melty, gooey texture. Although cheddar cheese isn’t the usual cheese used, most home chefs can easily find it and it melts well. You are welcome to use a more conventional oozy cheese, such as Queso Fresco.
Flour: All-purpose flour is used to produce the batter as well as to coat the peppers before dipping them in it, giving the dish its recognizable crispy texture. The batter will adhere to the peppers more effectively if the peppers are coated first.
Egg Batter: The Chile Rellenos are completed by frying them after being dipped in egg batter. A frothy, airy batter is created by combining milk, flour, and eggs with baking soda and baking powder. The combination is fried, giving the chili peppers a tasty, crunchy exterior.

Variations

Cheese: Cheddar cheese can be substituted with Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, white cheddar, or a Mexican shredded cheese mixture. Use Queso Fresco or Queso Oaxaca, which you can typically buy close to the cream cheese department, for more genuine Chile Rellenos.
Poblano Peppers: Poblano peppers are an alternative to Anaheim peppers. Poblanos are a pleasant, mild Mexican pepper that tastes well in a recipe for chile relleno. However, because poblano peppers are bigger, you might need additional batter and filling to complete the dish.
Ground Meat: You may add taco meat to the cheese mixture to make this stuffed pepper dish more filling. Use any combination of ground beef, chicken, turkey, or other meat; brown it with diced onions and taco seasoning; drain any excess fat before adding it to the mixture.

Homemade Chile Relleno Sauce

You might serve this recipe for chile relleno with a mouthwatering Relleno sauce instead of salsa. When served with this thick tomato sauce, the cheese-filled peppers are delicious. Here are some simple procedures for making your own sauce:

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the base of a pan over medium heat.
Then add 1 chopped yellow onion, and cook until softened.
Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 2 cloves of minced garlic.
Cook for another minute.
Add ½ cup chicken broth, and 1 can of chopped tomatoes with the juice. Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes.
Remove the Relleno sauce from heat and let it cool.
Pour the Relleno sauce into your blender and blend for 10 seconds.
Add in 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro leaves, and salt and pepper to taste.
Pulse the blender until the Relleno sauce reaches your desired consistency.

How to Store

Chili Rellenos shouldn’t be left out at room temperature for longer than two hours. The ideal way to eat them is hot and straight from the fryer, but you can also reheat them in the oven for approximately an hour.
After it has cooled, you may wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to keep it fresh for three days in the refrigerator. When it’s time to serve, arrange the leftovers on a rimmed baking sheet and heat them in the oven to crisp up the coating and reheat the chilies.
In an airtight container, leftover Chile Rellenos can be frozen for up to a month. To prevent them from sticking together, freeze them separately on a baking sheet or in plastic wrap.

More Recipes You Might Like

Ingredients

12 Anaheim chile peppers
1 pound Cheddar cheese , cut into 1 inch strips
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups flour , divided
1 large egg , beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
canola oil , for frying

Instructions

Char the peppers on a grill or under a broiler in the oven until softened and blackened on all sides.
Add the peppers to a large bowl, covered, for 5 minutes, to help soften them from the residual steam.
Peel the skin from the peppers, remove seeds, membranes, and core.
Stuff each pepper with a piece of cheese, then place the core back into the pepper and fasten with two toothpicks to hold it closed
In a small mixing bowl whisk together milk, 1 cup flour, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vegetable oil until well combined.
Pour 3 inches of oil in a heavy dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Roll each pepper in the remaining flour and dip in the batter.
Fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on all sides.

Nutrition