Chiles Rellenos — Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers
A classic of Mexican comfort cooking: roasted poblano peppers peeled and stuffed with melting cheese (or picadillo meat), dipped in a light, fluffy egg batter, fried until golden, and bathed in a warm tomato caldillo sauce. Chiles rellenos are a labour of love — the roasting and peeling, the cloud-like beaten-egg coating — but the reward is a tender, smoky pepper with a molten centre in a savoury sauce. A beloved centrepiece for Sunday lunches and celebrations.
Char poblano peppers all over (over a flame or under the grill), steam them in a bag to loosen the skins, then peel, slit and carefully seed them, keeping the stem on. Stuff each with a strip of melting cheese (or picadillo). Make a fluffy batter by whipping egg whites to stiff peaks and folding in the beaten yolks (and a little flour). Dust the stuffed chiles in flour, coat in the egg batter, and shallow-fry until golden and puffed. Serve in a warm tomato caldillo sauce.
- Char and steam the poblanos so the skins peel off easily — then peel, slit and seed gently to keep them whole.
- The fluffy egg batter (whipped whites folded with yolks) is what makes them light and golden — beat it just before frying.
- Serve them napped in a simple warm tomato caldillo sauce, not deep in it, so the coating stays crisp-ish.
Equipment
- Tongs (to char peppers)
- Frying pan
- Whisk/mixer
- Saucepan (for sauce)
食材
Chiles & filling
- 6 poblano peppers
- 300 g melting cheese (Oaxaca, Monterey Jack), in strips — or picadillo
Egg batter
- 4 eggs, separated
- Flour, for dusting (plus 1 tbsp for the batter); salt
- Oil, for shallow frying
Caldillo (tomato sauce)
- 4 tomatoes, blended; ½ onion, 1 garlic clove
- Chicken/vegetable broth; salt; bay
步驟
- 步驟01
Char the poblanos all over directly over a flame or under a hot grill until blackened and blistered. Put them in a bag or covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes, then rub off the skins. Make a slit down one side and carefully remove the seeds, keeping the stem and pepper intact.
- 步驟02
Gently stuff each chile with a strip of melting cheese (or picadillo), then close the slit and pat dry. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
- 步驟03
Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Lightly beat the yolks (with a little salt) and fold them into the whites with a tablespoon of flour to keep a light, fluffy batter.
- 步驟04
Dust each stuffed chile in flour (so the batter sticks), then dip in the fluffy egg batter to coat. Shallow-fry in hot oil, spooning batter over and turning, until golden and puffed on all sides. Drain on paper.
- 步驟05
Blend and strain the tomatoes, fry briefly with onion and garlic, then add broth and a bay leaf and simmer into a light caldillo. Serve the fried chiles in or napped with the warm tomato sauce, with rice and beans.
Make ahead
Roast, peel and stuff the poblanos ahead (they keep a day refrigerated), and make the tomato caldillo in advance. Whip the egg batter and fry the chiles fresh just before serving, as the fluffy coating is best straight from the pan. This breaks the labour into stages, which helps for a dinner.
Storage
Best fresh, while the batter is light and the cheese molten. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated; reheat gently in the sauce (the batter softens). The caldillo sauce keeps 4 days and freezes well, and you can roast and peel the poblanos a day ahead. Fry the battered chiles fresh to serve — the egg coating doesn't keep crisp.
Variations
Picadillo filling
Stuff with picadillo (spiced minced meat with raisins, almonds, tomato) instead of cheese.
Chiles en nogada
A famous festive cousin: picadillo-stuffed poblanos under a creamy walnut sauce and pomegranate (the colours of the Mexican flag).
Baked / lighter
Some skip the fry and bake stuffed poblanos for an easier, lighter version (not a true relleno, but tasty).
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
常見問題
What peppers are used for chiles rellenos?
Poblano peppers — large, dark green, mildly spicy chiles with a wonderful flavour, ideal for stuffing. They're roasted and peeled first. (Dried, ripened poblanos become anchos.) Outside Mexico, poblanos are increasingly available; if you can't find them, large mild green chiles or even bell peppers can substitute, though poblanos have the authentic taste and gentle heat.
How do I roast and peel the poblanos?
Char them all over — directly over a gas flame, under a hot grill/broiler, or on a comal — until the skin is blackened and blistered. Then put them in a plastic bag or covered bowl to steam for about 10 minutes; the trapped steam loosens the skins so they rub off easily. Peel gently, then slit and seed carefully to keep the pepper whole for stuffing.
Why whip the egg whites for the batter?
The classic capeado batter is made by whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks and folding in the yolks, creating a light, airy, soufflé-like coating that puffs up golden around the chile when fried. It's quite different from a flat flour batter. Beat it just before frying so it stays fluffy, dust the chiles in flour first so it adheres, and fry in hot oil.
What is caldillo?
Caldillo is the light tomato broth/sauce that chiles rellenos are traditionally served in — made from blended tomatoes fried with onion and garlic, then loosened with broth and simmered with a little seasoning. The fried chiles are bathed or napped in this warm, savoury sauce. It's lighter than a thick salsa, more of a brothy tomato sauce that complements the rich fried pepper.
Can I make chiles rellenos ahead?
Partly — roast, peel and stuff the poblanos ahead and make the caldillo in advance (it keeps and freezes well). But the egg batter and frying should be done fresh just before serving, since the fluffy coating is best hot from the pan and softens on storage. Doing the prep stages ahead makes the final assembly much more manageable for a meal.
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