Traditional Chile Relleno Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes

This poblano Chile Relleno recipe is perfect for home-style taste when your craving kicks in. Only 7 ingredients to this approachable, folded version, of this classic Mexican dish that hits the spot every time. It's eaten as is, in a warm tortilla as a taco, wrapped in a flour tortilla smothered layer of your favorite creamy refried beans as a burrito, or in a bowl topped with veggie soup and a dollop of red salsa.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

cooling time20

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: Cheese, Chile Relleno, Chile Relleno Recipe, Cotija Cheese Recipe, Eggs, Mexican Cuisine, Mexican Food, Pasilla Pepper, Poblano Pepper

Servings: servings

Calories: 754kcal

Author: Erika Garibay - LQC Recipes

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!

This is our easy version, our Traditional individual Chiles Rellenos post is available now. Go to the LatinasQueComen website and search Chile Relleno Recipe.

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