Cheese-Stuffed Chile Rellenos Recipe

One of our favorite foods is the cuisine of Mexico, and we make and eat Mexican dishes all the time. There are so many delicious flavors to choose from, and living in San Diego we are fortunate to have a gazillion fantastic Mexican restaurants within driving distance. Along the way I’ve learned to make a few of our favorite dishes at home. We especially love my version of a Chile Rellenos recipe inspired by good friend and champion Master Chef Claudia Sandoval.

It’s a process making this Chili Rellenos recipe, so you’ll need some time to get it right. But oh my gosh are the results worth it! There are a lot of steps to this recipe, and it goes faster if you make it with a friend. I made these recently with my close friend Patti and we had a blast. We had a sip of margarita, followed by a step in the recipe, had another sip of margarita, and so on. Cooking with a friend can be so fun!

My Chile Rellenos recipe consists of mild anaheim chile or poblano chile peppers stuffed with Mexican cheese. Then they are dipped in a fluffy egg batter and fried to a golden crisp. The cheese inside gets all melty while the outside is crunchy – always a delicious combination. Then the entire dish is smothered in a flavorful tomato broth. Mmmmm I can taste them now.

Cheese-Stuffed Chile Rellenos Recipe

Ingredients

To make the rellenos:

• 12 large fresh anaheim or poblano chiles, charred and cleaned (see directions below)
• 2 cups queso fresco, cubed (white Mexican cheese can be substituted with Monterey jack)
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups frying oil

For the sauce:

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted or stewed tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Roast the Chiles

1. Put the chiles directly on the stove over the burner. As they blacken and char, turn them until the entire outside of the chili is blackened.
2. Put all the blackened chiles in a brown paper bag and close it tightly. The heat and condensation will loosen the charred skin from the chiles.
3. After 10 minutes, take each chile out one at a time and peel off the blackened skin. It should slide right off but you might have to do some peeling with your fingers. I suggest doing this over the sink because it’s kind of a messy process. If you prefer your chiles mild, make a slice in each chile and remove the seeds inside.

Stuff and Batter the Chiles

Part of the magic taste in this chile rellenos recipe is the fluffy batter.

1. If you haven’t already, make a slit down the side of each chile. Stuff each chile with the cubes of cheese, careful not to overfill so you can still close the chile completely.
2. Sprinkle each chile with flour, covering all sides. Set aside.
3. Separate the eggs, and place the whites in a medium bowl. Beat the white with a mixer set on high until fluffy. Scramble the yolks and slowly fold them and the ½ cup flour into the whites until just combined.

Fry the Chiles

1. Pour 1 cup of oil into a non-stick pan and heat on stove set to medium-high.
2. Dip each chile into the egg batter, covering completely right up to the stem. Lay carefully into hot frying pan.
3. Fry the chiles 2 or 3 at a time, turning to cook all sides to a golden brown – about 4 minutes per side. Remove and place on baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
4. Repeat this process until all chiles are fried crispy and golden brown. You may have to add more oil to the pan (should be at least an inch of oil in the bottom).

Make the Sauce for this Chile Rellenos Recipe

1. Pour out excess oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat for 4 minutes until translucent.
2. Add the garlic and tomatoes, stirring for 3 minutes to cook. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes to thicken.

Cook the Chiles

1. Add 4-5 chiles to the pan and cook on low for 5 minutes more, spooning sauce on top of each chile so they are covered in goodness.
2. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. This will soften the chiles and melt the cheese all the way.
3. Remove chiles to baking dish and cover with foil. Repeat process with remaining chiles until all are cooked with sauce.

Print Recipe

Your adventure making the chile rellenos recipe is now complete! I know it seems like a lot, but it actually goes pretty fast and the end result is totally worth it.

Serve chile rellenos recipe with pinto beans and Mexican rice. We usually have carnitas on the side as well, with fresh cilantro, diced onions and a squeeze of lime juice – yummmmm.

 

Looking for other recipes to feed the hungry beasts? Try one of these:

The Easiest Lemon Rosemary Chicken Recipe Ever

https://2dadswithbaggage.com/easy-pasta-carbonara-recipe-from-my-italian-nana/

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