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Skinny Chile Rellenos with melted cheese plated over Mexican rice with pico de gallo overtop. Bowls of cilantro, pico de gallo, cheese and red sauce on the side.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Easy Chile Relleno Recipe {Mexican-Style Stuffed Peppers}

This Easy Chile Relleno Recipe is a healthier spin on the traditional Mexican-style stuffed peppers made with poblanos and a spicy red sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 482kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 poblano peppers
  • 2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
  • Finely chopped cilantro, to serve (optional)
  • Sliced avocado, to serve (optional)
  • Lime wedges, to serve (optional)

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp each salt & pepper

Mexican rice (optional)

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup dry rice
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 F. Bake poblano peppers for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add olive oil to a large pot, then add onions, green pepper and garlic, sauteeing for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients, bringing to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender then keep sauce warm on low until ready to serve.
  • Remove peppers from oven then slice down the middle as seen in the video below. Gently scrape out the seeds and membranes using a spoon, then fill with cheese. Bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
  • Remove peppers from oven, then top with sauce and a little bit more cheese if desired. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges and avocado slices (all optional but yummy!) Serve with Mexican rice or other choice of side if desired.

Optional Mexican rice

  • While peppers and sauce are cooking, add all Mexican rice ingredients to a rice cooker. Rice will cook automatically.

Video

Notes

Peel the peppers first to make them easier to cut.
Use an immersion blender to easily blend the sauce.
Swap out the sauce for sofritas, carnitas, barbacoa or shredded chicken.
Store the leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes or in the oven for 10 minutes at 375° F.
Freeze the peppers and sauce separately for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge then reheat as normal.

Nutrition

Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1955IU | Vitamin C: 121.9mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 2.1mg