Chile Relleno Casserole

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Serve this cheesy Chile Relleno Casserole recipe for breakfast or dinner or whenever you are craving something cheesy, spicy, and full of Mexican flavors. Use your choice of roasted poblano peppers or canned green chiles to bring the flavor! 

The perfect dynamic of cheesy and spicy with fluffy eggs and pepper jack, this traditional chili relleno casserole is a great way to experience mouthwatering flavors that are bold, comforting, and appetizing.

Easy to prepare in less than 30 minutes, chile relleno casserole is the ideal recipe for whenever you are in need of something quick and simple but super flavorful. 

It starts with a poblano pepper stuffed with monterey jack cheese, covered with an egg mixture, and then topped with shredded cheddar cheese, or Mexican Blend shredded cheese, and perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper, this recipe is the best! 

You can easily customize this recipe to fit your needs! 

Traditionally made with stuffed whole chile peppers, this casserole is an original recipe and is a yummy twist to the original authentic chile rellenos, a well-known Mexican Food recipe, and I love to serve it as a breakfast casserole.

Imagine an array of ingredients that create an experience filled with gooey cheese and bright flavors of fresh cilantro. If you love Chile Relleno and you love Breakfast Recipes, then you will love these Cheesy Chili Rellenos. Are you in yet? 

Table of Contents

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Why This Recipe Works
• What You'll Need
• How to Make This Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
• Variations
• What to Serve with This Casserole
• Pro Recipe Tips
• What is the difference between a chili relleno and a chile poblano? 
• What does relleno mean? 
• More Recipes You Will Love
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• So Easy. If you don't want to roast peppers, then you can take the easy way out and use your favorite canned whole chiles. The results are still amazing with this simple casserole that has very few steps!
• Very Tasty. It will definitely be hard to say no to seconds to this chile rellenos casserole. Tender and easy to bite into, this recipe is guaranteed to deliver all of your favorite Mexican flavors so you can skip the Mexican Restaurant and make this delicious dish at home.
• Versatile. If you are using whole peppers, stuff them with chorizo and cheese, mashed potatoes, seasoned vegetables, or seasoned hamburger meat. There are so many great options. 
• Great for the Holidays. This casserole recipe is great for the holidays when you need to serve brunch, breakfast, or dinner to a crowd. Casseroles are crowd pleasers and easy enough to prepare! 

Why This Recipe Works

• Stuff the peppers with anything you would like to fit your needs or whatever you have in the refrigerator! 
• You can use pepper jack for this recipe, but you don't have to! For less heat, use a mild cheese for the peppers. 
• There is an option to make this casserole gluten-free! 
• In this recipe, I give you instructions on how to roast your own poblano peppers. You won't believe how easy it is! 
• This recipe is freezer-friendly which makes it basically perfect in my book. 

What You'll Need

Equipment

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• Mixing Bowl Set - Every baker must have a good mixing bowl set. I like this set as it is durable and highly rated. The high-quality tempered glass is dishwasher, freezer, microwave and preheated oven safe. It is highly rated by over 20,000 reviewers and costs under $20.
• Stand Mixer - Anyone who does a lot of baking will love this popular stand mixer. It saves time, and wear and tear on your arms. It comes in a variety of colors so you can pick your favorite color.
• Electric Hand Mixer - For a more economical option that you can store under the counter I recommend a hand mixer. I like this one that has a case so you can easily store all its accessories together. It is highly rated by 10s of 1,000s of reviewers and is under $25.
• Sharp Knife - You'll need a sharp knife to cut the brownies. Here is a small sharp knife set that is highly rated at a reasonable price.
• Cutting Board - This popular 3-piece cutting board set is non-slip with handles and dishwasher safe, and is very economical so it will fit most budgets.
• Casserole Dish – An attractive, high-fired stoneware baking dish or casserole dish is perfect for baking.

Ingredients

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don't have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

• Poblano Peppers or Canned Whole Green Chiles. I've made this recipe both ways, and I promise both options to yield enticing flavors. If you want to use fresh peppers, use the whole poblano chiles. You could also use anaheim peppers if you can’t find poblano peppers. One way, the one with the whole green chilies, is just a little easier than the other! For even more spicy heat, you could use hatch chiles instead. The spice level will depend on the kind of peppers that you use.
• Cheese. For this recipe, I like to use sticks of pepper jack for stuffing into the peppers because it has extra spice to it. You will also need some shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese for the topping or feel free to grate your own cheeses. I like to use a sharp cheddar cheese on top of the casserole.
• Eggs. The eggs are staples in this classic recipe and are a part of why this casserole is so amazing. I typically use whole eggs, but I'm sure egg whites would work, too. 
• Milk. Whole or 2% milk is what I use for casseroles to make them extra rich and creamy. 
• Flour. All-purpose flour is whisked with the eggs to coat the peppers and create a cooked layer filled with flavor.
• Baking Powder. Baking powder is used to help bind things together and allow the casserole to rise.
• Salt and Pepper. I only use salt and pepper to season this recipe because the ingredients shine on their own. Season to your preference. 

How to Make This Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe

Broiling Peppers

1. If you are roasting your own peppers, then you will want to follow the next few steps.
2. First, wash and pat the peppers dry and turn the broiler to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. 
3. Place the rack on the highest level and put the pan right underneath the broiler. 
4. Brush the peppers with olive oil, and broil the peppers until the skin has blackened from three to five minutes, then turn the peppers and broil until the other side is blackened. Continue until all sides of the peppers are blackened. 
5. Remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a ziplock bag or paper sack. Allow the peppers to steam until the skin is soft-about five minutes. 
6. One at a time, remove the chiles from the bag and peel the skin off. Carefully, slice down the middle of the chili and scoop out the seeds and stem.

Make the Casserole

• First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If using freshly roasted peppers, then follow the instructions above.
• Place a couple pieces of cheese in the centers of the peppers and roll them shut. 

• Place the chilies in a two-quart casserole dish or 9 x 13-inch pan. 

• In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together until combined.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl before adding to the eggs. 

• Gently, whisk the flour mixture with the eggs and pour over the prepared chiles. 

• Next, sprinkle the shredded cheese over the eggs and peppers. Be sure to evenly coat the surface of the eggs!

• Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake the casserole for 20 minutes until no longer jiggly in the center. 
• Carefully, remove the casserole from the oven and serve immediately. 

Variations

• Beef It Up. Add ground beef to the filling with the Monterey Jack cheese for a more hearty meal.
• Gluten-Free. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. 
• For Cilantro-Haters. Instead of topping the eggs with cilantro, use fresh parsley. 
• Creamy Filling. Use cream cheese or Monterey Jack for stuffing the chiles. 
• Flexible. Stuff the peppers with fish, pork, beef, chicken, or more vegetables. 
• Make a Crust. Make this recipe using tortillas lined in the bottom of the dish for a crust. 
• Topping Ideas. Serve baked chili relleno with sour cream, avocado, fresh lime, etc. 

What to Serve with This Casserole

Serve different types of recipes with this easy chile relleno casserole such as seasoned cooked vegetables, refried beans, soups, cooked rice, salad, and your favorite main dish with chicken, beef, or pork.

Serve with Mexican rice, flour tortillas, or for a low-carb option, serve with cauliflower rice. Pair it with Green Pork Tamales for a full meal. Be sure to have some hot sauce on the side or even enchilada sauce for a twist.

You can also serve this main dish with Mexican rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, or for a low-carb option, serve with cauliflower rice. Be sure to have some hot sauce, pico de gallo, or salsa roja, on the side or even enchilada sauce for a twist.

Pro Recipe Tips

• Store the leftovers in an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for up to seven days. When ready to reheat the casserole, simply warm it up in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes until thoroughly heated.
• Freeze the baked casserole for up to three months in the freezer. Allow the casserole to fully thaw before reheating.  
• If this recipe is overbaked, then the eggs will be dry so be sure to keep a close eye on it. 
• Cook the casserole until the cheese is bubbly. 

What is the difference between a chili relleno and a chile poblano? 

Chile poblano is poblano peppers deep-fried with batter and chili relleno is cooked with an egg bake. Both recipes use poblano peppers and cheeses.

What does relleno mean? 

Relleno is the Mexican term for an ingredient that is stuffed with cheese. 

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• Crustless Spinach Quiche
• Rustic Spanish Potato Omelete
• Easy Ham Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

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