Chiles Rellenos

The origins of chiles rellenos date to the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century. As with much of Mexican culture, Mexico’s culinary tradition stems from a mixture of Spanish and indigenous customs. This is true for chiles rellenos, a recipe that brings together indigenous and European ingredients.

We’ll show you how to make chiles rellenos right at home, from de-skinning, stuffing and frying the peppers to making the salsa from scratch. It’s a gorgeous dish that’s rich with texture, flavor and lots of cheese.

What are chiles rellenos?

In Spanish, relleno means “stuffed.” This dish is comprised of roasted poblano chiles stuffed with cheese, dredged in beaten eggs and a coating of flour, then fried. It’s one of the most popular foods inside and outside of Mexico!

Ingredients for Chiles Rellenos

• Salsa: The homemade salsa is essential to chiles rellenos. Tomatoes, onions, serrano pepper, canola oil, vegetable broth, garlic and cilantro are blended to make a flavorful and well-rounded sauce.
• Peppers: When shopping for poblano peppers, look for the biggest and widest ones. Extra space inside of each pepper means more room for cheese. Yum!
• Cheese: It certainly takes extra work, but I always find it worthwhile to grate my cheese fresh from the block. Pre-shredded cheese contains cellulose which, although edible, diminishes the texture and taste of the cheese.
• Chiles rellenos batter: The stuffed peppers are first dredged in all-purpose flour, then dipped in beaten eggs. This creates a batter that will get nice and crispy once it’s deep-fried to golden brown.
• Toppings: Salty cotija and vibrant cilantro refresh the flavor of the chiles rellenos.

Directions

Step 1: Make the salsa

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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the tomatoes, onion and serrano on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle them with the canola oil, and toss to coat the vegetables in the oil. Roast until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly.

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Add the broth, vegetables, garlic, cilantro and salt to a high-speed blender and puree them until they become a smooth sauce. Set it aside.

Step 2: De-skin the peppers

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Preheat your oven’s broiler to high. Place the poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the peppers 4 inches from the heat until the skins blister, four to five minutes.

With tongs, rotate the peppers a quarter turn. Broil and rotate the peppers until all sides are blistered and blackened.

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Immediately place the peppers in a large bowl and cover it with storage wrap.

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Let the peppers stand for 10 minutes, then carefully peel off and discard the charred skin. Cut a slit lengthwise down the peppers, and discard the seeds.

Step 3: Stuff with cheese

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Stuff the peppers with the cheese, then secure them shut with toothpicks. Pour oil into a cast iron skillet until it’s 2 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Step 4: Dredge the peppers

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Place the egg whites in a large bowl, and use a hand mixer to beat them on high speed until stiff peaks form, three to four minutes. On low speed, beat in the egg yolks until the mixture is smooth.

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Place the flour in a shallow bowl, and stir in the salt and pepper. Dip the stuffed peppers in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture.

Step 5: Fry the peppers

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Place the battered peppers in the hot oil, and fry them until the batter is golden brown and crispy, four to five minutes per side. Transfer the peppers to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet to drain. Repeat the frying process with the remaining peppers. Remove the toothpicks from the fried peppers.

Step 6: Serve

To serve chiles rellenos, spoon the red sauce into shallow bowls, then top them with fried peppers.  Sprinkle the chiles rellenos with cilantro and Cotija cheese, and serve them immediately.

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Recipe Variations

• Stuff with meat and vegetables: Feel free to make some room in each pepper for meats and vegetables like sauteed peppers and onions, slow-cooked carnitas or chorizo.
• Switch up the cheese: If you’re not a fan of Monterey Jack cheese, omit it for a different melting cheese like provolone, cheddar, low-moisture mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese.

How to Store Chiles Rellenos

Allow any leftover chiles rellenos to cool completely to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for up to four days. Reheat them in a 350°F oven until they’re warmed through and the cheese has melted, 10 to 20 minutes.

Can you freeze chiles rellenos?

We don’t recommend freezing chiles rellenos after they’ve been fried, as they will become soggy once they’re thawed. However, you can freeze the peppers right after they’ve been stuffed with the cheese but before they’re battered, and you can also freeze the salsa separately. When you’re ready to finish the dish, allow the stuffed peppers to thaw completely in the fridge, then follow the chiles rellenos recipe from where you left off.

Chiles Rellenos Tips

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What should you serve with chiles rellenos?

Serve chiles rellenos with arroz con gandules, sour cream, corn tortillas, Mexican street corn, empanadas, baked beans mole, sauteed vegetables or tortilla chips with a gorgeous array of vibrant salsas and homemade guacamole.

Can you bake chiles rellenos instead of frying them?

Absolutely! Find a baking dish big enough to fit the four peppers, and pour the salsa into the baking dish. Prepare the peppers as directed, but skip the battering step. Place the peppers in the baking dish on top of the salsa, cover the dish with foil and bake the chiles rellenos at 400° until the cheese has melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Take the foil off the baking dish, remove the toothpicks, and serve the chiles rellenos with some of the salsa.

What kind of peppers do you use for chiles rellenos?

Chiles rellenos are traditionally made with poblano chiles. Poblano chiles are thick, strong, heart-shaped and wide enough to be stuffed. Other types of peppers can be used, but are often not big enough or strong enough to hold a hearty amount of filling.