FamilyProof

Homemade Chile Relleno Recipe That Feels Like Takeout

By Jeff Misenti

Chile Relleno on plate
Credit: Duane Beckett (OpenAI)
Chile Relleno on plate. Credit: Duane Beckett (OpenAI)

Difficulty Level: easy

30 min Prep
30 min Cook
1 hr Total
6 Servings

Chile Relleno might not be an obvious recipe to try, but you should. Especially if charred poblano peppers, stuffed with cheese, battered and fried until golden brown sounds good.

Whenever we cook them, it’s genuine comfort food with a bit of heat, a lot of texture, and delicious gooey-ness. Plus they look great on any plate.

It’s amazing how easy this cook is, and when you consider the price of interesting takeout, cooking in and trying new things makes a lot of sense.

Each cooking step is simple, the ingredients are easy to found and customize, so check out the Chile Relleno recipe below (and don’t forget hot oil matters).

Chile Relleno Ingredients

  • 6 large poblano peppers
  • 8 oz queso fresco, crumbled
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for coating
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for batter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Chile Relleno Instructions

  1. Set your broiler to high.
  2. Place the poblanos on a baking sheet and broil for about 5 minutes per side, until the skins blister and blacken in spots. Turn them with tongs so they char evenly.
  3. Move the peppers into a plastic bag and seal it for 10 minutes. That quick steam makes peeling much easier.
  4. While they steam, separate the eggs. Beat the whites until stiff peaks form, then fold in the yolks gently, you want a fluffy batter, not a thin one.
  5. Peel off the pepper skins. Cut a small slit in each pepper and remove seeds and membranes
  6. Mix the queso fresco and Monterey Jack, then stuff each pepper. Close the slit as best you can, it doesn’t need to be perfect.
  7. Set up two shallow bowls, one with the 1/4 cup flour for a light dusting, the other with the egg batter mixed with the 1/2 cup flour, salt, and pepper. Stir the batter until smooth.
  8. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, aim for about 350°F.
  9. Coat each stuffed pepper in the dry flour, shake off the excess, then dip into the batter so it’s fully covered.
  10. Fry the peppers for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden. Turn them gently so the coating stays put.
  11. Drain on paper towels, then serve right away while the cheese is still warm. You want them to be crisp outside and soft inside.

Nutrition

Calories: 320cal
Carbohydrate: 15g
Protein: 14g
Fat: 22g
Cholesterol: – -mg
Sodium: – -mg