Chiles Rellenos

Impress everyone with this Mexican dish using these simple tricks.

I learned how to make Chiles Rellenos (stuffed pepper) from my Mexican mother who learned from hers, who learned from hers. You get the point. This can seem daunting to many and admittingly, this is a bit laborious; but, chiles rellenos are definitely a show stopper. With some simple tips from this recipe, get ready to impress family and friends at your next dinner party!

Any Tips?

A note to roasting: Some may use the shortcut of roasting the peppers in the oven. Note that this may over cook the pepper, making it unmanageable to stuff. As you can see, my peppers are intact and require no fancy contraption to seal. A note to filling: feel free to stuff the pepper with whatever you’d like. This recipe can easily become vegetarian. By all means stuff the pepper with YOUR perfect filling.

Any Tools?

A serrated knife. A paring knife or any sharp thin knife. Paper bag or ziploc bag.

Chiles Rellenos

Serves

Cook time: 80 minutes

Ingredients

4 medium sized poblano peppers

3 eggs

Oil

½ cup flour

Filling

1 pound ground meat

2 small potatoes diced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp garlic salt

½ tsp coriander

1 tsp chili powder

2 Tbsp tomato paste (if no paste, dice up one fresh tomato)

¼ cup water or broth

1 ½ cups shredded melting cheese (muenster, colby, quesadilla, mozzarella…)

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Technique

Roast the peppers evenly on the stovetop using a comal, or flat griddle on medium heat. Rotate them to char evenly, just enough to see outer skin bubbling out but not burnt through. I’ve even roasted them without a pan on an electric cooktop.
Once roasted, put them in the bag for about 10 minutes. The steam from the bag will continue to cook them, wilting them.
In the meantime cook your filling by browning meat. Salt and pepper to taste.
Once the meat is browned add diced potatoes. Mix and Cover for 2 minutes to soften potatoes.
Add tomato paste, coriander, garlic salt, and chili powder. Finally add broth and let simmer on low for 5-10 min to marry flavors. Once done, set aside.
Once the peppers have wilted, remove the skin gently using a serrated knife. Take note of vulnerable spots in the pepper.
Find a vulnerable spot near the stem of the pepper. With the paring knife, make a 2 inch lengthwise cut on that spot. Carefully cut the base of the seed core, along with any attached veins. The seed core will then fall right out. Remove any stray seeds.
Stuffing: start with a spoonful of cheese, then a spoonful of filling. (Tip: Use gravity to fill the tip by holding the pepper by the tail.)
Gently stuff the entire pepper. Finish filling the pepper with a good ¼ cup of cheese. (Cheese provides an excellent seal when frying. No need for fancy toothpicks or suture skills) If the pepper doesn't close on its own then the pepper is too fat, remove some filling, but make sure to end with cheese.
Prepare the egg batter by separating the whites and yolks. Beat the whites to soft peaks. This takes a few minutes. Slowly add yolks one at a time.
Heat pan to medium heat. Add enough oil to cover the surface of the pan.
Roll stuffed pepper in flour and then dip in egg batter and pan fry, flipping the pepper once it's a beautiful golden brown color. (Tip: start by frying side with opening first; use the stem and spatula to rotate)
Repeat for 3 other peppers. Do this quickly because the egg batter will begin to liquify as it sits in the bowl.
Serve with YOUR perfect extras like Mexican rice and a simple side salad.

Updated

November 2022

Chiles Rellenos

Impress everyone with this Mexican dish using these simple tricks.

Any Tips?

Any Tools?

Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients

Filling

Technique

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