Chiles Rellenos are a labor of love but absolutely delicious and satisfying. This traditional Mexican dish is sure to be a hit with everyone!
Chiles rellenos are a traditional Mexican dish I grew up eating. I am not even going to lie and tell you that I always loved them because that wasn’t always the case. However, my taste buds got their act together and they are now one of my favorite dishes! As I mentioned previously, these are definitely a labor of love but the end result is so much more satisfying because of it.
Start by roasting poblano peppers and filling them with the goods. After they are filled, make an egg batter to coat the peppers. Pan fry them, and top them with a delicious and slightly spicy sauce.
Traditionally chiles rellenos are stuffed with cheese. However, I wanted to make a Whole30 version full of protein and veggies that is still full of flavor. Plug in these picadillo-filled chiles rellenos. You can find my picadillo recipe here and I guarantee it is the perfect stuffing for these bad boys.
First step: Roast the peppers
Second Step: Peel off skin
Third step: Gently cut a slit in the middle of the pepper from the stem to the end. Be careful to not cut through the entire pepper. You want to do this just to get the seeds and veins out and to be able to add filling. Stuff the pepper with preferred filling.
Fourth step: Coat the stuffed peppers with arrowroot or almond flour. Place a large pan over medium heat and add oil of choice. While oil heats, make egg batter.
Fifth step: Make the egg batter by adding salt and egg whites to a mixing bowl and beating them until stiff. Add yolks and beat only until incorporated. Once oil is very hot, dip the peppers in the egg batter, ensuring they are fully coated. Pan fry only 2-3 at a time. When they start to get golden around the edges, about 3 minutes, carefully flip and cook all sides until golden. Place peppers on a paper towel lined sheet pan or plate to drain.
Last and final step: Making the sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a saucepan and bring to boil. Once veggies are tender, place everything in a blender and blend until smooth. *Optional: heat a little oil in a saucepan and add sauce allowing simmer for a few minutes for extra favor.
That was a lot, right?! Well I hope you stuck around until the end because these chiles rellenos are ALWAYS a hit. I cannot wait for you to give them a try and make them for your family, friends, and loved ones. They are sure to impress anyone and everyone!
Chiles Rellenos
Ingredients
- 6 poblano peppers
- 6 eggs seperated
- 3 cups picadillo or preferred filling
- 2 tbs arrowroot flour or almond flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil replenish as needed for pan frying
- salt to taste
Sauce
- 3 tomatoes
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeno de-seeded for less spice
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place peppers on baking sheet and place under broiler. After 5 minutes, flip over and broil for another 5 minutes.
- Let the peppers cool for a couple of minutes and place in a plastic bag, covering completely to release steam. Leave in bag for 5-6 minutes.
- While the peppers are in the bag, place a large pan over medium heat.
- Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off as much of the skin as possible. You can also run the peppers under cold water to make peeling easier. Do not worry if not all of the skin comes off, some intact is just fine.
- Gently cut a slit in pepper from the stem to the end, ensuring the pepper stays in tact and you do not cut through the entire pepper. This will create a pocket for the stuffing. Remove the seeds and veins from pepper as much as possible. Stuff peppers with filling of choice just until pepper is full and still able to close at opening.
- Add oil to pan that is on medium heat.
- Place flour on a large plate or sheet pan and coat stuffed peppers with flour by gently rolling peppers in flour, making sure stuffing stays in place. This will ensure egg batter adheres better.
- In a large mixing bowl add egg whites and salt and beat until stiff. Add yolks and beat only until incorporated.
- Dip the peppers one at a time into the egg batter, coating them completely. After the pepper has been dipped, immediately place pepper onto hot pan. Don't overcrowd the pan as to not lower temperature of oil too much.
- Pan fry until they start to get golden around the edges, about 3 minutes, and carefully flip and continue cooking until golden on all sides. If there are areas that are not being cooked in the oil, use a spoon to obtain some of the hot oil from the pan and spoon oil over those areas to cook.
- Once peppers are cooked place them on a sheet pan or large plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Sauce
- Place all ingredients, minus salt, in a saucepan and bring to boil.
- Once vegetables are tender, add everything to blender including salt to taste, and blend thoroughly.
- Optional: Add oil to saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add sauce and simmer for 10 minutes for extra flavor.
Congratulations on your Blog!!!! I’ve followed you on Instagram and absolutely LOVE your recipes so i’m truly excited to add your blog to my faves!!!
Chile Rellenos are BOMB!
Thanks so much, Doris! I am so happy to have you follow along and it warms my heart to have you enjoy my recipes!
To say I love this recipe is an understatement. I’ve made it 3 times and it is my absolute favorite. I grew up eating chiles rellenos they have always been a favorite of mine. Since my first whole30 I realized that dairy and I are not really compatible. This recipe gave me my Chiles rellenos back. The meat stuffing and flour substitutes are genius. I don’t even care the time invested in making them, trust me is worth it. Thank you so much for giving back one of my childhood foods. Food is such an important of our culture and thanks to you a got a piece of it back.
Cynthia, THANK YOU!! This was the kindest comment and it just makes my heart explode to hear that my recipes can bring back childhood memories!
Congratulations on the blog! I love your food! Can’t wait to learn more from you!
Thank you so much! I’m excited for you to try more recipes!
I LOVE this recipe so much. I have made it multiole times and rarely have leftovers. This past week I made them for my whole Salvadoran family on our beach vacation and it was a huge hit! Abuelita loved them which is a big compliment because her own Chiles rellenos are amazing! I also made ejotes (green beans) rellenos with your recipe. It was awesome.
This made my heart so full!! I am so happy you and your family loved this recipe, especially Abuelita! Those ejotes sound delish, I’ll have to give that a try too. Thank you!
My favorite recipe, I love Chile Relleno so learning to male this dish was wonderful it was delicious 😋 👌 it definitely a keeper and I make it often.
Damaris, so glad you you loved it! It’s a favorite around here also
This recipe is so delicious! I keep ordering this at various restaurants, but none of them compare to your recipe. I love it 🥰. Thanks
Thanks so much, Patty! So glad you love it 🙂
This is my go to recipe every time I make chiles rellenos! I never had ate them with a sauce and trying this sauce was definitely a game changer…..thank you for sharing. Plus roasting the chiles in the oven makes it way faster than what I was doing before.
Linet, I am so happy you love this recipe. It’s definitely one of my favorites! Thank you for trusting me with this in your kitchen.