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!

Recipe Updated: February 12, 2025

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

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 Relleno’s

I was taught by my Aunt how to make Chile Relleno’s. She learned from some friends from Mexico. She taught me using canned Anaheim Peppers. They are great when you don’t want to go to the work of roasting fresh peppers.

The reason she used canned Anaheim Peppers is 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 insides won’t feel like they are on fire…of…never mind…you get the point!

I’m going to share with 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!

Ingredients to gather

• 1 large can of whole green Chile Peppers OR 4 large fresh roasted, skinned, and seeded Poblano Peppers
• 6-8, 3 inch long ¼ inch thick Monterey jack cheese sticks cut at an angle
• 4 large eggs, whites separated from yolks
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2–3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying

How to Make Chile Relleno’s

If using canned peppers, you need to remove them from the can and drain them on a paper towel. If using fresh pobalno peppers, after roasting, seeding, and peeling them, place on a paper towel to drain.

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

Slide the cut cheese inside each pepper. Depending on the size of the peppers, I sometimes slide two sticks inside each pepper. I’m all about cheese! The cheesier, the better.

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, set them aside and mix up the batter to dip them in.

Making Chile Relleno batter

You will need four large eggs. Separate the whites from the yolks. Place the yolks in a small bowl.

Place the egg whites in your mixer. Use the wire whisk attachment. Wiping them until they form stiff white peaks. 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!

Using a fork, whisk the egg yolks together. Pour them into the whipped egg whites.

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!

Fold in salt and pepper.

Place the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Be sure to place the handle AWAY from you!

While the oil is heating, grab those stuffed peppers and sprinkle them with the flour. Gently rub the flour over the peppers. This will 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….

How To Fry Chile Relleno’s

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.

Carefully lift the covered pepper out of the egg batter.

Gently, and CAREFULLY, place the pepper in the hot oil and slide the fork out. Let the pepper cook until the batter begins to turn golden brown along the edges.

Slide a slotted stainless steel spatula under the pepper. I like to use a fish spatula. I place a fork on the top of each pepper and turn each pepper carefully, making sure not to splash the hot oil.

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

Here’s my biggest tip when cooking the perfect Chile Relleno… When you turn them over the first time, the egg batter may squish out one side. Like the photo below. That’s OKAY! WE can fix that!

Once that side is cooked, roll that Chile Relleno one more time, folding that “squished” batter under as you roll it. Cook for another 30 seconds.

Using the metal spatula, carefully lift the cooked Chile Relleno out of the hot oil and place it on a plate.

It takes about 2–3 minutes to cook each Chile Relleno.

How to Serve Chile Relleno’s

We love to top ours with more grated cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and the fresh homemade salsa. Is your mouth drooling yet? Because mine is! Honestly, I couldn’t love this recipe anymore and have a hard time finding a better one at any Mexican Restaurant!

When you cut into that nice fluffy golden batter, all that delicious cheese should be melted to perfection!

That is it! Serve them with rice and beans, chips and salsa, for a full Mexican meal! They are so delicious and easier to make than you’d think.

Other Great Mexican Recipes

• Copy Cat Cafe Rio Pinto Beans
• Easy Spanish Rice 
• Delicious Chunky Homemade Guacamole
• Easy Fish Tacos with Amazing Taco Sauce
• Homemade Taquitos 
• Quick and Easy Refried Beans from Allrecipes.com

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