Authentic Chili Rellenos are a classic Mexican dish made by stuffing chili peppers with meat and cheese, coating them in batter, and deep frying them until they are golden and crisp. They are incredible and one of my favorite menu items to order, but not as easy to make at home. This easy casserole version takes the essence of Chili Rellenos and turns it into a quick weeknight meal! It is a great recipe to have on hand to use as a side dish for my Mexican Whole Roasted Chicken or can be used as a main dish with sides like Mexican Rice. My friend Jana shared this recipe with me and it’s one of our new favorites. It came from one of those family recipe book compilations from the 90’s with the note “good” next to it, which is a clear indication of a winner if ever there was one. For more Mexican-inspired easy dinner recipes, check out my White Chicken Enchiladas, these Pork Carnitas, and my Green Chili Chicken Chimichangas!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This easy recipe is so versatile, you can change it to match your flavor preference or heat level perfectly! We’ll be using simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Quick to make, this dish comes together in less than an hour!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Green Chiles – We’ll use one large can of whole green chilies. You can use fresh chile peppers if you prefer by roasting them on the grill until charred, then sealing them in a ziploc bag for 20 minutes before peeling off the outer charred skin. Milk – Any milk will work here, but using whole milk will give you the creamiest taste. Eggs – Eggs in this dish will hold everything together and give it a thicker casserole-like substance that you can cut into slices. They also make this recipe a good source of protein! Flour – All-purpose flour will work well here to help the casserole keep its form. Seasoning – We’ll use a simple but flavorful combination of kosher salt, smoked paprika, and freshly ground black pepper. Cheese – I’ve used a mix of cheddar cheese and Pepper Jack cheese, but you can use a Mexican cheese mix, Monterey Jack cheese, or Mozzarella cheese if you wish.
How to Make Chile Rellenos Casserole
Tips for Success
Remove the seeds from the chilis and wash the chilis if you don’t want the casserole to be as spicy. Alternatively, you can use bell peppers to get a completely mild version. Serve your Chile Rellenos with some Mexican Rice, Refried Beans, and Mexican Restaurant-Style Salsa, or try some Pico de Gallo, Texas Cowboy Caviar, or Grilled Mexican Street Corn.
Substitutions and Variations
Turn up the heat. Add some cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes to the egg mixture for more spice, or choose a hotter pepper (see below). Change the peppers. Each type of chili pepper will have its own heat threshold of spiciness that is usually measured on the Scoville scale that goes from 0 (Bell Pepper) to 1.4-2.2 million (Carolina Reaper Pepper). Poblano Peppers are very flavorful and have a bit of a kick to them, but they really aren’t very intense. They are spicier than anaheim peppers but milder than hatch green chiles, which in turn are milder than jalapeno peppers. Use the type of pepper that you prefer for the level of heat, but bear in mind that each pepper can vary in heat within its type. Cheese. You need 3 cups of cheese total, but you can use any kind of decent melting cheese that you like. You can add some extra cheese to the top of the casserole if you like. Tomato Sauce. Some recipes for chile rellenos use some kind of tomato sauce on the side. Try my Ranchero Sauce for a bit of spice and extra flavor, or my Mexican Salsa for a milder flavor. Stuff the peppers. Instead of slicing the peppers in half and using them to make layers, you can keep the peppers whole, slice the tops off, and hollow them out. Then use cheese sticks to stuff the peppers, then lay them in the casserole dish, adding the egg mixture and extra cheese on top. Add meat. Authentic Chile Rellenos will be made with ground beef as well as an egg mixture and cheese, so you can add a ground beef layer to the casserole for a more authentic flavor if you like.
More Mexican Food Recipes
Easy Chorizo con Papas (Mexican Potatoes with Chorizo) Huevos Rancheros Best Ground Beef Enchiladas Recipe Chicken Flautas Grilled Pork Tacos al Pastor
You can roast peppers on an open flame on a gas stove or grill, but I normally use a broiler as I find it easier.
Wash the peppers and pat them dry with a paper towel. Slice the peppers in half, removing the stems and membranes, but you can leave the seeds if you want a bit of extra spice. Place the pepper halves in a preheated oven with the broiler on high and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the skins are charred black and wrinkled. Remove from oven and immediately put the peppers in a glass bowl, covering it tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to rest for about 30 minutes so they can soften a bit in the steam. This will cause the skins to loosen a bit as well. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel the charred skin away from the pepper “meat” and discard the skins. Use right away or store in a jar in the fridge with 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 3 days or in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.
See my post How to Roast Red Peppers for full instructions, hints, and tips!
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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa
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