Easy Chile Relleno Casserole
Servings 6
Equipment
- 8-inch baking dish
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 3 poblano peppers
- 10 oz Monterey Jack cheese or other melty cheese like Oaxaca cheese
Egg Batter:
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 2½ tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Sauce:
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- ½ yellow onion
- ½ jalapeno pepper
- 2 small garlic cloves skin on
- 2 tbsp avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 street taco-sized corn tortilla or ½ of a regular-sized corn tortilla
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- ¼ tsp oregano
- 2½ tbsp water
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Serving Options:
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream
- Avocado slices
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the poblano peppers by preheating the oven to broil and setting the oven rack directly under the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the whole peppers on top.
- Broil the peppers for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip them over and broil them for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Remove from the oven, put the charred chiles in a large zip-lock bag, and seal.
- Allow them to steam for 5-7 minutes. Peel off the charred skin and discard the stem and seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Make the batter by separating the egg whites from the yolks in two bowls, placing the whites in a large bowl.
- Beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- While continuing to beat the egg whites on low, add in the yolks, one at a time, until they are fully mixed in.
- Beat in the flour, milk, baking powder, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. The batter should be light, fluffy, and smooth.
- Prepare the chile relleno casserole by pouring half of the egg batter into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spreading it out evenly.
- Spread two poblano peppers in the baking dish in a single layer.
- Sprinkle some of the cheese evenly on top.
- Spread the remaining two poblano peppers in the baking dish in a single layer.
- Next, sprinkle some of the cheese evenly on top.
- Pour the remaining half of the egg batter evenly on top of the cheese.
- Finally, add the last bit of cheese evenly on top of the casserole.
- Bake the chille relleno casserole by placing the baking dish into the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce (while the casserole bakes) by charring the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, and garlic cloves (skin on) in a cast iron skillet until lightly charred and softened.
- Remove the skin from the tomatoes and place them in a blender with the onion and jalapeno. Remove the skins from the garlic and add the cloves to the blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Heat the avocado oil in the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn tortilla once the oil is HOT and cook until lightly golden brown and crisp. Side Note: You will cook the sauce in the same oil, so don't discard it.
- Remove tortilla from the skillet and place in the blender. Add the chicken bouillon, oregano, water, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.
- Finish the sauce by carefully pouring it back into the oil in the cast iron skillet in which you cooked the tortilla. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes, and re-season if needed.
- To serve, sprinkle cilantro on top and slice. Spoon some sauce on a plate, then place a slice of the casserole on top. Serve immediately and enjoy.