Authentic Chile Relleno (Stuffed Peppers)
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on Mar 11, 2021, Updated Nov 04, 2024
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These authentic fried Chiles Rellenos de Queso (a.k.a. chiles rellenos capeados) are made with roasted Anaheim or Hatch chile peppers that are filled with melted queso Oaxaca, coated in a delicately fluffy egg batter, and served with a warm ranchero salsa. They are, simply put, the best dang cheesy stuffed peppers you’ll ever try.
You know how some meals just take you back to simpler times? This recipe for chiles rellenos does that for me. In fact, I love it so much that it’s published in the first Muy Bueno cookbook! They were one of my absolute favorite childhood meals — slightly spicy, fluffy, and oh so cheesy and melty, they are everything you could possibly want from a chile relleno.
Everytime my mom visits I try to schedule a video shoot. Capturing my mom on video is like a very special time capsule. In this video, my mom shares lots of great tips to make authentic chiles rellenos Mexicanos and refried beans. If you have a hankering for spicy, cheesy goodness, join us in the cocina and follow along!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe requires just a handful of easy-to-source ingredients. I’ve also included easy chiles rellenos ingredient swaps in case you need to adjust. See recipe card below for the full recipe.
- Anaheim, Hatch, or Poblano Chiles: If you’ve eaten restaurant chiles rellenos, poblanos were probably the variety that was used. They’re relatively mild, and their large, heart-shaped body is ideal for stuffing with cheesy goodness. That said, you’re welcome to swap in either Anaheim or Hatch chiles (such as Big Jim), which is how my mom makes them.
- Queso: Feel free to select your favorite mild white melting cheese like queso Oaxaca, asadero, or Monterey Jack cheese.
- All-Purpose Flour, Salt, & Ground Black Pepper: Using a simple dredge on the outside of the roasted peppers gives the egg white batter something to hang onto while also lightly seasoning them.
- Eggs: Make sure they’re cold from the fridge to make it easier to separate them, then let them come to room temperature for easier whipping and folding.
- Cream of Tartar: My mom adds a pinch of cream of tartar to the egg whites before she whips them. Cream of tartar is an acidic ingredient that helps to stabilize beaten egg whites. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can also skip it, though you’ll need to be extra gentle during the folding process if you do.
- Canola Oil: This inexpensive, heart-healthy neutral oil is my favorite for frying. Feel free to swap in the high smoke point oil of your choice (e.g. avocado oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil).
- Salsa: Serve chile rellenos smothered with a homemade warm Salsa Roja or with a chunky Ranchero Sauce made with chiles güeros and celery (recipe below).
How to Make Chiles Rellenos
These traditional chiles rellenos de queso are not difficult to make, but they do take patience. If you have a free afternoon coming up, I highly recommend making this delicious and authentic chile relleno recipe! Here’s how it’s done:
Optional, Make Ranchero Sauce or the salsa below. Set aside.
Roast & Peel Chiles: If you are not sure how to roast your chiles, read my blog post and watch the video on how to roast chile peppers, which goes into more detail and is helpful for beginners.
Stuff Chiles: Carefully slit the bottom half of the peeled and roasted poblano peppers. For a milder chile relleno, remove the stems and pull out the membranes and seeds being careful not to tear the chiles. If you like heat, leave them in. Fill each chile with some cheese and set aside.
Dredge Chiles: On a plate combine flour, salt, and black pepper. Place the filled chiles in the flour mixture and coat all sides well. Shake off any excess flour and reserve in an airtight container in the fridge for later use. While you may be tempted to skip this step, please don’t! This is how the egg mixture is able to stick to the chiles!
Make Egg Batter for Chiles Rellenos: Separate egg yolks from the whites. Using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat the cream of tartar, salt, pepper, and egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the egg yolks into the egg whites being careful not to mix too much so the egg whites don’t fall.
Heat Oil: Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan about a third of the way up with canola oil and heat on medium-high heat. You want to get the oil very hot before frying your chiles rellenos. Ideally, it should be between 350-375 degrees F.
Dip & Fry: Dip the filled and flour-dusted chiles into the egg mixture until well coated, forming a little cocoon. Coat each chile one at a time just prior to frying. Carefully place the egg-coated chiles rellenos in the hot oil, about 2 at a time. Fry until golden brown, turning once.
Drain the chiles on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Change paper towels 2 to 3 times to absorb excess oil.
Serve & Enjoy: Arrange the chiles rellenos on a serving platter and drizzle each with some warm ranchero sauce or serve in a warm flour tortilla as a chile relleno burrito with a slathering of homemade refried beans.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
As much as I love this cheese-stuffed chiles rellenos recipe, there are plenty of ways for you to make it your own:
- Gluten-Free: Simply replace the all-purpose flour with a suitable 1-to-1 gluten-free flour replacement.
- Swap Your Filling: While most of my other chiles rellenos recipes are baked, you can make fried chiles rellenos capeados with any of your favorite fillings. Try my chicken, picadillo, chorizo, or shrimp fillings, then follow the instructions to dredge, batter, and fry them.
- Make Them Tiny: If you’re hosting a game day get-together, try making chiles jalapeños rellenos (a.k.a. cheesy jalapeño poppers) by swapping in roasted and peeled jalapeños for the long green chile.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Make-Ahead: The chiles can be roasted and peeled up to 2 days in advance. I don’t recommend filling them until you are ready to assemble. The salsa of your choice can be made up to 3 days in advance. Both should be kept in the fridge until ready to use.
- Keep Your Whites Lily White: Make sure there are no traces of yolk in the whites, or the whites will not whip properly.
- Get the Right Temp: If you do not have a deep frying thermometer, test the oil by dropping some of the egg white mixture into the oil. If the mixture sizzles and floats to the top, it’s the right temperature. If it sinks, the oil is not hot enough and will result in a soggy exterior.
- Don’t Crowd Your Oil: Remember, the chiles are at room temperature at best, meaning they are colder than the oil. Each time you add one to the oil, the temperature will dip some. Work in batches to keep oil hot enough for a good fry.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
You’ve done the work. Now comes the moment of truth: serving and eating the chiles rellenos. As with fillings, you have tons of options when it comes to how to serve them. To serve chiles rellenos:
- As an entrée: Place a chile relleno on a plate, drizzle with warm salsa ranchero, and serve a with a warm (preferably homemade) flour tortilla. To round out your meal, serve with sides of Mexican rice and refried beans.
- As burritos: My mom was a single parent and used to sell these cheesy chiles rellenos stuffed into burritos with refried beans during her lunch hour to make extra cash. These delectable burritos were our go-to road trip meal, and are my favorite burrito to this day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chile relleno is Spanish for “stuffed chile.” While the phrase is now most closely associated with this particular style of cheese-stuffed, battered, and fried chile peppers, chiles rellenos come in all shapes and sizes.
It doesn’t matter whether you fill them with picadillo, chicken, or cheese, or whether you opt for mild Anaheim or poblano peppers or spicy jalapeño peppers — as long as they’re stuffed chiles, they can be called chiles rellenos.
This vegetarian cheese-filled version of the classic Mexican dish is especially popular during the Lenten season when Catholics do not eat meat.
To seed or not to seed chile peppers is truly up to you. Just remember that the seeds and membranes of the chiles is where all the heat is. For a mild chile relleno you may want to pull out the membranes and seeds (being careful not to tear the chiles) before filling them with melty cheese.
Yes, peeling the peppers is an essential part of roasting them, as the skins are pretty unappetizing. After you roast the peppers, pop them in a plastic bag or cover with plastic wrap to steam for about 10-15 minutes. After they steam, the skins should peel right off.
They certainly can be! These cheese-stuffed peppers are vegetarian-friendly. That said, you can also fill your stuffed chiles rellenos with carne molida (ground meat), picadillo, shredded chicken, shrimp, or even tuna. The choice is yours!
Yes, you can bake rellenos but not egg-coated ones. Try using my method for making chicken stuffed Hatch chiles, but replace the filling with cheese if you prefer. This will definitely lighten them up a bit and make them less caloric. I’ve not yet tried air-fryer chiles rellenos, but they’re on my list!
You might recognize a Tupperware egg separator gadget in the video. My mother used to sell Tupperware and I have had that gadget for years!
If you don’t have one, not to worry — simply crack the egg by tapping it lightly against a flat work surface. (Using the side of a bowl can send shell shrapnel into the egg, which can pierce the yolk.) With your non-dominant hand, make a “cradle” with your fingers over a bowl. Pour the egg atop your slightly separated fingers — the yolk should stay in your hand and the white should fall into the bowl below.
To prevent accidentally getting yolk in your whites, I suggest that you pour the white from your working bowl into a separate bowl. That way, if one yolk breaks, you only miss out on one egg rather than the whole batch. Additionally, make sure you start with cold eggs that are fresh from the fridge. Cold yolks are less likely to break!
If you can find whole roasted green chiles, absolutely!
Storage & Heating Instructions
- Fried chiles rellenos are best served hot from the pan. That said, any leftovers can be tucked into an airtight container lined with a paper towel and popped in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. To serve frozen chiles rellenos I would recommend heating them in an oven or toaster oven until warmed through. Just note that the coating might not look as pretty as when they’re first made.
- As I mentioned above, you can also get a jump on prep by making your salsa ranchero up to 3 days in advance, and roasting and stuffing your chiles up to 2 days in advance.
If you loved this Cheesy Chiles Rellenos recipe and want more delectable Mexican meal inspiration, be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest! You can also tag me on Instagram if you make these Chiles Rellenos so I can see your tasty creations!
If you loved this recipe idea and want more, be sure to follow me on Instagram and Pinterest! You can also tag me on Instagram if you make these Chiles Rellenos so I can see your tasty creations!
Chiles Relleno Recipe
Equipment
- Comal: for roasting peppers
- Mixing bowls: to dip the filled and flour-dusted chiles into the egg mixture
- Hand or stand mixer: to make egg batter for chiles rellenos
- Large, deep-sided skillet: to deep fry chiles rellenos
Ingredients
Ranchero Sauce
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 chiles güeros or sweet mini peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1/2 celery stalk, chopped
- 3 small tomatoes, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, granules
Chiles Rellenos
- 12 large Anaheim, Hatch, or poblano chiles, roasted and peeled
- 4 cups sliced Queso Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, or asadero cheese
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 8 eggs, separated
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 cups canola oil for frying
Instructions
Ranchero Sauce
- Boil jalapeño, chiles güeros or peppers until soft. Remove stems and chop. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté onion, celery, and boiled chiles for 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and garlic, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Add flour and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add water, salt, black pepper, and granules and simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.
Chiles Rellenos
- After roasting and peeling the chiles, carefully slit the bottom half of the chiles. For a milder chile relleno remove the stems and pull out the membranes and seeds being careful not to tear the chiles. Fill each chile with some cheese and set aside.
- On a plate combine flour, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper. Place the filled chiles in the flour and coat all sides well. Shake off any excess flour. Reserve.
- Using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper on high speed until soft peaks form.
- Add in the egg yolks, and carefully fold the egg yolks into the egg whites being careful not to mix too much so the egg whites don’t fall.
- Fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan about a third of the way up with canola oil and heat on medium-high heat. You want to get the oil very hot before frying your chile rellenos. Test the oil by dropping some of the egg white mixture into the oil. If the mixture sizzles and floats to the top, it’s the right temperature. If it sinks, the oil is not hot enough.
- Dip the filled and flour-dusted chiles into the egg mixture until well coated, forming a little cocoon. Coat each chile one at a time just prior to frying. Carefully place the egg-coated chile rellenos in the hot oil, about 2 at a time. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Change paper towels 2 to 3 times to absorb excess oil.
- Arrange the chiles rellenos on a serving platter and drizzle each with some warm ranchero sauce and serve.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead tip: After you have roasted, peeled and stuffed the chiles, refrigerate them overnight. When you’re ready to eat, proceed with dipping them in flour, battering them and frying them.
- What type of chile peppers are used for chile rellenos? This recipe is made with Anaheim chile peppers. The common chile relleno often calls for poblano chiles, but various kinds of chiles can be used such as Anaheim, Hatch, or poblano. Chiles rellenos can be made with your favorite long green chile.
- Use a different cheese. Traditionally, chiles rellenos are made with queso Oaxaca cheese, but you could also use Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, asadero cheese, or your favorite melting cheese.
- Do I have to remove the seeds? To seed or not to seed chile peppers is truly up to you. My mom left the stem and seeds in these chile peppers, but for a mild chile relleno you may want to pull out the membranes and seeds being careful not to tear the chiles.
- Separate eggs: Separate eggs and make sure there are no traces of yolk in the whites, or the whites will not whip properly.
- Drain the chiles: Drain the fried chiles on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Change paper towels 2 to 3 times to absorb excess oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
I love this chef. She is awesome right to the time when I was a child. She cooks just like my mother. I couldn’t ask for a better website to go back. Thank you, Sue, Ann Toscano.
Awesome recipe. I have made these a few times and everyone loves them. I followed the recipe to a T and it was perfect. I just noticed in one of the pictures the Chile Rellenos placed upon a flour tortilla with refried beans and topped with a beautiful fresh salsa. Will try it next. PS…I always have a freezer full of HATCH chilies that are prepared each August. I roast them and freeze them with skin on for use during the year. In August of 2025, I will start over! I think they make the best Chile Rellenos. Thanks for great recipes
Looking at your Chiles, it looks like your egg mixture broke up because its not sticking correctly to the chile. For anyone following this recipe I would recommend omitting the tartar sauce, salt, and pepper. Just whip up the egg whites on their own and you’ll have a beautifully covered chile.