Chiles Rellenos
Roasted poblanos stuffed with cheese, battered and fried.
Ingredients
- 4 Poblano peppers
- 250 g Oaxaca cheese
- 4 Egg
- 80 g All-purpose flour
- 4 Tomato
- 1 Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 400 ml Neutral oil
- 1 tsp Salt
Method
- Char the poblanos over an open flame or under the broiler until blackened all over, then steam them in a covered bowl, peel off the skins, and slit each to remove the seeds.
- Blend the tomato, onion, and garlic with the salt into a purée, then simmer it in a pan until slightly thickened to make a tomato broth.
- Stuff each poblano with the Oaxaca cheese.
- Just before frying, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, then gently fold in the yolks to make a fluffy batter.
- Dust the stuffed poblanos with flour, coat in the batter, and fry in hot oil until puffed and golden all over.
- Serve the chiles in the warm tomato broth.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Chiles Rellenos
Chiles rellenos are a classic of central Mexican cooking: whole poblano peppers roasted, stuffed, battered, and fried into golden, puffed parcels. The peppers are charred over flame until blackened, then steamed and peeled so the flesh turns silky and mildly smoky, with just enough gentle heat to register. Stuffed with Oaxaca cheese, a stringy melting cheese similar to mozzarella, they turn molten inside as they fry. The dish is a fixture of holiday tables and comida corrida menus, often served alongside rice and beans.
What sets a proper chile relleno apart is the batter: egg whites whipped to stiff peaks and folded with the yolks, so the coating fries up light, airy, and almost soufflé-like rather than dense. A flour dusting first gives the batter something to cling to, and hot oil is essential for that immediate puff. The finished peppers are bathed in a simple simmered tomato broth of blended tomato, onion, and garlic, which cuts the richness of the fried cheese and turns the plate into something saucy and comforting. Eat them fresh from the fryer, while the crust is crisp and the cheese still pulls.
Chiles Rellenos: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Chiles Rellenos?
A serving has about 527 calories — 26.5g protein, 39.1g carbs, 30.8g fat, 3.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 26.5g of protein, roughly 20% of its calories.
Is Chiles Rellenos gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains All-purpose flour. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Chiles Rellenos dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Oaxaca cheese. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Chiles Rellenos take to make?
About 50 minutes start to finish, but only around 32 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
How many servings does Chiles Rellenos make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.