This easy chile relleno casserole recipe is the perfect one-pan dish, with roasted poblanos, eggs, and cheese, great for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
You've likely heard of chile relleno, basically "stuffed pepper", which usually refers to the iconic Mexican dish of roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, then lightly battered and fried.
What if you had it in a casserole format? What we've done here for this recipe is take all of those wonderful ingredients from chile relleno and we're turning it into a casserole dish.
Yes!
Behold, my friends - Chile Relleno Casserole. You're going to love this.
Why I Love This Recipe
What's great about Chile Relleno Casserole is that it's all cooked up in a single pan, making it a very easy meal to prepare and serve.
Everything is cooked and layered up, then baked. Just serve it right out of the pan. I also love that you can serve it as a breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
It's an anytime meal. You can have this done in WAY less than an hour, closer to 40 minutes or so, with a little prep.
Sometimes we like to toss in some Mexican chorizo or shredded chicken before baking it, and then serve it for a simple but satisfying dinner.
Just don't forget the hot sauce! I love this with a good dose of spicy hot sauce.
Let's talk about how to make chile relleno casserole, shall we?
Chile Relleno Casserole Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Poblano Peppers. For roasting. You can also use other stuffing peppers, or pre-roasted peppers, like Hatch chiles, or other green chiles.
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Jalapeno Peppers. For extra spicy heat.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Tomatoes. Fresh, chopped, or canned. Tomato sauce is good as well for a smoother casserole.
- Seasonings. Mexican oregano, paprika, ancho powder (or similar chili powder), cumin, salt and pepper.
- Eggs.
- Cheddar Cheese. Or use Monterey jack cheese, pepper jack, or a combination, or other melty cheese of your liking.
- For Garnish. Spicy chili flakes and fresh chopped herbs.
How to Make Chile Relleno Casserole - the Recipe Steps
The full recipe steps with measurements is listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
First you'll roast your peppers with your preferred roasting method, then peel them. Today I'm using poblano peppers and some jalapenos.
Learn more on how to roast poblano peppers or how to roast chili peppers in general for alternative methods.
You can also use pre-roasted peppers, like these Hatch chiles, which I use in the video below.
Slice the roasted peppers into strips and set them aside.
Next, cook down the jalapeno, onion, and garlic in a large pan, then add the tomatoes and spices.
Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low, until the tomatoes soften up and the mixture becomes saucy.
Layer up a baking dish (or you can use the same pan) with sauce, then roasted chilies.
Then layer in half the cheese, and repeat.
Pour in your beaten egg batter. Turn the pan to let egg mixture move into all the nooks and crannies.
Bake the casserole for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the egg sets and the cheeses are nice and melty. It should turn a nice golden brown.
Serve it with warmed tortillas. I enjoyed the leftovers the next day, just reheated, popped some onto warmed flour tortillas with hot sauce.
Hot sauce is a must!
Boom! That's it, my friends! Easy enough, right? As I said, everything in one pan. That's the great thing about casseroles. They're quite easy yet truly satisfying.
Just like a classic chile relleno. Only as a casserole!
Recipe Tips & Notes
The Peppers. I used poblano peppers here, as they are traditional for chiles rellenos, but you can use Hatch peppers, Anaheim peppers, any larger green peppers that can be roasted.
You can also make this with canned green chilies. If you're looking for a spicier version of this recipe, feel free to bring in a few serrano peppers or habanero peppers to up the heat level.
The Sauce. Try my Homemade enchilada sauce for your base as a time saver.
Or try this Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe. It would also be quite tasty with Ranchero Sauce.
Additional Ingredients. Want to make this a fuller meal? Incorporate some shredded chicken, Mexican chorizo, or cooked ground beef or pork for a protein, or add refried beans to round it out.
You'll get a heartier meal this way.
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftover chile relleno casserole in the refrigerator in a sealed container or covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil up to 5 days.
You can easily reheat it in the oven to enjoy again.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 poblano peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 pound fresh tomatoes chopped (or use canned)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ancho powder or use chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or use Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a combination
- FOR GARNISH: spicy chili flakes and fresh herbs
Instructions
- Set your oven to broil. Slice the poblano peppers in half lengthwise and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet, skin sides up. Broil the poblanos about 10 minutes, or until the skins char and blacken. They should puff up. Remove, cool slightly, then peel off the skins and discard them along with the seeds and stems.
- Slice the poblanos into strips (or rough chop them, if preferred) and set them aside.
- While the poblanos are roasting, heat a 10-inch oven proof skillet to medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the onion and jalapeno and cook them down about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, until you can smell the awesome garlic.
- Add the tomatoes, oregano, paprika, ancho powder, cumin and salt and pepper. Break apart the tomatoes and stir. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low, until the tomatoes soften up and the mixture becomes saucy. You can simmer longer if you’d like. Scoop the sauce into a glass bowl.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the same 10-inch skillet (or you can use a baking dish or casserole dish), spoon half of the sauce into the bottom of the pan. Layer in half of the roasted poblano strips and half of the shredded cheese.
- Add the remaining sauce, then remaining poblano peppers, then most of the remaining cheese.
- Next, beat the eggs with the remaining cheese and pour the mixture over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the egg sets and the cheeses are nice and melty.
- Remove and garnish with spicy chili flakes and fresh herbs.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 10/21/22 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 12/2/19.
Linny says
Love this idea and it's yummy thank you. I'm going to try it again, but istead of whole egg I'll whip up just the egg white with parm cheese for a savory meringue on top. The beauty of this recipe is that it takes minutes so this might be too much extra work, but I wonder if it might better replicate the puffy fried shell that we love about relleños. I can report back if you'd like.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Linny!
Jaree Hall says
Delicious! I added chorizo but otherwise the same.
Mike Hultquist says
A perfect addition! I love chorizo. Glad you enjoyed it, Jaree.
Cynthia says
This was so delicious, and we'll definitely make it again. I used a mix of cubanelles, poblanos, and jalapeños, and then added a pound of ground turkey for the protein. Served it with avocado, Mexican-seasoned green beans, and white rice to complete the meal. We'll definitely be making it again. We will leave some of the seeds and/or membranes in the peppers next time, as we could have used some additional spicy heat. Thank you for a great recipe! (And a way to use a lot of fresh produce I went [I thought...] overboard buying at the farmers market.)
Mike Hultquist says
Perfection!! Glad you like this one, Cynthia. I love how easy and TASTY this recipe is. Thanks!
Jenny says
This. Was. DELICIOUS!!! Made it using his recommendation of the Ranchero sauce instead and my husband said "You better save this recipe". Added some leftover grilled chicken thighs too which added a nice chew. Thanks Mike, will keep following 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent!! Glad you both enjoyed it, Jenny! Nice!
Jennifer says
My family really enjoyed this meal. It was super easy to make and will become a staple for an easy breakfast (in place of a frittata) or light dinner. Actually anything with poblano and jalapeno peppers is delicious, and this was so simple. Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer! Thanks!! Awesome to hear!
Cheryl Hill says
This recipe is a great hit! I went light on the jalapeno, as many of my friends don't like Mike level of heat ;), so it was just right for them. Also, I halved the poblanos and de-seeded them before charring, and roasted the tomatoes. Wish I had used a better and sharper cheddar than the yellow shredded grocery store generic. But the recipe is fabulous (probably with most any permutation), and I know Mike seems never offended by most "off-takes". Thanks so much for so much taste and a meal that works for any time of day, Mike. Delicioso!
Mike Hultquist says
Very nice! Glad it was a hit, Cheryl! Thanks!
Bill thoman says
I added a pound of hamburger to the sauce and lined a casserole dish with corn tortillas and layered it like in your recipe. Delicious and filling.
Mike Hultquist says
I love it! Nice addition, Bill!
Cheryl Hill says
Sounds like another great take on it, Bill
Aaron Johnson says
Another great one. The best part about this recipe is it’s easy to follow and therefore becomes a rotational meal that you make all the time. I have made this one at least 6 times. I never considered making rellanos but making everything in the cast iron is genius and therefore easy.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Aaron! Yes, all the great flavors are there in a much easier way to enjoy it. I appreciate it.
Anna says
I have Monday family night dinners with my adult children. We like to try new recipes. I came across this recipe and I love it! I followed the recipe without adding meat although I might add it in next time. I used 8 poblanos, two jalapeños and fresh Roma tomatoes. The tomatoes weren’t very saucy but it all came out delicious anyways. Needed a little more spicy but the jalapeño were probably mild. Definitely adding to my favorites.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you all enjoyed it, Anna! Thanks for sharing this! This is a recipe you can definitely adapt by adding different meats, etc. I appreciate it.
Chris says
This was amazing! I added ground turkey sausage to the sauce and served with yellow rice, avacado and salsa. My family went nuts over it and requested I put it rotation. My husband and I have made many of your recipes and love them. Thanks for the great ideas - keep them coming!
Mike H. says
I absolutely will. Thank you, Chris!
Sharon says
a bit hot, next time no jalapeños or less.
great flavors
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it overall, Sharon!