Chile Rellenos
intro
Roasted poblano chiles stuffed with melted cheese, coated in fluffy egg batter, fried crisp golden, and served with bright tomato sauce. A beloved, comforting Mexican classic.
Ingredients
Steps
Roast and peel chiles
Preheat your broiler to high (260°C/500°F). Arrange 6 whole poblano chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet, positioned 10cm (4 inches) below the broiler element. Roast for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes with tongs, until skins are evenly blistered and charred black across 80% of the surface. Transfer chiles to a heatproof bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam for 15 minutes to loosen skins. Once cool enough to handle, gently rub off all charred skins, cut a 5cm (2 inch) slit down the length of each chile, and carefully scoop out seeds and inner membranes without tearing the pepper flesh. Pat chiles completely dry with paper towels.
Simmer tomato sauce
While chiles steam, heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add diced white onion, sauté for 4 minutes until soft and translucent, then add minced garlic and ground cumin, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add cored Roma tomatoes, 60ml (1/4 cup) water, 0.5 teaspoon (3g) kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until tomatoes break down completely. Use an immersion blender to puree the sauce until completely smooth, then set aside off heat, kept warm.
Stuff chiles with cheese
Divide shredded Oaxaca cheese evenly between the peeled, seeded chiles, tucking cheese through the slit into each pepper’s cavity, taking care not to overstuff (approx 57g/1/3 cup cheese per chile). Press the slit edges gently together to seal in the cheese. Spread 120g (1 cup) all-purpose flour on a shallow plate, and roll each stuffed chile lightly in flour to coat fully, shaking off all excess. Set floured chiles on a clean plate while you prepare the egg batter.
Whip fluffy egg batter
Separate the 4 cold eggs, placing whites in a completely clean, dry large glass or metal mixing bowl, and yolks in a small separate bowl. Use an electric hand mixer on high speed to whip the egg whites for 2–3 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form that hold their shape when the mixer is lifted. Gently fold the egg yolks and remaining 1 teaspoon (6g) kosher salt into the whipped whites with a rubber spatula, taking care not to deflate the light, airy batter.
Fry battered chiles golden
Heat the remaining 735ml (just under 3 cups) vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet to 180°C/350°F, using a candy thermometer to monitor temperature consistently. Working one at a time, dip a floured stuffed chile fully into the egg batter, coating it in a thick, even layer. Carefully lower the battered chile into the hot oil, and fry for 2–3 minutes per side, using tongs to flip gently, until the batter is puffed, crisp, and deep golden brown on all sides. Transfer fried chiles to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil, and sprinkle lightly with a pinch of the remaining salt while hot. Fry a maximum of 2 chiles at a time to avoid dropping oil temperature and causing soggy batter.
Plate and serve hot
Spoon 60ml (1/4 cup) of warm tomato sauce onto each of 4 dinner plates, then place 1.5 fried chiles per serving on top of the sauce. Serve immediately, while the batter remains crisp and the cheese filling is fully melted and slightly oozing from the chile slit.
Tips
2.Use a completely grease-free, dry bowl for whipping egg whites: even a tiny amount of fat, oil, or stray egg yolk will prevent whites from forming stiff, glossy peaks needed for the light, crisp batter.
3.Monitor frying oil temperature with a candy thermometer: oil hotter than 190°C/375°F burns the batter before cheese melts, while oil cooler than 170°C/340°F creates soggy, grease-soaked chiles.
OMG these were SO good! I made them for taco night with the kids last night and even my super picky 7 year old asked for seconds. I used Oaxaca cheese just like the recipe said and the gooey cheese pull was *chef’s kiss*. Total game changer for our weekly family dinner rotation.
Really solid recipe! Took me a little longer than 55 minutes because I was multitasking brats on the grill for my neighborhood potluck this weekend, but these were the first thing gone off the appetizer table. Only note: I added a little extra cumin to the egg batter and it popped. Next time I’ll stuff a little pickled jalapeño in with the cheese for extra heat.
I was so intimidated to make chile rellenos at home because I thought they’d be way too fussy, but this recipe broke every step down so clearly! I made a big batch on Sunday for meal prep and they reheated perfectly in the air fryer all week. My kids loved pulling them out of the fridge for quick after-school snacks too! 10/10, no notes.
I grew up eating my abuela’s chile rellenos in East LA and I’ve been chasing that flavor for DECADES. This recipe is the closest I’ve ever gotten to the real thing – no weird canned chiles, no overly thick batter, just that perfect crispy outside and melty cheese inside. I cried a little when I took the first bite, it was that good.
Taste was incredible but man, I messed up the egg batter so bad! My whites wouldn’t form stiff peaks no matter how long I whisked them, so the coating was kind of thin and fell off half the chiles when I fried them. Still tasted cheesy and good, but they didn’t look as pretty as the photos.
Brought these to my office potluck last week and people were blowing up my text chain asking for the recipe. I paired them with a little side of salsa verde and sour cream for dipping, and even the guy who only eats fast food went back for three. Will absolutely be making these for every gathering from now on.
Made these after a long day hiking last weekend and they hit DIFFERENT. I used pepper jack instead of Oaxaca because that’s what I had in the fridge, and the little kick of spice was perfect after being out in the cold rain. So cozy, so satisfying, didn’t even feel like a complicated weeknight meal.
Okay, I’ll be real, I almost bailed halfway through because peeling the chiles took way longer than I thought it would, but my wife talked me into finishing and WOW. So worth the effort. I think next time I’ll wear gloves when I handle the chiles though, because my fingers were burning for HOURS after I seeded them.
I’ve been making chile rellenos for over 40 years and this recipe is the one I’m going to pass down to my grandkids. The tip to let the batter rest for 10 minutes before dipping? Absolute game changer, I never did that before and the coating stays on so much better now. Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful, authentic recipe!
Made these in my tiny dorm kitchen with a cheap little countertop deep fryer and they came out insane! My roommates are already begging me to make them again this weekend. I skipped peeling the chiles a little bit (oops) because I was in a hurry and it still tasted great, tbh.
I was so happy to see this recipe doesn’t use a ton of flour in the batter! I swapped the light all-purpose flour dredge for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend and it worked perfectly. My celiac husband hasn’t been able to eat chile rellenos at restaurants in years and he said these tasted exactly like the ones he had growing up in San Antonio.
Made these for our college football tailgate last Saturday and they were a massive hit. I pre-stuffed the chiles the night before and stored them in the fridge, then dipped and fried them up on a portable camp stove right before kickoff. Only complaint is I didn’t make enough – people were looking for seconds before halftime even started.
I was worried these would be too spicy for my Midwestern palate that’s used to mild food, but the poblanos had just the right amount of warmth without being overwhelming. I served them with rice and beans and a dollop of guac, and it felt like we were eating at our favorite little Mexican restaurant downtown instead of our dining room.
Just made these for my partner for our anniversary dinner at home and they were OBSESSED. They said it was better than the chile rellenos we had on our trip to Mexico City last year. I added a little drizzle of crema and crumbled cotija on top and it was *perfect*. 10/10, will be making this for every special occasion.
If you don’t want to deep fry these, I tested them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 12 minutes, spritzed with a little avocado oil, and they got perfectly crispy! Way less mess, same great flavor. The cheese was totally melty and the batter didn’t get soggy at all. Perfect for anyone who hates dealing with pots of hot oil.
Taste was 10/10 but I’m knocking a star off because the leftovers were kind of a soggy mess when I reheated them in the microwave the next day. The flavor was still there but the crispy coating was totally gone. Any tips for better leftovers?
I added a little chorizo to the cheese stuffing (cooked and crumbled super fine, drained really well) and it was life changing. The salty, spicy chorizo paired so perfectly with the melty cheese and smoky chile. If you’re a meat eater, do not sleep on that add-in.
I’ve tried so many chile relleno recipes from food blogs over the years and this is the only one that doesn’t feel like a watered down Americanized version. The steps are authentic, the ingredient list is simple, and the final result tastes like it came from a family owned taqueria, not a chain restaurant. Already shared this to my whole family group chat.