Chiles Rellenos Recipe

Name: Chiles Rellenos Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 6 whole poblano peppers; 8 oz Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into sticks; 4 large eggs, separated; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging and batter; 1 tsp salt; 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes; 1/2 whole white onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

Roasted poblano peppers stuffed with melty cheese, coated in a light, airy egg batter, and fried until golden, served with a simple tomato sauce. — Photo by Alejandro Aznar on Pexels

Charring the poblanos until the skin blisters and then steaming them in a covered bowl loosens that skin so it peels away cleanly, and whipping the egg whites to soft peaks before folding in the yolks gives the batter enough structure to puff into a light, tempura-like crust rather than a dense one.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Servings4

6 whole poblano peppers
8 oz Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, cut into sticks
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging and batter
1 tsp salt
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 whole white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

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Instructions

1Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning often, until the skin is blistered and black on all sides.
2Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes.
3Peel off the blackened skin, then make a slit down one side of each pepper and carefully remove the seeds and membranes, keeping the pepper intact.
4Stuff each pepper with a stick of cheese and press the slit closed.
5Heat a splash of oil in a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic until softened, add the crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt, and simmer 15 minutes; keep warm.
6Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold in the yolks and 2 tablespoons flour until just combined.
7Dredge each stuffed pepper lightly in flour, shaking off excess, then dip and coat fully in the egg batter.
8Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and fry the battered peppers, seam-side down first, until golden on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
9Drain briefly on paper towels and serve warm over the tomato sauce.

Tips & variations

Shredded chicken, ground beef picadillo, or refried beans all make good substitutes or additions to the cheese filling.
Baking instead of frying is possible, arrange stuffed and battered peppers on an oiled sheet and bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, though the crust will be less crisp.
A pinch of ground cumin or Mexican oregano in the tomato sauce adds depth if you want it less plain.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to warm through and re-crisp the batter; the texture suffers in a microwave.

Nutrition

A rich dish, moderate in protein from the cheese and egg batter and higher in fat from the cheese and frying oil.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

Keep the stem intact when removing seeds, it makes the pepper much easier to handle and stuff without it falling apart.
Fry the peppers seam-side down first, this helps the batter seal the opening before the cheese has a chance to leak out.

FAQ

Are poblanos spicy?

Poblanos are generally mild, with heat levels closer to a bell pepper than a jalapeño, though individual peppers can vary, so it's worth tasting a small piece before you commit to the whole batch.

Can I make chiles rellenos ahead of time?

Roast, peel, and stuff the peppers up to a day ahead and refrigerate, but batter and fry them just before serving, the egg coating doesn't hold up well made in advance.

Why is my batter falling off the peppers?

This usually means the peppers weren't dried and dredged in flour before the egg batter went on, that dry flour layer is what gives the wet batter something to grip.