Cheesy Chile relleno casserole is a hearty, easy, and family-friendly dish made with baked whole green chilies, cheddar, and jack cheeses.
This recipe takes all the best parts of Chile Rellenos and turns it into an easy hearty casserole. It’s perfect for when you’re craving Mexican food without a lot of work!
Sabrina’s Chile Relleno Casserole
Chile relleno is a delicious dish popular in many Mexican restaurants, but have you ever tried it in a casserole? This recipe is a tasty baked version of the classic mildly spicy, vegetarian-friendly dish. Plus since you aren’t deep frying the peppers in a thick batter, it’s low carb and healthier. I promise that you won’t be disappointed with this delicious casserole!
Ingredients
- 21 ounces whole green chiles , canned, drained
- 8 ounces Jack cheese , cut into 1" cubes
- 8 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9"x13" baking pan with vegetable oil spray.
- Place 2 cubes of jack cheese into each chili and line them up in the pan.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, flour and baking powder and pour it over the chilis.
- Put the cheddar cheese over the egg mixture and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition
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Table of contents
Chef’s Note: What chiles to use?
What kind of chile you use for this recipe is entirely up to you. Here are some that work great with this relleno recipe.
- Anaheim chile: this chile is a little smaller than some other varieties, but it is still easy to pack with cheese.
- Poblano peppers: are traditionally used to make chile rellenos since they are large and bake really well. Poblanos are also a good source of vitamin A and are tasty.
- New Mexico/ Hatch chiles: If you want something a little spicier than green chiles, New Mexico chiles pack more heat and are still big enough to fit a lot of stuffing inside. However, they aren’t spicy enough to make you regret eating them.
How to Make
Time needed: 45 minutes.
- Prep
Start by spraying your nonstick cooking pan and preheating your oven
- Cut
Cut cubes of Monterey Jack cheese and slice the green chiles into two equal-sized halves.
- Stuff
Stuff the chiles with the cheese and line them up inside the pan in a single layer.
- Combine
Combine the eggs, milk, flour, and baking powder in a bowl and whisk until blended.
- Pour
Pour the mixture over the chilies so that they are well coated.
- Cover
Cover the casserole with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Nutritional Facts
Sides and Topping Ideas
- Rice and Beans: Some Spanish Rice and Refried Beans are a classic side dish from
- Salsa: Add some extra veggies and some heat with crunchy fresh Corn Salsa or regular tomato salsa.
- Enchilada Sauce: Chile rellenos are often topped with a red Enchilada Sauce, so try it on this casserole too!
- Sour Cream: Cool and tangy sour cream goes great with the slightly spicy chiles and rich cheese. You could also use Greek yogurt or Mexican crema.
- Garnish: Chop up some fresh cilantro and sprinkle it over the top as a garnish. A squeeze of fresh lime and fresh cojita cheese goes great too.
- Meat: Make this vegetarian dish meaty with grilled chicken, chorizo sausage, or seasoned ground beef.
How to Store
- Serve: Don’t leave your casserole at room temperature for longer than two hours.
- Store: Kept in an airtight container, it will stay good for 3 days.
- Freeze: It can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Delicious Mexican Casseroles
I love chile rellenos. I couldn’t find whole green chiles so I used the canned “whole” chiles and instead of stuffing them with cheese, I layered them. The dish came out wonderful. They tasted great. This is my go to recipe for rellenos.
Excellent, easy to make, tastes great
I just took this put of the oven. Looks wonderful! However, I goofed and used 1 3/4 cups of milk. Hope its ok and not too ‘soupy’. Thank you for the recipe, it sounded great. Next time I will read recipe more carefully!
I goof all the time! Totally get it. How did it turn out?
Hatch chilis come in a 27 oz can. I have fresh Hatch so how many should I use?
Great question! Did a bit of research and found that because Hatch chilis vary in size, on average one chile equals one ounce, so you usually have about 8 chiles in a cup. Hope that helps. Let us know how it turned out.
I grilled 6 poblano chilies; however, not sure how many chilies are used in the casserole. Couldn’t find any cans of whole chilies anywhere. Am making this tonight, from your picture it looks like you use a lot of chilies. Please let me know approx. number of chilies for next time. Thank you!
Is used poblanos in this recipe because I couldn’t find whole green chilis in my store. This recipe turned out so well! Absolutely delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Can deconstruct this recipe with chopped green chiles and grated cheese. Also, a layer of cooked chorizo is a nice addition.
Sounds delicious!
Family loved it. I made with fresh poblano peppers, blanched and peeled. We loved the flavor, but the Monterrey jack was rubbery (maybe my cooking technique?) I’d prefer a softer cheese. Also, if I’m not mistaken, I noted the statement that this recipe is gluten free. I’m not an expert by any means, but my gluten free friends do not use flour. But we enjoyed it very much. Satisfied that “craving,” and much easier than frying. Thanks! We will eat again, and serve to company.
You’re absolutely right. I just updated to read correctly. Thanks for catching that. I’m so glad you all loved it.
I have a quick question about the chili relleno casserole recipe. In the body of the article baking soda is used but in the actual recipe it says baking powder. Which is correct? Really want to make this soon…sounds wonderful
Thanks for catching that. I originally tested it using baking soda and it didn’t work that’s why I ended up using baking powder. I’ve updated the post to read correctly. I hope you enjoy it!
Oh yum, what a delicious twist on a classic!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
One of our favorite repeat recipes to make for dinner!
I’m so glad it’s in rotation! That’s a true honor.
This casserole is AMAZING!! Soo flavorful and everyone absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome, Chelsea!
Thank you so much for the tips! My family can’t wait for me to try it again!
I’m glad you found them useful!
What a fantastic recipe. So tasty.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Sabrina
I haven’t made one of your recipes that is less than 5 stars! Thank you:)
CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE….how would you suggest incorporating meat (say…ground beef or chorizo)? Adding it directly to the casserole??
Thanks so much!
Thank you so much! If you want to add meat, make sure to cook it completely and then add it in between steps 2 and 3 to the casserole. Enjoy!
Why use flour instead of cornmeal like it’s usually fried in? Does cornmeal not work out?
I’ve not tested this recipe using cornmeal. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Just received your recipe for CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE, it sounds and looks delicious. I really want to make it but I was unsure if I could cut it down to 6 servings. I look forward to your answer. Thank you.
Yes, you can adjust the serving size by using the slider tool that pops up as you hover over it in the recipe card. Enjoy!