Chile Relleno Recipe
Introduction
Chile Relleno is a classic Mexican dish featuring roasted poblano peppers stuffed with gooey cheese, dipped in a seasoned egg batter, and fried to golden perfection. It’s a flavorful and satisfying meal that’s perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 6 poblano peppers
- ½ cup queso fresco cheese
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Extra flour for dusting peppers
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your broiler and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the washed poblano peppers on the sheet and broil for 10 minutes, turning them halfway to char all sides.
- Step 2: Remove the peppers from the oven and transfer them to a plastic bag to sweat and cool, which helps loosen the skins.
- Step 3: While peppers cool, combine queso fresco and Monterey jack cheese in a bowl.
- Step 4: Once cooled, remove peppers from the bag, pat dry, peel off the skins, and cut a vertical slit to remove seeds and cores.
- Step 5: Stuff each pepper with the cheese mixture and secure the slit with toothpicks.
- Step 6: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, ⅓ cup flour, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder until smooth.
- Step 7: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Test readiness by dipping a toothpick in oil: bubbles should form around it.
- Step 8: Lightly dust each stuffed pepper with flour, dip into the egg batter, and carefully place two peppers at a time into hot oil.
- Step 9: Fry until golden brown on all sides, turning as needed for even cooking.
- Step 10: Serve immediately with your favorite sauce, such as a quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce.
Tips & Variations
- Roasting peppers over an open flame adds extra smoky flavor if you don’t have a broiler.
- For a spicier kick, add chopped jalapeños to the cheese filling.
- Use toothpicks sparingly to avoid them burning during frying.
- If you prefer a lighter version, bake the stuffed peppers instead of frying.
Storage
Store leftover chile rellenos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat to maintain the crispy coating, or warm in an oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I prepare chile rellenos ahead of time?
You can roast and stuff the peppers ahead but it’s best to fry them just before serving to keep the batter crispy and fresh.
What if I can’t find poblano peppers?
Anaheim or bell peppers can be used as substitutes, but the flavor and heat level will differ slightly from poblanos.
PrintChile Relleno Recipe
This classic Chile Relleno recipe features roasted poblano peppers stuffed with a blend of queso fresco and Monterey jack cheeses, battered in a seasoned egg flour mixture, and fried to golden perfection. Perfectly crispy on the outside and melty cheesy on the inside, these stuffed peppers make a delicious appetizer or main dish served with your favorite sauce.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Peppers and Filling
- 6 poblano peppers
- ½ cup queso fresco cheese
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese
Batter
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Extra flour for dusting peppers
Frying
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Roast the Peppers: Preheat your oven’s broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the washed poblano peppers on it. Broil for 10 minutes, turning the peppers halfway through to roast evenly until the skins are blistered and blackened.
- Sweat the Peppers: Remove the roasted peppers from the oven and immediately place them in a plastic bag. Seal the bag and let the peppers sweat and cool inside, which helps loosen their skins.
- Prepare the Cheese Filling: While the peppers cool, combine the queso fresco and Monterey jack cheeses in a bowl, mixing thoroughly.
- Peel the Peppers: Take the peppers out of the bag once cool, gently pat them dry with paper towels, and peel off the blackened skin from each pepper.
- Stuff the Peppers: Make a vertical slit along each pepper, carefully remove the seeds and core, then stuff them generously with the cheese mixture. Use toothpicks to close the slit to keep the cheese inside during frying.
- Make the Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together with flour, salt, black pepper, cumin, and chili powder until smooth and well combined.
- Heat the Oil: Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is ready, insert a toothpick; if bubbles form around it immediately, the oil is hot enough for frying.
- Coat the Peppers: Lightly dust each stuffed pepper with flour, then dip each one into the egg batter, making sure they are fully coated.
- Fry the Chile Rellenos: Carefully place 2 peppers at a time into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown all over, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking on all sides. Remove when crisp and golden.
- Serve: Drain the fried chile rellenos on paper towels briefly and serve hot with your favorite sauce, such as a quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce.
Notes
- Roasting and sweating the peppers is essential to easily remove the skins without tearing the peppers.
- Use a mix of cheeses for a balance of flavor and meltiness; queso fresco adds texture while Monterey jack melts smoothly.
- Be careful when frying as hot oil can splatter. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
- To keep the stuffed peppers closed while frying, use toothpicks, but remember to remove them before serving.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Keywords: Chile Relleno, stuffed poblano peppers, fried peppers, Mexican appetizer, queso fresco, Monterey jack, cheese stuffed peppers
