Best Chile Relleno
Charred poblano peppers stuffed with melty cheese, battered and fried, served with warm ranchero sauce. 45-minute taqueria classic.
Ingredients
- For the Chiles & Filling:
- 6 large poblano peppers
- 12 oz 340 g Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, in strips
- ½ cup 60 g all-purpose flour (dusting)
- For the Egg Batter:
- 4 large eggs separated
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- For the Ranchero Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup 120 ml broth
Instructions
- Roast poblanos over flame or broiler until charred; steam 10 min.
- Peel, slit, remove seeds; stuff with cheese. Dust with flour.
- Make sauce: Sauté onion + garlic; add tomatoes + spices + broth. Simmer 10 min.
- Beat whites + cream of tartar to stiff peaks. Fold in yolks + flour.
- Heat ½-inch oil to 350 °F.
- Dip stuffed chiles in batter; fry 2–3 min/side until golden.
- Drain on paper towels; remove toothpicks.
- Serve over warm sauce with cilantro + crema.
Notes
- Pat peppers dry after peeling—batter sticks better.
- Room-temp eggs = taller whites = puffier coating.
- Freeze stuffed raw peppers up to 2 months; thaw before batter.
- Oven option: 400 °F 15–18 min on oiled sheet.
- GF: Use GF flour; same ratios.
- Secure slit with toothpick if cheese peeks—remove after frying.