Mexican Cheese-Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Chiles Rellenos)

About This Recipe

Chiles rellenos are a classic of Mexican home and restaurant cooking, made by roasting poblano peppers until their skin blackens and blisters, peeling them, then stuffing them with cheese (traditionally queso Oaxaca or Chihuahua) before dipping in a fluffy egg batter and frying until golden. The dish depends on getting several steps right in sequence, which is part of why it's considered a bit of a technical showpiece in Mexican home cooking. Roasting and peeling the peppers is non-negotiable — the tough outer skin must come off or the final dish will have a bitter, papery texture. Leaving the stem intact when slitting the pepper to remove seeds makes it much easier to stuff and helps the pepper hold its shape through frying. The egg batter, made by beating egg whites to soft peaks before folding in the yolks, is what gives chiles rellenos their signature light, puffy coating rather than a dense, heavy fry. Served with a simple tomato sauce ladled over the top, chiles rellenos make a satisfying vegetarian main course, the melted cheese pulling into long strings with the first cut — a detail that's part of the dish's appeal at the table.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 6 wholepoblano peppers
• 300 gqueso Oaxaca or Monterey Jack, cut into sticks
• 0.5 cupall-purpose flour, for dredging
• 5 wholeeggs, separated
• 0.25 tspsalt
• 500 mloil, for frying
• 3 wholetomatoes
• 0.5 wholeonion, chopped
• 2 clovegarlic
• 1 cupchicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tspdried oregano

Instructions

1. 1

   Char the poblanos

   Char poblanos directly over a flame or under a hot broiler, turning often, until blackened all over. Steam in a covered bowl 10 minutes, then peel, keeping the stem intact.

2. 2

   Stuff the peppers

   Slit each pepper lengthwise, remove seeds, and stuff with cheese sticks, pressing the pepper closed around the filling.

3. 3

   Make the tomato sauce

   Blend tomatoes, onion, and garlic until smooth. Simmer in a pot with stock and oregano for 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt.

4. 4

   Make the batter

   Beat egg whites with salt to soft peaks. Gently fold in the yolks until just combined into a light, airy batter.

5. 5

   Bread and fry

   Dredge each stuffed pepper lightly in flour, then dip fully into the egg batter. Fry in hot oil (175C/350F), turning carefully, until golden on all sides, 4-5 minutes total.

6. 6

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with the warm tomato sauce ladled over the top.

Variations

• •

  Fill with a spiced ground beef or shredded chicken picadillo instead of cheese for a meat version.

• •

  Bake the battered peppers at 200C for 20 minutes instead of frying for a lighter version, though the coating will be less crisp.

• •

  Use Anaheim peppers instead of poblano for a milder version.

Storage

Best eaten fresh; the batter softens once refrigerated. Store leftover components (peeled peppers, sauce) separately and reassemble and fry fresh rather than reheating already-fried peppers.

Frequently Asked Questions