Talk about a delicious and easy casserole! This simple recipe is a spin on the traditional chile rellenos. Its basically putting a lot of chiles in a big pan, adding tons of gooey cheese, and adding an egg batter on top.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Additional Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1.5 hours
- Servings: 12
- Prep Level: Beginner +
What You’ll Love
- All the Flavor, None of the Fuss – Bold flavors and with minimal prep.
- Customizable – Add ground beef, chorizo, corn, or black beans. Use different cheeses: Monterey jack cheese, asadero cheese, cheddar cheeses, and even pepper jack cheese for a little heat.
- Perfect any time of day – It can be a side dish, a main meal dish for dinner or brunch and even a delicious breakfast dish.
- Leftover & Freezer Friendly – It stores and reheats well, making it ideal for make-ahead family meals.
The traditional version of chile rellenos are poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, dipped into an egg batter, and then deep fried. They are super delicious but can take a lot of time to make.
Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven. Spray baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
- Split open whole green chile peppers, remove seeds, and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Place half of the chile peppers on the bottom of the dish.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese (both kinds) over the layer of chiles.
- Repeat step by layering the rest of the chiles on top of the cheese.
- Use the remaining cheese and cover the top layer of chiles.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
- Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Combine the milk, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper with the egg yolks and whisk together.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk and milk mixture.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake. Using oven mitts, remove the foil. Bake uncovered until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest a few minutes before serving.
See the recipe card below for complete measurements and baking times.
Tips & Tricks
- Hatch Green Chiles – Drained canned chiles well and pat dry to avoid excess moisture.
- Shred Your Own Cheese – Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother and gives the casserole a rich gooey texture.
- Whisk the Egg Mixture Well – The eggs are what bind the casserole, make sure to whisk them until frothy and well combined for a fluffy, custard-like texture.
- Let It Rest After Baking – Let the casserole rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. This allows it to set and makes serving easier.
Storage
Refrigerator – Let the casserole cool to room temperature. Cover the dish tightly with foil, plastic wrap, or transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating
For the best texture, reheat in the oven at 350°F. Cover the casserole with foil to prevent drying out. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes. Frozen: Thaw overnight and reheat as above.
What to Serve with Chile Relleno Casserole
Pair this delicious casserole as the main dish with:
- Mexican Rice
- Chips & Guacamole or Salsa
- Fried or Poached Eggs – For Brunch
About Hatch Green Chilis
Hatch green chili is the generic name for chiles that come from one specific area of the county, Hatch Valley, New Mexico. Hatch chiles are to Hatch, New Mexico what Vidalia onions are to Vidalia, Georgia.
Hatch season only comes around once a year and for a very short time. The season starts at the beginning of August and is over by the end of September.
Roasting Peppers
Raw hatch chiles have a harsh taste to them, roasting tones the harshness down and brings out their smoky flavor. The method of roasting chiles is basically the same for all types of peppers. Here is a great and easy recipe for roasting hatch chiles in the oven from the Flavor Bender.
Easy Hatch Green Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
This simple recipe is a spin on the traditional chile rellenos. It's basically putting a lot of chiles in a big pan, adding tons of gooey cheese, and adding an egg batter on top.
Ingredients
- 27 ounce can of whole green chiles (see FAQ’s)
- 16 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese – found in the refrigerated section at your local grocery store.
- 16 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend – found in the refrigerated section at your local grocery store.
- 4 eggs – separated
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Toppings (optional) – sour cream, salsa, sliced jalapeno peppers, and fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
- Split open whole green chile peppers, remove seeds, and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Place half of the chile peppers on the bottom of the dish in a single layer.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese (both kinds) over the layer of chiles.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 by layering the remaining hatch chiles on top of the cheese making sure to cover all areas and use the remaining cheese and cover the top layer of chiles.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites having the yolks in a large mixing bowl and the whites in a separate medium size bowl.
- Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Add the milk, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper to the egg yolks and whisk together.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk milk mixture. Completely blend.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture evenly over the top of the casserole.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Using oven mitts, remove the dish from the oven and remove the foil.
- Return dish to the oven. Bake another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Helpful Tools
- 9 x13 inch casserole dish
- Medium bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or standing mixer
- Aluminum foil
- Paper towels
- Egg separater
- Whisk
- Kitchen knife
- Oven mitts
What You'll Love
- It can be a side dish, a main meal dish, or even a delicious breakfast dish.
- It's a meatless casserole however you can add cooked ground beef to make it even heartier.
- You can use different kinds of cheese – Monterey jack cheese, asadero cheese, cheddar cheeses, and even pepper jack cheese for a little heat.
Canned Chiles: Fresh peppers are always the best but since the season for fresh hatch chiles is so short, it's perfectly fine to use either canned or frozen hatch chiles.
Whisking Egg Whites: Whisking or whipping egg whites with an electric mixer, incorporates air into the egg whites.
This technique is used to add height and lightness to recipes and baked goods.
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