Chiles rellenos with rice and beans
Mexico

Chiles Rellenos de Queso

Char poblanos, fill them with melting cheese, coat in airy egg batter, and fry until golden before serving with light tomato sauce.

Servings 4
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Difficulty Moderate
Print Recipe

Ingredients

4 large poblano chiles
7 oz queso Oaxaca or queso asadero, torn into strips
2 medium ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup white onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp neutral oil
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups neutral oil for frying
4 large poblano chiles
200 g queso Oaxaca or queso asadero, torn into strips
300 g ripe tomatoes
60 g white onion
2 garlic cloves
15 ml neutral oil
3 eggs, separated
35 g wheat flour
3 g fine salt
1 g black pepper
500 ml neutral oil for frying

Instructions

  1. Char the poblanos directly over a flame or under a hot grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning until the skins blister and blacken on all sides.
  2. Cover the chiles in a bowl for 10 minutes. Peel off the loose skin without rinsing. Cut a small slit, carefully remove the seeds, and keep the stems attached.
  3. Stuff each chile with about 50 g cheese. Close the slit gently. Dust the outside lightly with flour so the batter sticks evenly.
  4. Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic, 2 g salt, and 120 ml water until smooth.
  5. Heat 15 ml oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the tomato sauce for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens slightly and loses its raw taste. Keep warm.
  6. Beat the egg whites for 2 to 3 minutes until they hold soft peaks. Beat in the yolks one at a time just until combined.
  7. Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to about 175°C. Dip each chile into the egg batter, coating it fully but lightly.
  8. Fry the chiles for 2 to 3 minutes per side until puffed and golden. Turn gently so they don’t split. Drain on paper.
  9. Spoon warm tomato sauce onto plates. Set the chiles on top and serve at once while the cheese is soft.

Cultural Context

There’s no single national rulebook. Some versions arrive in a thin tomato broth; others come with a richer salsa roja. Fillings shift too, from cheese to picadillo or seasonal mixtures. Many US recipes use Anaheim peppers because they’re easier to find. Fair enough. But for a traditional chile relleno de queso, poblano is home base.

Fun Fact

Poblano chiles peak in Mexico’s rainy season, especially in August and September. That timing helps explain why stuffed poblano dishes show up so often around late-summer and Independence Day cooking.

Cook’s Tip

Some use Anaheim chiles, but the more traditional Mexican version uses poblano chiles stuffed with melting cheese, coated in whipped egg batter, and fried. That’s our version. Queso Oaxaca, queso asadero, or Chihuahua-style cheese all work. If the poblanos tear, secure them with a toothpick before battering and remove it after frying. Traditional versions often serve the chiles with a light tomato broth or salsa roja. Poblano-and-cheese rellenos with capeado batter are standard in respected Mexican recipes.

Trivia

Sinaloa grows the most green chiles in Mexico based on the 2023 official agriculture reporting. Mexico’s agriculture ministry said Sinaloa led national production with 751,839 tonnes, ahead of Chihuahua and Zacatecas.

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