Chile rellenos, a beloved staple in Mexican cuisine, are a delightful combination of roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, enveloped in a light, fluffy egg batter, and fried to golden perfection. This traditional dish, often enjoyed during Lent for its meat-free nature, is truly a year-round treat. My family, like many in Mexico, makes them throughout the year because they’re simply irresistible – who can say no to cheese-filled peppers in a cloud-like batter?
After much anticipation and recipe testing, I’m thrilled to share this perfected chile relleno recipe with you, bringing the authentic taste of Mexican home cooking to your kitchen.
Close-up of a golden brown Mexican chile relleno topped with red salsa on a white plate.
What Exactly is Mexican Chile Relleno?
“Chile relleno,” translating to “stuffed pepper” in English, is a quintessential Mexican dish. It features mild poblano peppers that are roasted to enhance their flavor and soften their skin. These peppers are then carefully slit open, seeds optionally removed for less heat, and generously filled with cheese. The magic happens when these cheese-stuffed peppers are dipped in a whipped egg batter and deep-fried until they achieve a beautiful golden-brown color and a satisfyingly crispy texture.
Chile rellenos are incredibly versatile. They can be served as a main course, often accompanied by a simple red or green salsa to complement their richness. For a heartier meal, they can even be wrapped in warm tortillas with refried beans, transforming into satisfying chile relleno burritos.
Mastering the Art of Homemade Mexican Chile Relleno
Making chile rellenos at home is a rewarding culinary experience. The process begins with preparing the poblano peppers, a crucial step that unlocks their best flavor and texture. Roasting them, either in the oven or directly on a stovetop flame, softens the skin and imparts a subtle smoky char. This roasted skin is then removed, making the peppers pliable and ready for stuffing.
For detailed, visual guidance on roasting, I recommend checking out my dedicated post on how to roast poblano peppers. This guide is especially helpful for those new to this technique, ensuring perfectly prepared peppers every time.
Once your poblanos are roasted and peeled, the next step is to create a slit lengthwise down each pepper. This opening allows you to generously stuff them with your cheese of choice. I personally prefer Monterey Jack cheese, cut into thick strips, for its excellent melting properties and mild flavor that complements the poblano. However, shredded cheese works just as well if you prefer.
After stuffing, gently close the pepper, bringing the edges of the slit together. To ensure the cheese stays inside during frying, secure the opening with toothpicks. This simple trick is essential for preventing cheese from oozing out into the hot oil.
Now, for the signature fluffy egg batter. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a smaller one. Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they form stiff, glossy peaks. This step is key to achieving the light and airy texture of the batter. Continue beating on low speed while gradually adding the yolks one at a time, until just combined. The resulting batter should be light yellow, voluminous, and incredibly fluffy.
Setting up a simple assembly line makes the coating process efficient. Arrange your stuffed peppers, a plate of all-purpose flour seasoned with salt, and the prepared egg batter in sequence.
First, dredge each pepper thoroughly in the flour mixture, ensuring it’s fully coated on all sides. Shake off any excess flour. The flour helps the egg batter adhere better to the pepper. Next, carefully dip the floured pepper into the egg batter, again ensuring complete coverage. Immediately and gently place the batter-coated pepper into the preheated frying oil.
Fry the chile rellenos in hot oil until they turn a beautiful golden brown on both sides. Avoid overcrowding the pan; frying in batches of two ensures even cooking and prevents the oil temperature from dropping too drastically. Once fried, transfer the chile rellenos to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil and maintain their crispiness. Serve immediately to enjoy them at their best!
While chile rellenos are delicious on their own, a simple salsa enhances their flavors. I often serve mine with a vibrant red salsa made from tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeño, and cilantro. However, feel free to use your favorite salsa – a salsa verde would also be an excellent pairing. For a creamy touch, a dollop of sour cream or a drizzle of Mexican crema is also wonderful.
Tips and Delicious Variations for Your Chile Rellenos
- Choose Large Poblano Peppers: Opt for the largest poblano peppers you can find. Larger peppers are easier to stuff and provide a more generous serving.
- Cheese Variety: While Monterey Jack is a great choice, feel free to experiment with other melting cheeses. Traditionally, Oaxaca cheese is used in Mexico, but mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, or any good melting cheese will work well.
- Elevate the Filling: For a more substantial and flavorful chile relleno, consider adding other fillings. Cooked and seasoned meats like carnitas, shredded chicken, or picadillo make fantastic additions.
- Frying Smart: Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. Frying in batches of two ensures the oil temperature remains consistent, resulting in perfectly crispy chile rellenos.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes to Explore
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Mexican Chile Relleno Recipe
By: Isabel Orozco-Moore
Authentic chile relleno recipe made from roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter and fried until golden brown.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (1 chile each)
Equipment
- Toothpicks, for securing the stuffed peppers
Ingredients
For the Chile Rellenos
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into long strips/sticks (or shredded cheese)
- 4 cups oil, for frying
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
For the Salsa Roja (Red Salsa)
- 6 roma tomatoes, quartered
- ½ small onion, halved (yellow or white)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño pepper stem and seeds removed (optional)
- 5 sprigs cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
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Instructions
Making the Chile Rellenos
- Roast the Peppers: Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place poblano peppers on top. Set your oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on.
- Broil poblanos for 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip them over and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered.
- Remove them from the oven and loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat and help them steam. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
- Peel the Peppers: Peel and rub off as much of the loose skin on the peppers as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just as much as you can.
- Cut a small slit down the middle of the peppers with a knife. (If you don’t want the peppers too spicy, you can remove some of the seeds. I like to leave them in as poblanos aren’t typically super spicy to me, but that’s personal preference.)
- Stuff the Peppers: Carefully stuff the peppers with the cheese. Some of the peppers will be extra fragile because of the roasting process and may tear – that’s okay. Just do the best you can.
- Gently close the opening of the peppers and secure it shut with 1-3 toothpicks. Use as many as you need to ensure that the cheese won’t ooze out during the frying process. Set aside.
- Prepare for Frying: Heat the frying oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. While oil is heating up, prepare the batter.
- Make the Batter: Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two separate bowls – the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a small bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- While continuing to beat the egg whites on low, add in the egg yolks one at a time until all of them are fully mixed in. The batter should be light, fluffy and smooth.
- Coat the Peppers with Batter: Place the flour and salt into a separate shallow bowl or plate. Mix together to combine. Gently roll the stuffed peppers in the flour mixture, then give them a gentle tap to remove any excess. Then dip them in the egg batter and gently place them in the hot frying oil.
- Fry the Chile Rellenos: Fry the peppers for 3-5 minutes per side, until the batter is golden brown and crispy. Try not to overcrowd the peppers in the pan – I usually fry 2 at a time depending on the pan I’m using.
- Transfer the peppers to the lined baking sheet to drain off any excess oil.
- Serve: Immediately serve chile rellenos on a plate with some salsa, freshly chopped cilantro and some cotija cheese. (Don’t forget to remove the toothpicks when you first cut into the peppers! You can try to remove them before serving onto plates, but I find it easier to remove them when you first cut into them.)
Making the Salsa Roja
- Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and salt to a blender. Puree until smooth.
- Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add blended salsa and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, taste and season with more salt if desired.
Video
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Recipe Notes
- Make ahead. The poblanos can be roasted and peeled up to 2 days in advance. The salsa roja can be made up to 3 days in advance. Both should be kept in the fridge until ready to use.
- Buy the largest poblano peppers you can find. That way you can stuff the peppers with a lot of filling, and you won’t have any leftovers.
- Use a different cheese. Feel free to use another type of cheese if that’s all you have. Traditionally, chile relleno is made with Oaxaca cheese, but you could also use mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, or another good melting cheese.
- Add a different filling. To make this a more well-rounded one-chile meal, feel free to mix in some other ingredients to the filling. Some good options would be carnitas, shredded chicken, or picadillo.
- Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. I typically fry 2 chile rellenos at a time even though the pan could fit 3.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1pepper | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1699IU | Vitamin C: 145mg | Calcium: 321mg | Iron: 2mg
Note: Nutrition information is an approximation and can vary.
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