Chiles Rellenos-Style Stuffed Poblanos with Mint

About This Recipe

Chiles rellenos are traditionally poblano peppers stuffed with cheese or picadillo, battered, and fried, but this baked version simplifies the technique while keeping the essential flavors: roasted, blistered poblano skin and a warm, cheesy interior. Fresh mint is a less common addition, but it echoes the way Mexican cooks often finish rich, cheesy dishes with fresh herbs to cut through the richness. Roasting and peeling the poblanos first is the step that cannot be skipped — it removes the tough outer skin and adds a smoky sweetness that raw or unroasted peppers simply do not have. The filling here, rice, cheese, corn, and mint, is a home-style approach that keeps things simple compared to a traditional picadillo filling with ground meat and dried fruit. Baked rather than fried and battered, this version is easier to make on a weeknight while still delivering that unmistakable roasted-pepper flavor that defines the dish.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 6poblano peppers
• 1.5 cupscooked rice
• 1 cupshredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cupcorn kernels
• 0.25 cupfresh mint(chopped)
• 0.25 cupfresh cilantro(chopped)
• 1small onion(diced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspvegetable oil
• 0.5 cupcrema or sour cream(for serving)
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the poblanos

   Char the poblanos directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning until blistered and blackened all over, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam 10 minutes.

2. 2

   Peel and slit

   Peel off the charred skin under running water or by rubbing with a paper towel. Make a slit down one side of each pepper and carefully remove the seeds, keeping the pepper intact.

3. 3

   Make the filling

   Heat oil in a skillet, add onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and corn, cook 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in rice, half the cheese, mint, cilantro, and salt.

4. 4

   Stuff the peppers

   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Carefully stuff each poblano with the rice mixture through the slit, packing gently without tearing the skin.

5. 5

   Bake

   Arrange stuffed peppers in a baking dish, top with remaining cheese, and bake 15-18 minutes until the cheese melts and the peppers are heated through.

6. 6

   Serve

   Drizzle with crema and scatter extra mint over the top before serving warm.

Variations

• •

  Add cooked, crumbled chorizo to the filling for a heartier, meatier version.

• •

  Use a tomato-based ranchero sauce spooned over the peppers before baking instead of just cheese.

• •

  Swap mint for epazote, a more traditional Mexican herb, if you can find it.

Storage

Refrigerate stuffed peppers up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through; avoid the microwave, which makes the pepper skin rubbery.

Frequently Asked Questions