This easy Chile Relleno recipe made from poblano peppers is my favorite and quick way to cook when I’m craving this dish. It is goldenly fried and folded; think crepe but a chile! If you’re not worried about missing the stem-on, individually fried chile relleno and still get all the flavor, this recipe is for you!
Don’t forget your salsa, try Creamy Avocado Salsa, simple small batch Salsa Matcha (guajillo style).
Why this recipe works
I’ve seen many versions of how to make chile poblano recipes and the thought of turning on an oven or frying multiple batches when I only want a few, isn’t ideal for me after a long day.
I’m sharing my easy method because it’s always a hit at dinner. It’s faster than the traditional route and still taste like the authentic chile relleno we know and love to eat! I want to provide you with all the flavor yet not worry about the pressure of presentation and it’s simple! Besides, it still looks mighty delicious plated, right?
For The Family
When cooking by the dozen(s), I do the individual + traditional method that I’ve adapted in my own way. For that method visit my Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe. There, you will also see the variations of stuffings that can be used as the stuffing in prepared poblano peppers.
Ingredients
Grocery Quick List: chile poblano, cheese, tomatoes, eggs, serranos or jalapenos, oil, and flour.
- 4 poblano peppers
- 2 medium roma tomatoes
- 2 serrano peppers (or jalapeño for milder spice)
- 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, 4-6 block slices (half pound)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt or sea salt to taste
Ingredient Notes
Poblano chiles – Also labeled as pasilla chiles in some stores, they are medium to mild spiced and bring the heat when you pick a winner! When they aren’t spicy they usually have a mild spice level.
Roma tomatoes – Used to add flavor and dimension to this flavorful meal. Other tomatoes like cocktail, vine, and beefsteak can be used as a substitute.
Serranos or jalapeños – Is chile relleno spicy? If the poblano peppers picked lack your desired spice level, serranos and jalapeños are used to make up for it with the ‘on the side’ heat. Choose jalapeño for mild and serranos for hot.
Monterey jack cheese – I use Monterey cheese as the deliciously melty center filling in many classic Mexican dishes. Other cheeses used in making this relleno recipe are quesillo, queso fresco, and cotija.
Egg batter made is used to coat the poblano peppers. Authentic taste uses the entire egg and gives the batter its lovely yellow color.
Oil – The oil to fry the stuffed chiles widely used is corn, canola, or vegetable. However, extra virgin olive oil is my preferred choice for frying chiles rellenos.
Flour – Used to coat the outer layer of poblano chiles as a binder for the egg batter. This step prevents the egg fry from sliding right off of the cooked and peeled chiles.
Subsitutions: optional potato filling, cauliflower rice, queso fresco, or mixtures you enjoy chiles rellenos with the best.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preparing the Poblano Chiles
- Thoroughly rinse poblano chiles and roma tomatoes. Lay all whole peppers and tomatoes flat on pan. Cover with lid and let cook on medium/low heat for 10 minutes on each side.
- Place tomatoes on a plate and set to side. Carefully remove chiles from sauté pan (I do this with tongs) while still hot and place them in food and heat safe container or plastic bag, seal off completely. Let it cool for 15 minutes. Save the pan, same pan will be used for the frying.
- Meanwhile, gather remaining ingredients and equipment. Place flour over a large plate and spread it out. Then cut half pound (8 ounces) of cheese into 4-6 thick slices. Set flour and cheese to the side. Have hand mixer available and eggs in a bowl to one side.
- Once poblanos have cooled: Begin to peel the skin off. Gently peel the skin off of the pepper, remove stems, and use a spoon to remove and dispose of all the seeds.
- Place exterior of chiles laid flat on the plate with flour. Flour should only coat the external side of the peeled chiles (the side we peeled the skin from). Set plate to the side.
Ready to Fry
- Turn stove on to lowest heat, add three tablespoons of oil to pan. Allow oil to heat while you prep the easy egg foam in the next step.
- With electric mixer blend two egg whites in a small bowl until the foam builds, once foaming increases, add egg yolks and beat for another 30-45 seconds, you want to achieve a fluffy egg foam – not stiff, so use your best cooking judgement.
- Now you’re ready to fry: Have chiles, cheese, and egg foam right next to your stove. Have you heat safe spatular ready too!
- Turn the heat up on the stove to a medium flame. Pour egg foam onto the pan and gently spread out evenly to cover as much surface and edges of the pan. Lay chiles flour side down on top of the egg foam, followed by sliced cheese laid down on half of one side of the pan. Cover with lid. Let cook for 3 minutes.
- Remove lid, with spatula carefully fold over the side with no cheese over to the cheese side. Keep folded towards rounded edge of pan so the cheese stays in place and doesn’t spill over. Place serrano chiles in pan. Cover for 3-5 minutes on low flame.
- Turn off the stove, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan (since it’s hot, the cheese will ooze out if you transfer too soon). After cooled, transfer to plate or cooling rack (helps it hold onto its golden crispy parts).
- Cut the cooked tomatoes in chunks as a side fixing. Grilled serranos are used to add more spice to your chiles if they aren’t spicy enough.
To Enjoy As Cooked
This cheese chile relleno can be eaten as is, or in a warm corn tortilla as a taco, my favorite! Wrap it up in a flour tortilla smothered with refried beans as a burrito, or in a bowl topped with hot veggie broth and dollop of red sauce.
Either way you choose, enjoy this fried golden brown relleno as your next meal!
Storage
Taste best when fresh. Leftovers will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator when properly stored. Container with lid, wrapped tight in parchment paper, or aluminum foil.
Pro Tips / Receta Notes
Can I use less cheese, how about shredded cheese? Yes on less if you wish. Use less cheese if you prefer to go lighter or use a block cheese dairy-free replacement. As for shredded cheese, it’ll work, but it’s not my preferred choice. Block slices are thicker and closer to the real deal of the traditional chile relleno form. Also, shredded cheese can get sloppy during the melting process which is why I favor cooking with block slices.
Can I make this recipe without yolks? Yes. That’s the beauty of cooking at home, if you need to adjust your food needs, please do! Although, you’ll need about 1-2 more egg whites so you have enough egg coating. The egg yolks are used in traditional methods which contribute to the overall flavor and give a beautiful color to the egg batter. Keep in mind, the recipe will not taste exactly as intended with adjustments.
Heat safe bags (re: prep – step 2) – This process is easy for peeling the skin off the chiles. Hopefully, you find it easy as well. Enjoy using this process for all your future food classic chile dish prep!
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Traditional Chile Relleno Recipe
DESCRIPTION
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer
- Non-stick saute pan
- Non stick heat-safe spatula
- Raised cooling rack
- Non-stick and heat safe tongs
- Heat safe container or bowl with lid (cling wrap is ok too)
Ingredients
- 4 poblano peppers (also labeled as pasilla chiles in local grocers)
- 2 medium roma tomatoes
- 2 serrano peppers (or jalapeño for milder spice)
- 8 ounces monterey jack cheese, 4-6 block slices (half pound)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt to taste (or kosher salt)
Instructions
Preparation of Chile Relleno Foldie
- Lay whole poblanos, serrano and tomatoes flat on sauté pan. Let cook on medium/low heat for 10 minutes on each side. Cover with lid.
- Place roma tomatoes and serranos on a plate and set to side. Carefully remove poblano chiles from sauté pan (I use tongs) while still hot and place them in your food and heat safe plastic bag or container, seal off completely (cling wrap ok). Allow peppers to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour and spread it out on a large plate. Then cut half of one pound block of Monterey Jack cheese into 4-6 thick slices. Set flour and cheese to the side. Have hand mixer, eggs, and small bowl ready and set to side.
- Once poblanos have cooled: Open container, and begin to peel the skin off. Since the heat has released naturally during the cooling process, the moisture gives the poblano pepper skin the tenderness to peel easily. Gently peel the skins, remove stems, and use a spoon to remove and dispose of the seeds. Put exterior chiles laid flat on the plate of flour. Flour should only coat the external side of the peeled chiles. Set plate to the side.
Ready To Fry Chile Relleno
- Turn stove on to lowest heat setting, add three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Allow to heat while you prep the egg foam in the next step.
- With electric mixer blend two egg whites until the foam builds, once egg begins to foam, add egg yolks last to the foam and beat for about 20-30 seconds, you will see the lovely yellow color appear. Careful not to over-blend, as you don't want extra stiff foam! Set ready egg foam in bowl to side.
- Have your chiles, cheese, and egg foam right next to your stove cause this process goes quick. Have your heat safe spatular ready too!Turn stove up to a medium/low flame. Pour egg foam onto the pan and gently spread out evenly to cover as much bottom and edges of the pan.
- Lay chiles flour side down on top of entire surface of the egg foam, followed by cheese, lay the cheese down only on half of one side of the pan. Cover with lid. Let heat for about 3 minutes on same medium heat.
- Remove pan lid, and with spatula carefully fold/flip over the side with no cheese onto the cheese side. You can gentle press to create a slit down the middle on the non cheese side, this will make flipping to cheese side easier. Keep folded towards rounded edge of pan so the cheese stays in place and doesn't spill over (melty cheese, yum!). Cover for 3-5 minutes on low flame. Turn off the stove, allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to plate or cooling rack (since it's hot, the cheese will ooze out if you transfer it too soon.)
- Dice the cooked roma tomatoes as a topping. Grilled serranos are used to add more spice to your dish if your poblano chiles don't have your preferred spice level. Enjoy this Delicious Chile Relleno they way you love it!
Notes
- Recipe yield: 4 poblano chiles, 2 servings
- Can I use less cheese, how about pre-shredded cheese? Yes on less if you wish. Use less cheese if you prefer to go lighter or use a dairy-free replacement.
- Re: Shredded cheese – It works but I prefer block cheese, definitely use what you have. I don’t use shredded cheese for this recipe since block slices are thicker and closer to the feel and real deal of chile relleno form.
- Another thing, shredded cheese can get a little sloppy during the melting process which is why I favor block slices of cheese when using Monterey Jack, just a heads up from my experience!
- Can I make this recipe without egg yolks? Yes. You don’t have to use the egg yolks recommended in this recipe if you need to adjust your home cooking needs but you’ll need about 1-2 more egg whites so you have enough coating. The egg yolk is used in traditional methods which contribute to flavor and give a beautiful color to the egg batter for the finished golden relleno.
- Heat safe bag / storage container: Easy solution is a large bowl wrapped with cling wrap. I find that this process really satisfying and makes peeling chile skin less tedious. You will see how easy it is and I hope you use this process for all your future prep of classic chile dishes to come!
Nutrition
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Hand blender (for easy clean up)
- Tongs
- Heat safe spatula
- Cooling Rack