Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (2024)

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By Taylor Stinson | 4 Comments | Posted: | Updated:

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This Easy Chile Relleno Recipe is a healthier spin on the traditional Mexican-style stuffed peppers made with poblanos and a spicy red sauce.

Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (1)

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Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (2)

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Poblano peppers– you could also use Anaheim peppers or green bell peppers (although they'll be less spicy).
  • Monterey jack cheese – asiago or mozzarella cheese would also work.
  • Olive oil– or any other neutral cooking oil like canola, avocado or grapeseed oil.
  • Onion– white or yellow onion is best here.
  • Green pepper– you can also try red pepper or additional diced poblano peppers.
  • Garlic– I like using fresh garlic for the best flavour, but jarred minced garlic or garlic powder work in a pinch.
  • Canned diced tomatoes – use fresh diced tomatoes if you can't find the canned.
  • Chili powder–you can make your own blend using paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and cayenne.
  • Brown sugar– use a combination of white sugar and molasses to make your own brown sugar.
  • Cumin– coriander would also work, as it comes from the same spice family.
  • Paprika– cayenne pepper is the best substitute here.
  • Salt & pepper– to taste
Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (3)

How to make chili rellenos

  1. Bake the poblano peppers.
  2. Make the spicy red sauce and the Mexican rice (optional).
  3. Slice the poblano peppers down the middle.
  4. Scrape out seeds and membranes and fill the peppers with cheese.
  5. Bake until the cheese has melted.
  6. Remove from the oven, top with sauce and serve!
Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (4)

Chile relleno recipe tips

Here are some of my top tips for making these chili rellenos, including a few different variations to try:

  • Peel the skin off the baked poblano peppers to make them easier to cut.
  • If you're not a fan of spice, swap out the poblano peppers for green bell peppers.
  • Use Oaxaca cheese instead of Monterey Jack for an authentic flavour.
  • Stuff your peppers with sofritas, carnitas, barbacoa or shredded chicken instead of the sauce.
  • Use animmersion blenderto blend the sauce right in the pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a chile relleno and chile poblano?

Chile relleno refers to the dish of poblano peppers that are stuffed and filled with cheese, whereas chile poblano refers to the actual pepper used to make the dish.

Do you have to peel the peppers?

Peeling the peppers is optional for this chile relleno recipe, but it does make the dish more authentic and makes the peppers easier to cut.

Can you make vegan chili rellenos?

To make this recipe vegan, all you have to do is swap out the Monterey Jack cheese for a vegan cheese or leave it out altogether.

What do you serve on the side?

This chile relleno recipe is an entire meal on its own, but if you're looking for side dishes, try serving it with refried beans, cowboy caviar, chips and guac or elotes.

Can you prep them ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this recipe ahead of time and store the leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days, then reheat in the oven for 10 minutes at 375° F. You could also make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a couple days, then use it to make fresh chili rellenos.

Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (5)

Storing and reheating

You can store this healthy chile relleno recipe in the fridge for 3 to 5 days in glass meal prep containers. When you're ready to eat, reheat the peppers in the microwave for 2 minutes or pop them in the oven in a foil-covered baking dish for 10 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit.

Freezing this recipe

Although the texture of the peppers won't be exactly the same, you can freeze this chili relleno recipe for up to 3 months. Wait until the peppers have completely cooled, then freeze them in airtight glass containers. I recommend freezing the peppers and the sauce separately for the best results. When you’re ready to enjoy, let the peppers defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as normal.

Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (6)
Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (7)

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Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (11)

Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers}

This Easy Chile Relleno Recipe is a healthier spin on the traditional Mexican-style stuffed peppers made with poblanos and a spicy red sauce.

4.84 from 6 votes

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Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Taylor Stinson

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
  • Finely chopped cilantro, to serve (optional)
  • Sliced avocado, to serve (optional)
  • Lime wedges, to serve (optional)

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp each salt & pepper

Mexican rice (optional)

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup dry rice
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 F. Bake poblano peppers for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 10 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add olive oil to a large pot, then add onions, green pepper and garlic, sauteeing for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients, bringing to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender then keep sauce warm on low until ready to serve.

  • Remove peppers from oven then slice down the middle as seen in the video below. Gently scrape out the seeds and membranes using a spoon, then fill with cheese. Bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

  • Remove peppers from oven, then top with sauce and a little bit more cheese if desired. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges and avocado slices (all optional but yummy!) Serve with Mexican rice or other choice of side if desired.

Optional Mexican rice

  • While peppers and sauce are cooking, add all Mexican rice ingredients to a rice cooker. Rice will cook automatically.

Video

Notes

Peel the peppers first to make them easier to cut.

Use an immersion blender to easily blend the sauce.

Swap out the sauce for sofritas, carnitas, barbacoa or shredded chicken.

Store the leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes or in the oven for 10 minutes at 375° F.

Freeze the peppers and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge then reheat as normal.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal (24%)Carbohydrates: 52g (17%)Protein: 19g (38%)Fat: 23g (35%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Cholesterol: 53mg (18%)Sodium: 414mg (18%)Potassium: 460mg (13%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 1955IU (39%)Vitamin C: 121.9mg (148%)Calcium: 471mg (47%)Iron: 2.1mg (12%)

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Created by Taylor Stinson

Hey there, my name's Taylor! I’m the founder of The Girl on Bloor, a food blog where I share healthy meal prep recipes for busy people. I'm a busy city girl living in downtown Toronto on (you guessed it!) Bloor Street. I've got 10 years experience meal prepping, along with a Master's degree in journalism, and you can find my work across the internet featured on publications such as Buzzfeed, HuffPost, Women's Health, Reader's Digest and more. I also run the awesome 5-Day Meal Prep Challenge, which is a free email course and Facebook group where I share my meal planning strategies and easy meal prep tips and recipes. Be sure to check out my free beginner’s guide to meal prep and follow me on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to get my latest recipes and meal prep tips!

Reader Interactions

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Carol says

    Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (12)
    I’ve been making ALOT of your low carb recipes and I must say this one is the best. A little higher in carbs but to have the rice made it a special meal. My family wants me to make it again next week when we are having company over. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Taylor Stinson says

      I’m so happy you enjoyed 🙂

      Reply

  2. Stephanie W says

    I take it that the calorie count does not include the rice since it is listed as optional? I can’t wait to try this as it is one of my favorite Mexican dishes that I try to avoid

    Reply

    • Taylor Stinson says

      The nutritional info for the recipe actually does include the rice! 🙂

      Reply

Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers} - The Girl on Bloor (2024)

FAQs

What is chile relleno batter made of? ›

Mix milk, 1 cup flour, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 teaspoon canola oil together in a small bowl until well combined. Place remaining 1/2 cup flour on a shallow plate. Pour 1 inch oil into a heavy frying pan. Heat over medium-high heat.

What is the difference between chile relleno and poblano relleno? ›

The big difference between a chile relleno and a chile poblano is that chile relleno is a recipe for a Mexican entrée and chile poblano is not a recipe, but simply a fresh poblano chile pepper, a large, relatively mild chile pepper with a deep green color.

How do you keep chili rellenos from falling apart? ›

You can use a little bit of flour to bind the overlapped edges. If a pepper falls apart as you are stuffing it, do the best you can to squeeze the stuffing into a chile-shaped ball inside strips of chile. The batter will help the whole thing hold together.

Is a chile relleno healthy? ›

Worst: Chile Relleno

While the main ingredient here -- a chili pepper -- is healthy, this dish is anything but. That's because the pepper is stuffed with cheese, coated in batter, and deep-fried in oil. Then it's smothered in sauce and melted cheese.

How do you make the batter for chile relleno? ›

Whisk the flour, baking powder, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the beer to a make a smooth batter. In a large, wide, heavy-bottomed pot, pour in the oil to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 365 degrees F.

What part of Mexico is chile relleno from? ›

The chile relleno (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃile reˈʝeno], literally "stuffed chile") is a dish in Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla.

What are the fun facts about chile rellenos? ›

Fun fact: The main ingredient, poblano peppers (or poblano chiles), is named after Puebla, Mexico. They grew wild in that region's mountainous areas. The dish typically consists of a roasted or grilled poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, meat, or vegetables and then fried or baked.

Does chile relleno have meat? ›

In the latter, Chef Fernando Olea molds a roasted chile poblano into a tower filled with ground lamb, pork, and beef; nuts; dried fruits; and spices. The relleno structure is then placed in a cool pool of nogada, and bejeweled with pomegranate seeds and a balsamic-jalapeño reduction.

Why do you have to peel chiles rellenos? ›

Poblano chiles are a mild green chile typically used to prepare chiles rellenos, rajas con queso, and crema de poblano. They need to be roasted and peeled before cooking to remove the tough outer skin which is difficult to digest. Roasting also adds flavor.

What happens if you don't peel poblano peppers? ›

Poblano chiles are a mild green chile typically used to prepare chiles rellenos, rajas con queso, and crema de poblano. They need to be roasted and peeled before cooking to remove the tough outer skin which is difficult to digest.

Why is my chile relleno soggy? ›

The most important thing about deep frying anything is temperature. If the temperature of the oil is too low, the rellenos will end up soggy and extremely greasy. If the temperature of the oil is too high, the outside of the rellenos will burn before the cheese on the inside has fully melted.

Does chile relleno have a lot of carbs? ›

A crispy chile relleno typically contains around 30 grams of carbohydrates. This includes the carbs from the poblano pepper, cheese filling, egg batter, and breading. However, the exact number of carbs in a chile relleno can vary depending on the recipe and ingredients used.

What is chiles rellenos in english? ›

What are chile rellenos? Chile rellenos (or 'stuffed peppers' in English) are a traditional Mexican dish made from roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, then coated in a fluffy egg batter and fried until golden brown.

Are chili rellenos high in carbs? ›

Chili (chile) relleno with cheese, fried (1 each - chili) contains 9.9g total carbs, 8.9g net carbs, 16.4g fat, 8.2g protein, and 217 calories.

Is chile relleno sauce the same as enchilada sauce? ›

Red chile sauce – The other classic New Mexican sauce, red chile uses dried red chiles, onions, garlic, and spices. It's essentially what you might think of as enchilada sauce, the softened dried peppers and aromatics blendwith stock or water so it becomes smooth and velvety.

What is poblano made of? ›

Poblano peppers are reasonably mild Mexican chili peppers. Their name comes from where they were first grown –– the Mexican state of Puebla. The dried version of these peppers is called ancho chiles. In addition to dried poblanos, you can also find these heart-shaped peppers fresh.

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