Chile relleno , literally “stuffed chile (pepper)”, is a Mexican dish which originated in the state of Puebla. There are many variations; while the chiles (poblano [from Puebla], pasilla, Hatch, Anaheim), cheeses (queso Chihuahua, asadero, Monterey Jack) and preparation methods might differ, the end results is consistent – yummy cheesy peppery goodness.

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Comfort food

To me it is comfort food. I didn’t like it when I was a kid but I grew to enjoy eating chiles rellenos at family events, a special food for special occasions.

Specifically I am enamored with the casserole version of the dish as developed by my mother in the late 1980s in the San Francisco bay area. I refer to it as the ‘Cardona family recipe’ – cherished by many in the extended Cardona family. My grandmother used to make individual chiles rellenos, dipping each stuffed chile in egg batter and deep frying it. Those were too picante (spicy) for my mother since the seeds and veins were included, so she adapted the recipe – removing the oil and frying as well (+1 for health).

The recipe – a little work but fairly simple

Though it does require some labor it isn’t that difficult to make. When compared with preparing individual chiles (fried or baked) it is actually more efficient for preparing larger amounts (I suppose that is the general brilliance of a casserole).

Since I can make it I’d have to consider it a beginner level recipe. This page has the recipe details. Try it out! I sometimes make it for the office Cinco de Mayo party.

Where to find whole green chiles

One trick is that the cans of roasted whole green chiles can be hard to find. They are not in the major grocery stores where I live and I only once found them at Costco. It looks like you can order them online on Target.com (search “Ortega Whole Green Fire Roasted Chiles”), but I usually shop for them at the larger Mexican grocery stores (a few smaller ones I’ve visited didn’t have them). Cardenas Market in East Palo Alto has them for $7.50 per can (Dec 2018) – a tad expensive. I thought the price might be high since it is a niche product, but it appears Target sells the same cans for a few dollars less. If the can is labeled in Spanish only, look for the words “chiles para rellenar”.

From New Mexico with love

I am not sure how my family settled on using the green chile, also known as the Anaheim pepper, but we have Emilio Ortega to thank for its availability. That’s Ortega as in the Ortega brand peppers. In 1894 Emilio Ortega brought seeds from the state of New Mexico to southern California and cultivated them. Emilio refined the process of picking the red peppers while green (and mild), roasting, cleaning and packing them. His was the first commercial food operation in the state of California. Thank you Emilio!

Other forms

In recent years I’ve seen chile relleno burritos on the menus of local taquerias and food trucks. Usually they contain battered/fried individual chiles along with rice and beans. A good option for those of us eating less meat.

Amy’s Chile Relleno bowl frozen food will do in a pinch. It has chopped poblano peppers, cheese, corn, rice and red sauce. Though the peppers are not featured so prominently, it is a delicious gooey option nonetheless.

(updated Sep 2021) CedarLane Foods also makes a frozen chile relleno (small) meal. It comes with a whole poblano pepper and some chopped pieces on the side. The zesty sauce is tomato-based and goes well with tortilla chips.

A coworker mentioned that he makes a similar dish – alternating layers of pre-grated Mexican cheese blend and sliced whole green chiles. An egg/milk mix with salt, pepper and lots of cumin goes on top. Bake and voila! I’ll have to try that out one of these days.

For notes on various Chile Relleno that I’ve tried at restaurants, see my Chile Relleno Log.