This Mexican Chile Relleno recipe is a favorite in my own household, and I know it will be one in yours too! In this authentic Mexican dish, smokey poblano peppers are stuffed with a ground beef mixture, then coated in an egg batter and fried.
Chiles Rellenos (stuffed peppers) are an iconic and traditional Mexican recipe. The roasted poblano pepper is an essential ingredient of this recipe and a key pepper in Mexican cuisine. Chiles rellenos are usually found in mom-and-pop restaurants (fondas) or as a homemade meal, with picadillo stuffing being the most popular.
From generation to generation, this traditional dish has been part of Mexican culture until this day. Many variations depend on localities, regions, family traditions, and tastes. One thing that everybody agrees with is that chiles rellenos is considered one of the best comfort foods in Mexico.
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Frequently Asked Questions About This Mexican Stuffed Chile Rellenos Recipe
Here are some questions I often hear from readers...
What else can I stuff my poblano peppers with?
If the “picadillo” filling seems like too much for you, cheese, canned tuna, chicken, refried beans, or vegetables are another excellent option. Oaxaca Cheese, Muenster, or Monterey Jack Cheese are good options.
Do I have to peel my poblano peppers?
If this is your first time cooking with poblano peppers, you may be surprised to learn that you will want to peel them. Poblanos can be eaten raw, but for the best flavor, they will need to be cooked, or, in the case of this recipe, we will roast them.
Here is the method of how to roast and peel your poblano peppers in an open flame:
- To remove the skin, roast each pepper over an open flame. Turn the heat to medium-high, place the peppers, and roast for about 1-2 minutes per side, rotating the peppers to obtain a uniform roasting.
- Then, place them in a damp cloth and cover them (This way, they retain more flavor). However, You can also place them inside a plastic bag.
- Once it has cooled down enough to handle, peel the skin off of the peppers with your fingers or gently scrapping the skins with a spoon.
- After peeling the peppers, make a slit cut lengthwise in each one. Remove seeds and veins.
- Soak them in water with vinegar and salt. (This step is optional, but it gives a great flavor to the peppers).
- After 15 minutes, dry them with paper towels.
Roasting poblano pepper in your broiler:
- Set your oven to broil.
- Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Brush your pepper with oil thoroughly and place them on the baking sheet.
- Broil them until you can see the skin blister and they are evenly roasted.
- Remove them and cover them with a layer of aluminum foil for about 10 minutes.
- Once they have cooled down enough to handle, peel the skin off of the peppers with your fingers.
- After peeling the peppers, make a slit cut lengthwise in each one. Remove seed and veins.
Roasting in your Oven:
- Same step as using your broiler, except for setting your oven temperature to 400º for 20 to 30 minutes.
It may seem like a bit of extra work, but I promise it's worth the effort!
Mexican Chile Relleno Recipe
While this dish may take a bit of time to put together, the ingredients are simple and, for the most part, wholesome.
Note: Check the most asked questions above for instructions and methods of peeling your poblano peppers.
Here's what you need to make this dish...
- Oil
- Ground beef
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Garlic clove
- Tomatoes
- Cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
- Green peas
- Poblano peppers
- Flour
- Eggs
Please note: For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Cooking Tips:
- Some cooks also add raisins, olives, and capers to make chiles rellenos a richer dish.
- This beef picadillo recipe will be enough to prepare eight stuffed poblano peppers. Still, you may want to prepare extra picadillo as the leftovers make a nice sandwich or burrito for tomorrow’s lunch.
- Even if your family is a small one like mine, go ahead and make the full recipe. If you are going to all this trouble of making them, then why settle for half? 😉 They taste great the next day with just a quick reheat in the microwave. (I know: that evil machine!)
- Do not buy large poblano peppers, especially if this is your first time making them. It is not easy to handle them while frying, and they lack flavor. Instead, choose the small to medium ones you can find at farmer's markets.
How To Make Mexican Chiles Rellenos De Picadillo: Step By Step Tutorial
To make this easier for you, I will break it down by section.
Make Picadillo
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add oil to warm and the ground meat to cook, breaking down the lumps that form for about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic until slightly translucent.
- Add the carrots and keep cooking for about 5 more minutes.
- After that time, add the potatoes to cook, stirring frequently.
- While the meat and vegetables are cooking, place the tomatoes and water in the blender process to form a puree.
- Add this tomato puree to the skillet and stir the rest of the ingredients.
- Simmer until vegetables are cooked, and the liquid has reduced, and very little remains.
Make Picadillo
- Cool before stuffing the chiles rellenos.
Stuff The Peppers
- Once your poblano peppers are clean, and the seed removed, dry them with a paper towel.
- Carefully slit down the side of the pepper with a sharp knife.
- Stuff the pepper using a spoon, being careful not to overstuff or the fill will spill while frying it.
Note: Some people will place a toothpick on the side of the pepper to close the slit to prevent the stuffing from spilling.
Coat and Fry The Stuffed Chile Peppers
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil at medium-high heat. The oil should be about ¾ in. deep.
- While the oil heats, in a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, and then stir in the egg yolks one by one while beating until you have a fluffy batter season with salt.
- Spread the flour on a large plate and coat the peppers lightly, one by one.
- Shake off any excess flour. Make sure the chiles rellenos do not open while doing this step.
- Once the peppers are covered with the flour, dip them into the fluffy egg batter, ensuring they are well coated.
- Carefully place the peppers in the hot oil, around 350º to 375º; if you do not have a thermometer, sprinkle some flour to test the oil, and make sure you don't overcrowd the skillet.
- Fry each side until it gets a golden brown color. It will take a few minutes on each side. It takes practice to master this step. Use a large spatula to help you turn the chiles rellenos gently.
- Place the pepper on a paper towel to drain and absorb the oil.
What To Serve With Mexican Chiles Rellenos
These stuffed peppers are a whole meal by themselves! But, if you want to serve it with sides, I would recommend serving it with White Rice or Mexican red rice, and a side refried pinto beans. In some areas of Mexico, cooks served them with a simple tomato salsa. Don't forget a warm corn tortilla to make a really good Chile Relleno Taco.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy
If you like this stuffed chile relleno recipe, you will also like these recipes:
- Rajas de Chiles Poblanos
- Chicken with Creamy Poblano Sauce
- How to Make Mole Poblano
- Oxtail and Poblano Pepper Soup
- Pasta with Creamy Roasted Poblano Sauce
Plus, don't miss this post with 15 wonderful ways to enjoy poblano peppers!
I hope you make these Mexican stuffed peppers! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. I hope you make these Mexican stuffed peppers! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience.
For more recipes, follow Us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. in español Visit Us at Mexico en mi cocina .
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
📖 Recipe
Mexican Chile Rellenos
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Picadillo
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 cup of finely diced carrots about 2 medium carrots
- 1 cup of finely diced potatoes about 2 small potatoes
- ½ Large onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium tomatoes coarsely chopped
- ½ cup of water
- ½ teaspoon of ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of green peas
For the Chiles
- 6 Medium size poblano peppers roasted cleaned and seeds
- About ¾ cup of flour
- 4 eggs separated
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- About 1 cup of oil or more to fry the stuffed peppers
Instructions
- Chiles Rellenos: Place a skillet over a medium-high heat. Add oil to warm and add the ground meat to cook breaking down the lumps that form. About 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic until slightly translucent. Add the carrots and keep cooking for about 5 more minutes. After that time add the potatoes to cook ,stirring frequently.
- While the meat and vegetables are cooking, place the tomatoes and water in the blender to form a puree. Add this tomato puree to the skillet and stir the rest of the ingredients. Simmer until vegetables are cooked , the liquid has reduced ,and very little remains. In case the liquid has reduced before the vegetables are cooked add some more water during the cooking process. Cool before stuffing the peppers.
- Once your peppers are clean and seed removed dry them with a paper towel. Gather all your ingredients for the final preparation.
- Stuff the pepper using a spoon being careful not to overstuff or the fill will spill while frying it.
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil. The oil should be about ¾ in. deep. While the oil heats, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks ,and then stir in the yolks one by one while beating until you have a fluffy batter season with salt.
- Spread the flour on a large plate and coat the peppers lightly, one by one. Shake off any excess flour. Make sure they do not open while doing this step.
- Once the peppers are covered with the flour, dip them into the beaten eggs making sure it is well coated.
- Carefully place the peppers in the hot oil, do not overcrowd the skillet. Fry each side until it gets a deep golden color. It will take a few minutes on each side. It takes practice to master this step. Use a large spatula to help you turn the peppers gently. Place the pepper on a paper towel to absorb the oil.
Veronica Martinez
Finally!!!! Someone who knows about the raisins in the filling!! Thank you.
Leslee
This is delicious! My poor poblanos from the garden were tiny, but I stuffed them anyway. I even used the picadillo to stuff some little green bell peppers. I added a little more cumin, another clove of garlic and some oregano just because I like the taste of cumin and garlic. Very nice and easy to follow. Thanks!