This easy Chile Relleno Casserole is a simple take on the classic Mexican dish, made with roasted green chiles, creamy cheese, and a light, fluffy egg batter. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner, it’s a delicious, low-carb meal your family will love!
This post has been updated for a better user experience, but the recipe remains the same!
I grew up near the Mexican border in Southern California and fell in love with the flavors of real chile rellenos. But let’s be real—stuffing and frying individual chiles can be a labor of love that’s hard to pull off on a busy day. That’s why I created this Chile Relleno Casserole, a simplified version that gives you all the cheesy, smoky goodness of the original without all the work.
The best part? No layering here! Instead you’ll use canned green chiles (a pantry staple!) and stuff them with big hunks of Monterey Jack cheese. Once that’s done you’ll whip up a simple egg batter, pour it over the top and let the oven do the work. It’s hands off cooking at it’s best and the results are amazing—baked chiles with gooey melted cheese and a golden, bubbly top.
It’s not just easy it’s also versatile. It’s dinner worthy but light enough for breakfast or brunch. Whether you’re cooking for your family or friends it’s a crowd pleaser that’s a cinch to make. I love how it takes the comforting, bold flavors of Mexican food and puts them into a simple foolproof recipe. Trust me once you try it you’ll be making it again and again!
Why You Will Love this Easy Chile Relleno Casserole
- Easy | If you don’t roast your own chile peppers, using canned whole chiles this recipe comes together in minutes!
- Make Ahead | Assemble all of the ingredients the night before, cover with aluminum foil, bring to room temperature the next day while you are preheating the oven and shazam!
- Double or Triple the Recipe | I love recipes you can easily scale based on your needs. You can double the chiles and cheese and keep the amount of milk and eggs the same or double or triple the entire recipe baking in a 9×13 inch pan for a slam-dunk dish!
Growing up in Southern California we had the privilege of enjoying real Mexican food, real Chile Relleno’s.
A family that we helped out on occasion would make and bring us the most incredible chiles rellenos, but they are a decent amount of work and we’re just trying to get breakfast or dinner on the table some nights — amiright?
Key Ingredients for New Mexico Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
- Whole roasted green chiles | I use canned, but home roasted fresh chiles is great (see tip for how to roast below). May also substitute chopped green chiles as well.
- Monterey Jack Cheese | Slice into sticks! Can also try Pepper Jack cheese, regular or your favorite cheddar cheeses, also try Cotijo.
- Eggs | I always use large eggs in my cooking and baking
- All-purpose flour | May substitute with a good 1-1 all purpose gluten-free flour.
- Milk | We use whole milk at home, but you can substitute whatever you normally use.
- Extra cheese grated for sprinkling on top
Fresh Tip
- At times, I’ve had a hard time finding whole roasted chiles. So I modified and used 2-3 (4 oz) cans of diced green chiles instead. Just place them in the dish, with diced chunks of cheese or shredded cheese, pour the egg batter and bake. Turned out great!
How do you make Chili Relleno Casserole?
Why is this easy chile relleno recipe so great, because it’s made using canned whole roasted chile peppers.
No roasting, sweating and pulling skins off here, though you are certainly welcome to do so, probably taste even better!
Step 1 | Prep chiles
Rinse the peppers in cold water and then carefully scrape the seeds out, the seeds are where the heat is. If you like the heat, by all means keep them inside! I would say that Hatch Green chiles are typically a mild- medium heat pepper, but you can find hotter versions too.
Use a paper towel to remove some of the extra moisture from the peppers. Spray a 9×9 inch casserole dish with a little spray oil.
Step 2 | Stuff Chile Rellenos
Slice cheese block into sticks and carefully stuff them into the chiles laying in a single layer in the casserole dish.
My favorite cheese for authentic chile rellenos is Monetery Jack cheese – it melts so beautifully, but you can use cheddar, pepper jack or any deliciously melting cheese, or try salty Cotija Mexican cheese.
If the pepper splits, don’t worry about it, just roll it together as best you can and lay it in a lightly greased (spray oil works great here) pan. Tucked them nice and close together.
Step 3 | Make Egg Mixture
In a medium bowl add eggs and using a fork or whisk, beat until smooth. Add regular or gluten-free flour to the mixture, milk and salt and pepper, whisking until smooth.
Pour egg mixture over the top of the cheese stuffed chiles and top with a little grated cheese and bake.
Step 3 | Bake New Mexico Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
All you do now, is place that casserole dish in the preheated 350 degree F oven and bake between 60-90 minutes, until it’s golden, bubbly, puffed and set.
How to Roast your Own Chile Peppers
Start the process by washing and drying your chile peppers of choice.
- Oven | Place peppers on baking sheet brushed with a little olive oil and roast in a 425 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, turn and roast another 15-20 minutes until they are soft. Steam as directed below.
- Broil | Place peppers on baking sheet brushed with a little olive oil, with rack 3-5 inches from the broiler, broil for about 20 minutes total, turning a quarter turn every 5 minutes. Until charred and peppers are soft. Steam as directed.
- Stovetop | If you have a gas stovetop this is my preferred method for just a few peppers. Place washed and dried peppers directly over the medium gas flame, turning about every 5 minutes, until the entire pepper is charred. Doing it this way imparts the most smokey flavor into the pepper. Steam as directed below.
- Grill or Grill Pan | With the grill heated to medium, place washed and dried peppers directly on grill or grill pan, turning every 5-10 minutes until peppers are soft and completely charred. Steam as directed.
- How to Steam Charred Peppers | Once peppers have been charred, place hot peppers in an airtight baggie for 10-15 minutes. Or on a cutting board and invert a glass bowl over the top of the hot peppers. Once they steamed, gently and carefully remove the charred skin and throw away (a little messy) and then remove stems and carefully remove seeds.
Variations & Substitutions
- Roast your Own Peppers | You can easily roast your fresh peppers. Wash peppers and pat them dry with paper towels. Place peppers over an open flame, turning occasionally, until the pepper is blackened and charred all over. Once charred, place peppers in plastic bags and seal for about 10 minutes, this sweats the char off and softens the peppers, keeping the roasted flavor inside the chile pepper. Once 10 minutes are up, gently peel away the charred portion and discard. Use peppers are you would in any recipe. Fresh roasted pepper are divine!
- Instead of stuffing the peppers, layer them on the bottom of the dish, then add cubes or shredded cheeses to the top, then pour the egg flour mixture over the top.
- Dairy-Free Chile Rellenos | I’ve never tried this, but replace the cheese and the milk with your favorite plant-based cheese and milk.
Gluten-Free New Mexico Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
To make gluten free chile relleno casserole, simply swap out the all-purpose flour out for your favorite Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, this is my favorite!
I try as much as possible to provide an easy gluten-free variations; while we are not gluten-free, my brother and his family are GF, so I like giving gluten-free options.
Check out all of my Gluten-Free Recipes here!
Toppings
This traditional dish doesn’t need anything on top, but if you want to amp up the flavor even more, then try these topping ideas.
- Salsa or Pico de Gallo or even just fresh chopped tomatoes
- Guacamole
- Chopped cilantro or chopped green onions, even a little fresh chopped jalapeños
- Fresh sliced avocado
- Sour Cream
These rellenos are is a great recipe for a weekend breakfast, try making them along with this delicious Chilaquiles Recipe for a great addition to any Cinco de Mayo spread, or an easy weeknight dinner.
Serve them with creamy refried beans, Mexican Rice. And perhaps a light and refreshing margarita as well!
Chili Relleno Casserole Recipe FAQs
More Great Recipes you will love
- Colorado Green Chile – also uses frozen Hatch green chiles, so good!
- Copycat Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe and don’t forget Cilantro Lime Rice
- Easy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole (or leftover turkey)
- White Mexican Cheese Dip
- Best Mexican Barbacoa Tacos
I hope you loved this New Mexico Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 4 ounce cans whole roasted green chiles or one large 27 oz can for a double batch. Rinsed, patted dry and seeds removed. May also sub 2-3 small cans of chopped green chiles
- ½ lb Monterey Jack Cheese sliced into sticks (or try other cheese, pepper jack, cheddar, cotijo)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or substitute with a good 1-1 all purpose gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper if desired
- 2 cups milk I used whole milk
- Extra cheese grated for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9×9 inch baking dish (or 8×11).
- Rinse chiles in cold water, scraping out seeds and the inside veins (leave seeds in if you desire a hotter dish). Cutting cheese into narrow sticks, place 1-2 sticks inside each chile and then place in greased baking dish.
- Beat eggs in bowl, gradually adding flour, salt and milk whisking until smooth. Pour over chiles and sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake 1 – 1 ½ hours or until browned and firm. Serve immediately
Notes
- I’ve doubled the chiles and cheese but kept the batter the same.
- Doubled and tripled the recipe baking in a large casserole dish.
- Used 2-3 (4 oz) cans of diced green chiles instead of whole chiles, poured them in the dish, with diced chunks of cheese or shredded cheese. Turned out great!
Nutrition
Kay
Comments, directions, hints and tips are spot on! Very helpful. Will try this one at first opportunity, as we love chile rellenos .
I hope you love it, Kay!
Holly
My BF and I really loved this very simple recipe I made the other day. Took 90 mins to bake, but it was delicious and inexpensive. I just bought a big block of Monterey Jack on sale to save money and used 3 4-oz. cans of Ortega whole chiles. There were 3 in each can. I added an extra egg. We’ll (I mean I’ll) make again soon as we are still talking about it.
Yay! Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a kind comment!! And I love that you added another egg!
Becky Hillesheim
Tried this last night It was fantastic! I didn’t have canned peppers so I used fresh poblanos that I blistered and scraped. So glad I found the recipe.
That sounds even better, Becky!! Thank you for your kind comment!!
Theresa
Has anyone tried almond milk with this? I imagine it doesn’t taste as good! Only asking because we’re out of milk and we live way out of town. haha
Hi Theresa, I would imagine if you don’t use a flavored or sweetened almond milk you should be okay. Let me know how it works.
Sheila
Make it at least twice a month! Easy and makes great leftovers! Really great and easy for living alone!!
Love hearing this, Sheila, thank you!!
Janessa
This was such a flavourful breakfast! I can hardly wait to make it again.
Thanks!!
Beth
This is one of the best recipes of any kind that I’ve ever tried! I love all the cheese with the peppers. It’s so good.
Thanks so much Beth!! So glad you loved it!
Shelby
Chili releno is one of my favorite Mexican dishes, so I’m so excited to try this casserole version (and have leftovers)! Yum!
The leftovers are amazing!!
Tayler
I made this casserole for dinner last night and it was wonderful! So easy to throw together too!
Thanks so much Tayler!
Caitlin
Easy and delicious!
Used one 7 oz can of diced green chiles, 3 eggs, remaining recipe as written. Turned out great! Quick to prep, baked for about 55 min and was ready to eat. Full of flavor and not too spicy. Great casserole for brunch!
YAY! Thanks so much Caitlin!