Roasted Hatch Green Chile Rellenos

by

(Cheese-Stuffed Hatch Chiles with a Light, Fluffy Egg Batter)

These Roasted Hatch Green Chile Rellenos are filled with gooey melted cheese, coated in a light and fluffy egg batter, then fried until beautifully golden. Roasting the Hatch chiles first gives them that unmistakable smoky flavor, while Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or Asadero cheese melts perfectly inside. Serve them with homemade tomato salsa, Mexican rice, and refried beans for a seriously satisfying New Mexico-inspired meal. 🌶️🧀❤️

Full Recipe (Ingredients + Instructions)

Ingredients – Makes 8 Rellenos

For the Chiles 🌶️

  • 8 large fresh Hatch green chiles
  • 12 oz Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, Asadero, or Chihuahua cheese, cut into strips
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour, for coating
  • Vegetable or avocado oil, for frying

For the Fluffy Egg Batter 🥚

  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder, optional

Homemade Tomato Relleno Sauce 🍅

  • 5 Roma tomatoes
  • ¼ white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 jalapeño, optional
  • 1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, optional

Step 1: Roast the Hatch Green Chiles 🌶️🔥

Place the fresh Hatch chiles directly over a gas flame, under the broiler, or on a very hot grill.

Turn frequently until the skins are blistered and blackened on all sides.

Transfer immediately to a covered bowl or sealed food-safe bag and let them steam for approximately 10–15 minutes.

This loosens the skins.

Gently peel away the charred outer skin.

Important Tip

Don’t rinse the roasted chiles under running water unless absolutely necessary—you’ll wash away some of that wonderful roasted chile flavor.

Step 2: Prepare & Stuff the Chiles 🧀

Make a small slit lengthwise down one side of each chile.

Carefully remove the seeds while keeping the chile as intact as possible.

Stuff each chile generously with strips of cheese.

Don’t overfill them or the cheese may escape while frying.

If necessary, secure the opening with a toothpick.

Cheese Tip 🧀

Oaxaca gives you an amazing cheese pull, while Monterey Jack is easy to find and melts beautifully.

You can even combine the two.

Step 3: Make the Homemade Tomato Sauce 🍅🌶️

Roast or char the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeño until lightly browned.

Transfer them to a blender with about 1 cup broth.

Blend until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan.

Carefully pour in the blended tomato mixture.

Add cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and bouillon if using.

Add the remaining broth and simmer for approximately 15–20 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Keep warm while you prepare the rellenos.

Step 4: Coat the Stuffed Chiles

Place ½ cup flour on a plate.

Very gently roll each stuffed chile in the flour.

Shake off the excess.

Why Flour Them?

That thin coating helps the fluffy egg batter stick to the slippery roasted chile.

Step 5: Make the Fluffy Egg Batter 🥚✨

Separate the egg whites from the yolks.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form.

In another bowl, lightly beat the yolks.

Gently fold the yolks into the whipped whites.

Fold in 1 tablespoon flour and the baking powder, if using.

Don’t Overmix!

You want to preserve all that air in the egg whites.

That’s what gives chile rellenos their beautiful light, puffy coating. 🌶️❤️

Step 6: Batter the Hatch Chiles

Heat approximately ½ inch of oil in a large skillet to around 350°F (175°C).

Hold each floured chile carefully by the stem.

Dip it completely into the fluffy egg batter.

Make sure the entire chile is coated.

Immediately transfer it to the hot oil.

Step 7: Fry Until Golden 🔥

Fry only 1–2 rellenos at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much.

Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, gently turning once.

The exterior should become:

✨ Puffy
🔥 Golden
🧀 Hot and melty inside

Transfer to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate.

Remove any toothpicks before serving.

Step 8: Serve with Warm Tomato Sauce 🍅

Spoon some warm homemade tomato sauce onto the plate.

Place a freshly fried Hatch chile relleno over the sauce.

Add a little more sauce on top.

Finish with:

🧀 Queso fresco
🌿 Cilantro
🧅 Diced onion
🍋 Fresh lime, optional

Serve immediately while the cheese inside is still molten.

THAT CHEESE PULL! 🌶️🧀😍

Ground Beef & Cheese Hatch Chile Rellenos 🥩🧀

Want something heartier?

Brown:

  • ½ lb ground beef
  • ¼ onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt and pepper

Drain thoroughly.

Stuff each roasted Hatch chile with a combination of seasoned beef and cheese, then flour, batter, and fry as directed.

These are especially good smothered in green chile sauce. 🌶️🔥

Hatch Green Chile Rellenos with Green Chile Sauce 💚

If you want to go ALL-IN on Hatch chile, skip the tomato sauce and make this quick green chile sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups roasted chopped Hatch green chile
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter or oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • Salt and pepper

Sauté onion and garlic in butter.

Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in broth.

Add Hatch chile, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.

Simmer 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.

Spoon that sauce generously over the finished rellenos.

Hatch chile stuffed with cheese and then smothered with MORE Hatch chile? Absolutely. 😂🌶️💚

Crispy No-Batter Hatch Rellenos 🌶️

For an easier variation, stuff roasted Hatch chiles with cheese and wrap each one tightly in an egg roll wrapper.

Seal the edges with water.

Fry at 350°F (175°C) until crisp and golden.

You’ll get a completely different texture—crunchy outside with molten cheese inside.

Extra Recipe Tips & Variations ✨

For extra cheese, combine Oaxaca and Monterey Jack.

For a meaty version, add ground beef, shredded pork, carnitas, or seasoned chicken.

For breakfast rellenos, stuff them with scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheddar.

You can also stuff the chiles with picadillo, then add a little cheese before battering.

If your Hatch chiles are extremely hot, use plenty of cheese to balance the heat. 🌶️🧀

Flavor Upgrades / Secret Tips 🔥

✅ Choose large, fairly straight Hatch chiles because they’re much easier to stuff.

✅ Roast until the skin is blistered all over, but don’t burn the chile flesh.

✅ Steam after roasting to make peeling easier.

✅ Handle peeled Hatch chiles carefully—they become delicate.

✅ Pat them fairly dry before flouring.

✅ Keep the cheese cold until stuffing; it’s less likely to escape during frying.

✅ Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks for a light batter.

✅ Fry immediately after coating.

✅ Maintain the oil around 350°F (175°C) so the batter cooks quickly without becoming greasy.

Serving Ideas 🍽️

Serve your Roasted Hatch Green Chile Rellenos with:

🍚 Mexican rice
🫘 Refried pinto beans
🌽 Warm corn tortillas
🫓 Homemade flour tortillas
🥑 Guacamole
🍅 Homemade salsa
🌶️ Green chile sauce
🧀 Queso fresco
🥗 Fresh avocado salad

Ultimate Relleno Plate 🌶️❤️

Serve two hot Hatch chile rellenos with Mexican rice, homemade refried beans, warm flour tortillas, and plenty of tomato or green chile sauce.

Cut into that first relleno and let the melted cheese run right into the sauce.

That’s the bite you want. 🧀🌶️🔥

Storage & Meal Prep Tips 🥡

Chile rellenos are at their absolute best fresh from the skillet.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for approximately 3 days.

For reheating, use a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10–15 minutes or an air fryer until thoroughly hot. This helps revive the exterior better than microwaving.

For advance preparation, roast, peel, and stuff the Hatch chiles ahead of time. Refrigerate them, then flour, batter, and fry shortly before serving.

Keep the sauce separate until serving so the batter doesn’t become soggy.

Nutrition Facts 📊

Approximate per cheese-filled relleno with sauce:

  • Calories: 330–410 kcal
  • Protein: 16–20 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14–19 g
  • Fat: 23–30 g

Exact nutrition depends on chile size, cheese quantity, oil absorption, and sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q: Are Hatch green chiles spicy?
A: They range from mild to quite hot depending on the variety and harvest. If you’re sensitive to heat, choose mild Hatch chile.

Q: Can I use frozen roasted Hatch chile?
A: Yes, especially if you can find whole roasted chiles. Thaw and pat them dry before stuffing.

Q: Why does my egg batter fall off?
A: The chile may be too wet or insufficiently floured. Pat it dry, coat lightly in flour, and immediately dip it into the egg batter.

Q: Why does the cheese leak out?
A: Overstuffing, tears in the chile, or oil that’s too cool can cause leakage. Keep the filling cold and don’t pack in too much.

Q: Can I make these without frying?
A: Yes, but the texture will be different. Stuff the roasted chiles, arrange them in a baking dish, cover with beaten egg mixture and cheese, and bake casserole-style.

Q: Can I stuff them with meat?
A: Absolutely. Ground beef, shredded pork, chicken, or picadillo are all delicious options.

Social Media Captions ❤️

Facebook Style

“Roasted Hatch Green Chile Rellenos for dinner! 🌶️🧀🔥 Fresh Hatch chiles roasted until smoky, stuffed with lots of melty cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter, and fried golden. Add homemade sauce, rice and beans and I’m HAPPY! ❤️”

Short Caption

“Roasted Hatch chile + melted cheese + fluffy golden batter…tell me you wouldn’t eat TWO! 🌶️🧀😂”

Viral Caption

“That moment you cut into a hot Hatch Chile Relleno and the CHEESE starts pulling! 😍🌶️🧀🔥”

Engagement Caption

“How do you stuff your chile rellenos—CHEESE 🧀, BEEF 🥩, PICADILLO 🌶️, or CHEESE & BEEF together? 👇”

New Mexico-Style Caption

“Nothing like the smell of roasted Hatch green chile! 🌶️💚 Stuff it with cheese, fry it golden, add homemade sauce and warm tortillas…that’s a plate I won’t turn down!”

Final Food Description 🍴

Roasted Hatch Green Chile Rellenos feature smoky whole Hatch chiles stuffed generously with melting cheese, lightly dusted with flour, coated in airy whipped-egg batter, and fried until puffy and golden. Served over warm homemade tomato sauce or smothered in Hatch green chile sauce, every bite combines smoky chile, molten cheese, delicate golden batter, and rich savory sauce. 🌶️🧀🔥❤️