The Best Chiles Rellenos Recipe: Delicious and Easy
Snowy days and Chiles Rellenos
We love making Baked Chiles Rellenos when the first snowstorm of the year hits. It’s a tradition that started years ago when we lived in North Carolina and made this dish during a big snowstorm. Even though we now live in N.E., Ohio, we keep the tradition alive and enjoy this delicious recipe every winter.
We used to make our chiles rellenos with a recipe that included an excessive amount of butter, cream, and cheese. Unfortunately, consuming it frequently could lead to rapid weight gain. Therefore, we revamped the recipe by:
- Baking the chiles instead of frying them
- Eliminating the use of cream
- Enhancing the taste with the addition of spices.
Tex Mex Food – YUM!
We absolutely love Tex-Mex cuisine, and there’s hardly any dish we don’t enjoy. But as someone who’s on a diet, it can be challenging to indulge in those mouth-watering Tex-Mex dishes. To overcome this challenge, we’ve been experimenting with baking techniques and fresh spices instead of oils. Chiles Rellenos, for instance, are usually stuffed with cheese, breaded, and fried to perfection – but unfortunately, they’re not low in calories!
However, weI’ve come up with our own version of Chiles Rellenos that’s still delicious while being relatively low in calories. Of course, cheese will always add some calories, but our recipe won’t ruin your diet like the traditional version.
Revamping Chiles Rellenos
I wanted to share a tasty recipe for Chile Rellenos that we really love. It’s got a lot of delicious cheese and is way more flavorful than other fried versions. Last summer, we found some Anaheim (or Hatch) chili peppers at the farmer’s market and grilled them up before freezing them. Now we can enjoy the taste of summer all year long! You can use whole chiles from cans or get fresh ones at the grocery store. If you go with fresh peppers, roast them and you’re good to go.
We grilled our chiles on charcoal, which is an easy method that allows you to roast multiple peppers at once. However, if you’re using a gas grill, set the burner to medium heat and place the peppers directly on it. Use tongs to turn them over and ensure even roasting.
After blackening all sides of the peppers, place them in a sealed container or a brown paper bag for approximately 15 minutes. The steaming process will aid in removing the outer skin of the peppers.
Under running water, the charred skins can be easily removed, revealing the pepper’s flesh. Cut off the tops and remove the seeds effortlessly by rinsing them under running water.
Anaheim peppers are typically not spicy, but occasionally, you may come across a fiery one that will leave you breathless. In contrast, Hatch peppers tend to have a more prominent spicy kick than Anaheim peppers.
How to make the Baked Chiles Rellenos
Begin by cutting the cheese into one-ounce strips. For this recipe, we opted for pepper jack cheese, but cheddar or Monterey jack cheese would work equally well.
Next, stuff each pepper with a stick of cheese and arrange them in a shallow baking dish.
Combine eggs, flour, and seasoning, and don’t worry if there are a few lumps in the mixture. Then, pour it over the chilies and top it off with some extra cheese (yes, please!). Just keep in mind that this dish is not exactly low in calories.
For those seeking an extra kick in their Chiles Rellenos, consider adding a sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper or dried Habanero pepper to the top. However, this step is entirely optional. To enhance the flavor with a smoky taste, try sprinkling some paprika on top.
Once prepared, bake the dish and enjoy its cheesy deliciousness.
This is fun to serve with homemade tortilla chips and black beans.
Enjoy!!!!!!
If you’re interested in learning how to char and freeze peppers, take a look at this guide:
Learn how to roast Hatch Peppers or Anaheim peppers Includes recipes and instructions for freezing after roasting.
Are you searching for more recipe options? We have a few suggestions you might enjoy:
- Air Fryer Chile Relenos – Air Fryer Chile Relleno is crunchy on the outside and cheesy on the inside, making it the perfect meatless Monday dinner,
- Air Fryer Chile Relenos Stuffed Chicken Breast – This recipe features chicken breast stuffed with a creamy and cheesy Anaheim Chile coated in a crunchy air-fryer coating.
- Chile Relenos Quiche – For a delicious and filling breakfast, this quiche expertly combines chilies, sausage, cheddar, and monterey jack cheese.
- Chile Cheese Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas – Chile Cheese Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas is an easy-to-make dish that combines creamy cheese, spicy shrimp, and fresh spinach in a tortilla wrap
- Anaheim or Hatch peppers – Learn how to roast Hatch Peppers or Anaheim peppers Includes recipes and instructions for freezing after roasting.
The Best Chiles Rellenos Recipe: Delicious and Easy
Discover the deliciousness of baked chiles rellenos! A cheesy and creamy twist on the classic fried version.
Calories: 223kcal
Ingredients
- 4 Green Chiles (canned or roasted peppers) Anahiem, Hatch or Poblano peppers
- 4 Ounces Monterey Jack Cheese (Can use Pepper Jack Cheese to add spice or Cheddar Cheese)
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ Cup Flour
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ¾ Cup Milk
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Ounces Shredded Cheddar Cheese Or Monetary Jack or Colby Cheese
- Cayenne Pepper or Paprika Optional
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. For this recipe, you will need Whole Chiles, which can either be canned or roasted peppers. We personally roasted ours on a charcoal grill, but they can also be roasted on a gas grill.
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For each pepper, fill it with one ounce of Monterey Jack Cheese. Refer to the Notes section for suggestions on other types of cheese.
4 Ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, 4 Green Chiles (canned or roasted peppers)
-
Place the peppers into a casserole dish.
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Beat the eggs
2 Eggs
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Mix the eggs and milk together.
¾ Cup Milk
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Whisk the eggs and milk with flour, cumin, salt, and pepper. It’s not necessary for the mixture to be completely smooth.
¼ Cup Flour, ½ teaspoon Cumin, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
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Pour the mixture of eggs and flour over the chiles that have been stuffed.
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Add a layer of cheddar cheese to the top.
2 Ounces Shredded Cheddar Cheese
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If you prefer your dish to be spicy, you may opt to sprinkle some cayenne pepper on top. Or, for a little smoky flavor add Paprika.
Cayenne Pepper or Paprika
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Bake the dish for around 40 minutes or until the cheese has melted to your desired consistency.
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Serve and Enjoy!!!!!
Notes
If you’re looking to add some extra flavor, consider stuffing your peppers with Pepper Jack Cheese. Other great cheese options include Cheddar, Colby or Colby Jack Cheese, and Monterey Jack Cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 747mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 457IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 343mg | Iron: 1mg