Chile Relleno is a classic Mexican dish made with green peppers stuffed with melty cheese, dipped in batter, and fried to golden perfection.
Move over Chicken Enchiladas and Street Tacos, these vegetarian, cheese-stuffed peppers are about to be the new favorite Mexican dish your family craves!
Sabrina’s Chile Rellenos Recipe
This easy, classic recipe from Mexico is sure to be a hit with any cheese lover. Each of the peppers is stuffed with a melty cheese filling and then fried in rich, eggy batter until puffy, golden brown, and crispy.
Recipe Card
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.
Video
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note
The best type of peppers to use are larger green chile peppers, about the size of your hand, like Anaheim peppers, Hatch green chiles, or Poblano peppers. Poblanos are larger and slightly spicier than Anaheim and Hatch Chiles; however, all of these peppers are of a good size for the gooey, cheesy filling and mild enough for most people to enjoy.
Table of Contents
Can this be made ahead of time?
Yes, but it’s best to assemble without the batter and fry them fresh for the best texture. Prepare up to the batter step, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You want to bring them to room temperature before frying so the cheese melts properly in the quick cooking time.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Homemade Chile Relleno 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 the 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
- Serve: Don’t leave these at room temperature for more than two hours. They are best hot and fresh from the fryer or keep them warm in an oven for about an hour before serving.
- Store: After cooled, you can cover them in plastic wrap or put them in an airtight container to store in the fridge for 3 days. When you’re ready to serve leftovers, place on a baking sheet and heat at 375 degrees until warmed through.
- Freeze: You can freeze the leftovers for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Let them freeze on a baking sheet or wrap them individually in plastic wrap so they don’t stick together.
Frequent Questions
Anaheim peppers are mild in heat, measuring 500 to 2,500 on the Scoville scale, and for comparison, spicier jalapenos range from 3,000 to 8 000 on the same scale. They also have a slightly sweet, crisp taste that isn’t as bitter as a green bell pepper.
It is recommended to remove the skin from the peppers before stuffing them for Rellenos, as the skin can be tough and chewy. The best way to remove the skin is by roasting the peppers first, then soaking them in cold water.
Variations
- Cheese: Try Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, white cheddar cheese, or a Mexican shredded cheese blend. For more authentic Rellenos, use Queso Fresco or Queso Oaxaca.
- Poblano Peppers: Poblano peppers are an alternative to Anaheim peppers. They are a nice, mild Mexican pepper that tastes just as delicious. However, poblano peppers are larger, so they may need more filling and batter.
- Ground Meat: If you want to make this recipe more filling, you can add taco meat along with the cheese. Feel free to use ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork and brown it with diced onions and Taco Seasoning, and drain the grease before adding to the filling.
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I love rellonos, I like an egg texture then a batter around my rellono. It was like eating a pancake around my rellono.
Hi Thelene, I’m sorry that this Chile Relleno recipe wasn’t your cup of tea.The batter in this recipe is less egg forward than the standard Chile Relleno recipe.
Loved this chile relleno! My husband has already requested I make this again!
These were so tasty! This was my first attempt at making them at home, and this recipe did not disappoint!
I absolutely love chile relleno!! It has become one of my favorites!! Your recipe is easy to make & they taste amazing!! Love the cheesy middle!