Chile Relleno Casserole
This Chile Relleno Casserole is your favorite Tex-Mex dish baked into a casserole! It’s made with roasted, cheese-stuffed poblano peppers covered in a fluffy egg batter, topped with more cheese, then baked until light, crispy, gooey, and perfectly golden.
Easy Poblano Pepper Casserole
If you’ve ever had chile relleno, then you’ll understand that sometimes that chile relleno craving hits at the most random of times…and it hits hard. Unfortunately, you can’t always drop everything and run to your local Mexican restaurant to grab some.
You can, however, drop everything and whip up this super simple and delicious chile relleno casserole.
This recipe is the easiest way to enjoy the delicious flavors and textures of classic chile relleno without the mess of a frying pan! It’s packed with freshly roasted poblano chiles, gooey monterey jack cheese, and a fluffy egg batter.
Tips and Notes
- For the best egg batter texture, separate the egg yolks and whites, then mix together the milk, flour, egg yolks, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until fluffy, then gently fold the two mixtures together. This isn’t totally necessary but does help give a lighter, fluffier texture.
- To help remove the charred skin from the roasted peppers, rinse them under cold water as you peel. They should come off easily.
- Can’t find poblanos? Feel free to swap them out for another variety of pepper such as banana or anaheim.
- Want to bulk your casserole up? Feel free to add seasoned ground beef or pork from some protein.
- I love the flavor of Monterey jack cheese, but you could also use cheddar, white cheddar, or even pepper jack.
- For even easier prep, skip the whole chiles and use diced chiles. Simply mix them with the batter and bake!
- Want a spicier flavor? Add a few pickled or fresh jalapeños to the egg batter.
What to Serve with Poblano Chili Relleno Casserole
This poblano pepper casserole recipe makes an excellent breakfast or dinner!
If you’re serving this stuffed poblano casserole on its own, it’s delicious topped off with a dollop of sour cream or a scoop of homemade salsa.
If you’re looking for ways to bulk your meal up, try serving it alongside Mexican rice, tamales, Mexican street corn pasta salad, or roasted veggies tossed with taco seasoning!
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Leftover chile relleno casserole will last, covered or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze the casserole. Simply bake it, let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Be sure that you use a freezer-safe and oven-safe container or use a foil pan.
Make-Ahead: To prepare ahead of time, you can bake the casserole a few hours in advance and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, simply warm it at 250ºF in the oven. You can also prep the ingredients in advance, leave them separate, then assemble just prior to baking.
Reheating: To reheat, microwave smaller portions on half power until heated through. To reheat larger portions, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then bake at 250ºF until heated all the way through.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Chile Relleno Called in English?
The word “relleno” translates to “stuffed vegetable”. So, “chile relleno” refers to a stuffed chile pepper!
What is the Difference Between a Chile Relleno and Chile Poblano?
Chile relleno is a traditional Mexican recipe. Chile poblano is simply a type of pepper that is used to make chile relleno!
Can You Make Chile Relleno Without Removing the Skin?
I don’t recommend it. The skin of poblano peppers is tough and difficult to digest. Chile relleno is much better with the skin of the peppers removed!
Fortunately, roasting the peppers makes the skin soft and easy to peel right off the pepper!
Ingredients
- 8 poblano peppers, washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, or other neutral tasting oil
- 5 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cut into 1 ounce pieces
- 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the peppers on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Rub the oil evenly over peppers then transfer the pan to the oven.8 poblano peppers1 tablespoon canola oil
- Cook the poblanos for 25 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally. The skins should blister and blacken.
- While the peppers roast, make the filling. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.5 large eggs½ cup milk½ cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon salt
- Remove the peppers from the oven, and reduce the oven to 350°F. Allow the peppers to cool until they’re easy to handle, then peel away the skins and discard. Cut off the stems and tops, and remove the seeds and membranes.
- Place a 1 ounce piece of cheese into each poblano. Lay the poblanos in a single layer in an 11×7-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the egg mixture over the peppers. Top with remaining 4 ounces of shredded Monterey jack cheese.8 ounces Monterey jack cheese4 ounces Monterey jack cheese
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Remove from the oven and serve with sour cream or salsa if desired.
- Scroll up and see the post for tips, FAQs, and storage recommendations.
Suggested Equipment
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of ⅛ of the chile relleno casserole. Actual calories will vary.
- For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.
I cut the peppers open, and layered the peppers and shredded cheese
in 3 layers.
I beat the whites stiff and folded in the beaten yolks and flour and 1/2 cup milk, salt. Placed on top. Baked til golden, 38 minutes.
Thank you for sharing your methods and rating the recipe, Susan! Have a lovely day 🙂
Nice!!! I would have done the same thing, but being Mexican, we don’t do casseroles BUT the way you make it, I will try. Thanks!!❤️
This is the best chili relleno..recipe I’ve made. My husband raves about good it is. I did use pepper jack cheese because we like spicy. I made a delicious enchilada sauce to put on top. I’ll make this often!! Thank you!!!!
Thank you Susan! The pepper jack cheese and enchilada sauce sound like tasty additions. Thank you again for sharing your experience, commenting, and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
I agree!! It was perfect!’
Hi! None of my local stores carry whole canned chiles. Can you tell me how many cans of the diced chilies I need for a 9×13 casserole dish?
Mucho thanks!
Hi Kathy!
Three to four (7-ounce) cans is what I’d recommend. Three cans is good if you want fewer chiles and more batter. Four cans is good if you like more chiles. Hope that helps! 🙂
I have two 11×7 pans. They’re really not all that rare.
This was great. I did, however, switch the flour for gluten free flour and whisked the egg whites separately from the yolk mixture then folded it in and the result was super fluffy. The husband was very pleased with the flavor. Had leftovers the morning after with an over-medium egg on top, was definitely worth making.
That’s awesome Miranda! We’re glad your husband enjoyed the dish 🙂
Can you freeze this before cooking it?
Hi Robin!
Yes, this casserole can be assembled, left unbaked, then frozen. It stays good for about 2-3 months. Have a great evening! 🙂
Made this yesterday with some beautifully odd-looking Crescendo sweet pointed peppers, which I first cleaned & roasted for 15 minutes at 400°F but didn’t peel. Stuffed each pepper with a mozzarella string cheese stick & topped the dish with shredded cheddar jack. Delicious–will make again!
That sounds amazing!! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. Have a fantastic week! 🙂
What a great recipe that is able to be tweaked to taste.
Decided to roast some jalapeños and stuff one inside with the cheese (we like spicy at our home)
Had to throw my spin by adding some cumin, smoked paprika, garlic and chili powder.
It was ahhh-mazzzz-ing!!!
Thank you for the inspiration❤️
That sounds delicious! We’re glad you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful evening! 🙂
I didn’t have poblano peppers but used hatch green chilies. It was amazing!!
Good morning LeAnn, that’s wonderful to hear. Glad the green chilies worked out in the casserole. Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely day 🙂
Really tasty! I separated the eggs and whipped the whites and was very pleased with the texture. The only change I’d make would be to use another egg next time, it didn’t seem like there was quite enough to fill a 9×13″ pan (I don’t have any 11×7″ ones). I added ~12oz cooked chorizo, which was delicious with the peppers. This was a big hit and, while it takes a few steps, not very difficult to make.
Thank you Sofie! Kim and are glad you enjoyed the casserole. Chorizo definitely sounds like a great addition and feel free to add the egg if the recipe doesn’t fit your dish. Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe, have a lovely day 🙂
@Sofie, did you also use the egg yolk?
@Jen, I did, but I separated the yolk from the whites and beat the whites to get this texture. Everything got folded in afterward.
Very tasty & economical.
Thank you Chrissy!
I loved this recipe! I didn’t separate the egg whites from the yolks, I missed that part but I’ll try out next time (soon), but it still turned out great. I used pepper Jack cheese.
I also did everything in the air fryer. It took much less time and if you use yours enough you can learn how to adjust recipes for cooking in an air fryer instead of the oven.
Thank you Farley! Those are wonderful air fryer tips. I’m glad the casserole turned out well for you. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a great day!
I think it’s the best dish I’ve ever made everyone loved it
Hi, Joann!
We’re so happy to hear that everyone loved the casserole. Thanks for coming back to comment and have a wonderful evening! 🙂
Love this!!! So very good. Hubby loved it too and his Mom used to make it for him all the time growing up!!
Thank you Debbie! Kim and I are glad you and your husband enjoyed the casserole. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe, have a lovely day 🙂
Soooo good! I will never make chile rellenos any other way. I roasted and peeled the Poblano peppers the night before and refrigerated them, then took them out of the fridge an hour before assembling the casserole. I took the extra time to whip the egg whites separately until stiff peaks formed and folded them into the egg yolk and flour mixture. I added a little cheddar to the cheese on top for color. Looked like a beautiful souffle when it came out of the oven and was absolutely delicious ❤️
Thank you Whirlycook! Kim and I are thrilled to hear that. The reader suggestion to whip the egg whites separately really makes the casserole shine. Thank you again for commenting and rating the recipe. Have a lovely holiday weekend 🙂
I’m going to make this tonight. As I was reading g through it states the pan should be 11×7. Who uses a pan of that size? 13×9 is easy. Or I have a 9×9 square pan. Going to use the smaller one, I hope it works out.
Hi Kathleen!
Several people use 11×7-inch pans. An 11×7-inch pan holds approximately 10 cups. A 9×9-inch pan also holds about 10 cups, but the contents will be thicker. You’ll probably need to adjust the time accordingly.
@Kathleen,
I have three 7×11 casserole pans!
Shouldn’t baking powder be added instead of baking soda?
Hi Lyn!
Yes, that’s a typo. Going to fix it now. Thanks for letting us know! Have a great evening! 🙂
@Kimberly,
the video say soda instead of powder. Might fix that one too. Going to try this recipe in two days. Can’t wait it looks so good.
Hi Chris!
Good catch! Fixing the video is on my list. I hope to get to it soon. We hope you enjoy the casserole and have a fantastic week! 🙂
Can you pre make it in a pan
And then store it in the fridge to pop into the oven the next day?
Hi Sefali!
This casserole will hold for a few hours in the refrigerator when covered in plastic wrap. If possible, I’d prepare it late in the evening and bake it early the next morning. Another suggestion would be to prepare all the ingredients one day and assemble/bake the casserole the following day. Hope this helps! 🙂
@Kimberly,
Thank you so much for the suggestion and the fast response! Life saver 🙏🏾
You’re very welcome! Happy Holidays! 🙂
I made this for the second time tonight, so you must know we liked it. A lot! We both love chili rellenos…and I was afraid my husband , who’s from Mexico, wouldn’t accept this casserole version. But it tastes just like chili rellenos, without all the frying, and he loves it. I saw the other comment about the batter being too heavy. We didn’t find it heavy at all!! Was perfect. I grew my own poblano chili’s and will be making this for the relatives when they come from Mexico. Thank you!!
Hi Eva!
We’re so happy to hear that and glad you and your husband loved the casserole! Using fresh grown poblanos would be amazing in this recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to comment. We hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂
I love this idea! Traditional chiles rellenos are messy and time consuming to make. My only gripe with this recipe is that I wish the batter was lighter. It took on almost a bread like consistency. I like my batter to be super light and fluffy.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! I chatted with John, and he mentioned that during his restaurant days they whisked in a bit of water to lighten the eggs. He suggested trying 1/4 cup of water added to the eggs if you decide to make it again. We haven’t tried it, so we’re not sure how it will turn out.
This recipe is on our list to tweak slightly in the upcoming months. One of the things I want to tackle is the batter, just as you mentioned. Thanks again! We appreciate the feedback and hope you have a wonderful week! 🙂
@Kimberly,
I separated the egg yolk and egg white. I added the milk, flour, etc. to the egg yolk and mixed well. Then, I beat the egg whites until fluffy. After, that fold the two mixtures together. This creates a very light egg mixture.
@Barbara, I made this tonight It’s my first time using poblanos The difficulty for me was in peeling I didn’t get all the peel off and it’s a little bitter- is that taste the peel ? Should the peppers have gone into a plastic bag before peeling?
Good morning Christine, I know this wasn’t directed towards me. However, I “sweat,” the peppers in large resealable plastic bag (i.e. ziplock freezer bag). Let them rest for 10-15 minutes while they cool. That should help make peeling them easier in the future. I do this when using fresh roasted pablanos in casseroles and tamales. Have a day 🙂