Chiles Relleno Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
12 chiles
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Calories
437 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Chiles Relleno Recipe
Description
This Chiles Relleno Recipe involves preparing a ranchero sauce by boiling jalapeño and chile güero peppers until soft, then sautéing with onion, celery, tomatoes, and garlic. Flour is added to form a base, followed by water and seasoning with salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon granules to simmer into a flavorful sauce.
Meanwhile, roasted and peeled Anaheim peppers are slit and filled with slices of Oaxaca or similar melting cheese. The stuffed peppers are coated thoroughly in a seasoned flour mixture. Egg whites are beaten with cream of tartar, salt, and pepper to soft peaks, then gently folded with yolks to create a light batter used to coat the peppers before frying in canola oil until crisp and golden.
Once cooked, fried chiles are drained on paper towels to remove excess oil. The dish combines tender roasted peppers with gooey cheese inside, a light airy batter, and the tangy, mildly spicy ranchero sauce served alongside or over the chiles. It works as a festive main dish in Mexican cuisine.
Make-ahead tip: Stuffed chiles can be refrigerated overnight before battering and frying. Choices of peppers and cheeses can vary depending on heat preference and availability.
Ingredients
Ranchero Sauce
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 chile güero or sweet mini peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup onion white, chopped
- 1/2 celery chopped, stalk
- 3 tomatoes chopped, small
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups water
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
Chiles Rellenos
- 12 Anaheim pepper Hatch, or poblano chiles, roasted and peeled, large
- 4 cups queso Oaxaca Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, or asadero cheese, sliced
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper divided, ground
- 8 egg 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.
Notes
- Various chile peppers such as Anaheim, Hatch, or poblano can be used according to preference or availability.
- Queso Oaxaca is traditional for stuffing; Monterey Jack, Muenster, quesadilla, or asadero cheese are suitable alternatives.
- Removing seeds from chiles is optional; removing seeds and membranes reduces heat for milder chiles.
- Ensure egg whites are free of yolk for proper whipping to soft peaks.
- After frying, drain chiles on paper towels and change towels 2–3 times to absorb excess oil.
- Stuffed chiles can be made ahead and refrigerated before battering and frying.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12chiles
Amount Per Serving
Calories 437 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1chile | |
| Calories | 437kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 18g | 90% |
| Cholesterol | 138mg | 46% |
| Sodium | 1423mg | 59% |
| Potassium | 178mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 515IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 24mg | 27% |
| Calcium | 69mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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