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Traditional Homemade Chile Rellenos!

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Traditional Homemade Chile Rellenos are one of my all-time favorite Mexican dishes. Roasted or canned chili peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter and fried to golden crisp perfection! Top them off with your favorite salsa or sauce. They’re amazing!

Homemade chili relleno topped with homemade salsa, guacamole, and cheese

This is not a chile relleno casserole. While those are good, and I enjoy them, they will never measure up to fresh homemade Chile Rellenos!

They just can’t…it’s not their fault, they try, but they are a substitute for the real thing. This is the REAL thing!

Now Mars will argue with me that if you truly want the REAL deal you have to use a Poblano pepper. While I won’t admit it to his face…he is right! (Shhhhhh…don’t you tell!) 

How I learned to make Traditional Chile Rellenos

I was taught by my Aunt how to make Chile Rellenos. She learned from some friends from Mexico. I suggest, starting out, you do to. She taught me using Anaheim Peppers.

The reasons are simple…you can buy them canned already roasted, with the seeds, stems and skins removed. (Whew!) Also, they are a thicker meatier pepper than a Poblano, in my opinion, so they are easier to work with. (Hooray for easy!)

Lastly, they are generally a milder pepper, so your lips won’t swell up the size of…of…never mind…you get the point!

I’m going to give you step-by-step instructions and I KNOW you can make these! They really aren’t as difficult as they may seem. You will love the experience! Come on…let’s give it a whirl!

How To Make A Homemade Chile Relleno 

Canned chili peppers draining on a paper towel next to chunks of Jack Cheese.

First remove the Chile’s from the can and drain them on a paper towel.

While the peppers are draining, cut your cheese into nice quarter inch sticks about 3 inches long. I’ve found cutting them into sticks makes it easier to stuff them into the peppers.

Chili Relleno Peppers stuffed full of Jack cheese laying on a plate waiting to be cooked.

Look how easy those cheese sticks slide into those peppers!

TIP:  If a pepper tears while stuffing it… Scream and Panic!! I’m just kidding! Lol It’s not a big deal. It will be okay. Just move along. (These are going to be SO good!) 

Once they are all nicely stuffed you are going to set them aside and mix up the batter to dip them in.

How To Make Chile Relleno Batter

Egg whites beaten to stiff peaks with three egg yolks waiting to be folded into egg whites.

You will need three large eggs.

Separate the whites from the yolks. Place the yolks in a small bowl.

Place the egg whites in your handy dandy mixer and with the wire whisk attachment whip them until they form stiff white peaks. (Just like in the photo. Are you impressed? I’m remembering to take photo’s of all the steps! WOW!) While whipping them, add one teaspoon of cream of tartar. This is REALLY important.

Why? I have absolutely no idea! Because my Aunt told me so, and now I’m telling you. Okay, I’m joking. I forgot once and all the lovely fluffy batter fell off my pepper. (Sad…sad…sad!) So don’t forget. You don’t want a naked pepper!

Folding in the egg yolks into the beaten egg whites with a spatula.

Next, fold the yellow egg yolks into your firm peaks. It’s important to fold. Those egg whites are “diva’s” and want to be treated as such! (Don’t ya love my Christmas spatula!)

 Once everything is folded in and nicely blended we need those peppers you set aside. Oops…before you do that…heat a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of vegetable on medium heat. Okay…go find those peppers!

Stuffed chili peppers coated in flour to help egg batter stick to peppers. Chili Relleno preparations.

Sprinkle your stuffed peppers with a little all-purpose flour. This will just help keep that “diva” batter on your peppers. (Do you get the feeling those peppers don’t like the batter? Lol) Now for the fun part….

Dipping stuffed chili relleno's in the egg batter.

How To Cook Chile Rellenos

Using a regular table fork, slide it under the pepper, lift if off the plate, and gently dip it into the egg batter. Use the fork to gently push it down into the batter and cover the entire pepper with the egg batter. Then, slide the fork back under the pepper and lift it out of the bowl and over to your hot skillet.

Frying Chili Relleno's in large skillet with vegetable oil. Salted and peppered batter frying waiting to be turned.

Gently place the pepper into the hot oil and slide the fork out.

Tip: The oil should be hot enough to immediately begin cooking the pepper.

I sprinkle the top with cracked pepper and salt. Once the edges begin to brown take a “turner” or “pancake flippy thingy”, as I like to call it, and carefully flip them over. It’s really more like carefully “rolling” them over.

Chili Relleno's turned over and golden brown in frying pan with hot oil.

So beautiful! Now, just cook them a few minutes longer so that both sides are golden brown. Once done, remove from the hot skillet with your turner and lay them on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil. When they have drained you can plate them!

Traditional Homemade Chile Rellenos

cooked chili Relleno's on a plate ready to serve.

Now you have a plate full of scrumptious mouth watering Chile Rellenos! We love to top ours with more grated cheese, guacamole, and the fresh homemade salsa. You can find the link for the salsa by clicking on it.

Traditional Homemade Chile Rellenos

Perfectly Cut Chili Relleno's with cheese melted topped with fresh guacamole and grated cheese.

This is exactly how they should look inside. All your cheese should be perfectly melted. You should have a nice fluffy golden batter on the outside. Batter, pepper, cheese. Ahhhhh…delightful!  Doesn’t that look YUMMY!!! Someone find me a fork!

That is it! Serve them with rice and beans, or even the Chicken Fajita’s, for a full Mexican meal! Enjoy and as always… Thanks for stopping by my Nest! Have a “Chile” day! (You knew it was coming!)

Other Great Side Dish Recipes to serve with Chili Rellenos

Norine's Picture with Signature
Yield: 5-6 servings

Homemade Traditional Chile Relleno’s

Homemade chili relleno topped with homemade salsa, guacamole, and cheese

Traditional Chile Relleno's stuffed with Monterey Jack Cheese and dipped in a fluffy light egg batter. Serve with cheese, Guacamole and Fresh Salsa.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 can whole green Chile peppers, about 5-6, drained
  • 6-8 3 inch long cut, 1/4 inch thick monterey jack cheese sticks
  • 3 large eggs, whites separated from yolks
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 2-3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. On a paper towel drain your Chile Peppers. Cut your cheese into 3 inch long strips and 1/4 inch square. Stuff the cheese inside your peppers.
  2. Separate your yolks from the whites. In a large mixing bowl, with the wire whisk attachment, whisk your egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add in 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. Gently fold in your egg yolks until well blended.
  3. Sprinkle your peppers with flour. In a large skillet heat a 1/2 inch of oil till hot. Using a fork gently dip the pepper into the egg batter and cover the pepper completely. Lift the pepper out of the mixing bowl, with the fork, and carefully place it into the hot skillet. Sprinkle the top with pepper and salt. When the edges turn brown, using a turner gently turn the pepper over. Cook the other side till done.
  4. When done cooking remove from skillet and drain excess oil on paper towel. Repeat process until all peppers are cooked. Serve with extra cheese, guacamole, and fresh salsa. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6 servings

Serving Size:

1 Chile pepper

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 88Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 4g

Norine’s Nest in no way provides any warranty, express or implied, towards the content of recipes in this website. It is the reader’s responsibility to determine the value and quality of any recipe or instructions provided for food preparation and to determine the nutritional value, if any, and safety of the preparation instructions.

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Anita

Tuesday 7th of February 2023

I make these quite often they're my husband's favorite. A couple things I find useful, if you like a little extra egg batter on your peppers you can spoon some over the peppers as soon as you lay it in the oil, and gently spoon the hot oil over your peppers while they cook, this helps the top top start cooking and it's easier to roll it over without losing the batter. I also place mine in the oven to cook a little longer it gets them a little more crispy

Josie

Thursday 17th of November 2022

I love chili rellenos! Do you think I could make these in an air fryer?

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Friday 18th of November 2022

Hi Josie, I don't think this recipe would work really well in an Air Fryer because of the delicate nature of the batter. You could try it...but honestly I wouldn't. Sorry. Norine

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