Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole

Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole combines layers of roasted poblano pepper, chicken, onion, cheese, and seasonings, all topped with a fluffy egg batter that bakes up golden and bubbly.

Mexican-Style Comfort Food

If you’ve ever made authentic Chile Rellenos – stuffed, breaded, and fried poblano peppers – then you know that it can be a little cumbersome and messy to prepare. Good news: Our Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole is an easier (and just as delicious) riff on classic Chile Rellenos.

We’ve layered roasted poblano peppers, poached and shredded chicken breast, zesty white onion, and shredded cheeses in a casserole dish, then topped with an egg batter that bakes up golden and fluffy.

Every bite of our Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole has delicious creamy flavor, tender chunks of chicken, and a gentle heat from the poblano pepper. The golden topping adds a nice contrast of texture with a light flavor.

This is an incredibly comforting Mexican-inspired casserole without a lot of fuss!

What are Chile Rellenos?

It’s a very popular Mexican dish made with roasted and stuffed poblano peppers. (The term relleno means stuffed in Spanish.)

The filling is typically a variety of cheese and sometimes meat. Then, the pepper is dipped in an egg batter that puffs up as the peppers are deep fried before serving with sauce or salsa on the side, along with rice and beans, guacamole, or other sides.

• The combination of flavors and textures is the ultimate, delicious comfort food.
• You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your tastes and ingredients on hand. Swap out the chicken and add beef or spicy sausage. Use different cheeses to change up the flavor. And, make this casserole spicy (or not) by adding more jalapenos and other spices.
• Much of the prep can be done ahead of time – then just before serving, add the egg batter and bake so it’s piping hot out of the oven for dinner.

• Poblano Chile Peppers – These large, mild-flavored, dark green peppers are traditional for a Chile Rellenos recipe and really shouldn’t be substituted if possible. (If you can’t find fresh poblanos at your market, small green bell peppers or banana peppers could be used – but the flavor of the dish will be quite different.)
• Cheese – We made today’s recipe with sharp white cheddar cheese, as well as Monterey Jack cheese. If your supermarket sells Mexican cheese varieties, try adding queso fresco or Oaxaca cheese. You can also swap Pepper Jack cheese for the Monterey Jack if you want to add some heat to the finished dish.
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can use any cooked, shredded chicken in this recipe. We typically poach the chicken so it is juicy and tender before it goes into the casserole.
• White Onion – White onion lends a nice, sharp bite to the filling, so it is preferred over a sweet or yellow onion for this recipe.
• Jalapeno – This adds a touch of heat to the finished dish. Add more or less to suit your tastes. (The seeds add the most heat so avoid those if you want a mild casserole.)
• Fresh Cilantro
• Garlic
• Salt
• Whole Peppercorns as well as Ground Pepper
• Eggs
• Milk
• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Garnish – We simply garnished our Chicken Chile Relleno Casserole with diced, fresh Roma tomatoes, sour cream, and chopped cilantro. Another option is a tomato-based sauce or salsa which is often served with the traditionally-fried Chili Rellenos.

1. Broil the whole peppers until the skins are charred. Place in a zipper seal bag, then seal shut so the steam loosens the skin. Peel and discard the charred skin, seeds, and stem.
2. Boil poaching liquid. Add chicken, cover, then remove from heat to poach.
3. Shred poached chicken into a bowl and mix in cooked onions and seasonings.
4. Return cooking liquid to heat and reduce to one-quarter cup. Strain and discard solids.
5. Layer cooked and peeled peppers with cheese, chicken, and cilantro in the casserole dish.
6. Make batter by first beating egg whites with salt in a bowl. Mix egg yolks with milk, reduced liquid, flour, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Then, fold in in egg whites.
7. Pour batter over casserole and bake.
8. Allow the casserole set up for about 10 minutes, then cut into six portions for serving.

• Can I make Chicken Chili Relleno Casserole ahead of time?  The casserole can be made ahead without the batter. When ready to bake, beat egg whites into batter, pour over casserole and bake.
• How do I store leftovers?   Store refrigerated for up to three days.
• How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat in the oven or microwave.
• Can I freeze?  No, the dish will become mushy once thawed.  

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