The chile relleno (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈtʃilereˈʝeno], literally "stuffed
chile")[1] is a dish in
Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of
Puebla. In 1858, it was described as a "green chile pepper stuffed with minced meat and coated with eggs".[1]
The most common pepper used is Puebla's
poblano pepper, though
New Mexico chile,
pasilla, or even
jalapeño peppers are popular as well. It is typically stuffed with
melted cheese, such as
queso Chihuahua or
queso Oaxaca or with
picadillo meat made of diced pork, raisins and nuts, seasoned with
canella; covered in an egg white
batter, simply corn
masa flour and
fried, or without any batter at all.[2][3] Although it is often served in a tomato sauce, the sauces can vary.
Regional variation
Mexico
Some regional versions in Mexico use rehydrated dry chiles such as
anchos or
pasillas.[2]
United States
In the United States, chiles rellenos are usually filled with
asadero or
Monterey Jack cheese, but can also be found with
cheddar or other cheeses, as well as ground or minced meat.[4]
Variations, which can be seen based on regional tastes or experimentation, include:
A recipe from 1914 (as "chili reinas") is published in a period guidebook to
San Francisco restaurants.[8]
Guatemala
In Guatemala, the
pimiento pepper is stuffed with shredded pork and vegetables. Like the Mexican version, it is covered with egg batter and fried. It is served with tomato sauce or inside a bread bun.
Gallery
A variation on the classic recipe using egg
batter rather than dipping in
masa flour
Jalapeño "
poppers", another form of chiles rellenos
A Mexican-American variation which has chiles stuffed with monterey jack cheese and an egg batter, baked in a casserole dish