Main Dishes

Chile Relleno Casserole

Cook 45 min Serves 8 · one 9×13-inch casserole

A baked casserole layering whole green chiles and Jack and cheddar cheese (with optional chicken) under a light, folded egg-and-evaporated-milk custard.

Method

From the family

  • The card is titled "Chili Rellano Casserole" — corrected here to the standard spelling "Chile Relleno."
  • For the chiles, use one large (≈ 27 oz) can of whole green chiles, or 5–7 fresh poblano chiles that have been fire-roasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded — Mom usually uses fresh.
  • Cooked chicken is optional.
  • Can sizes aren't given on the card: a "large can" of green chilies is taken as ≈ 27 oz and the evaporated milk as ≈ 12 oz for the gram weights.
Read the story

Chiles and two kinds of cheese are layered in a 9×13 dish, then topped with a light custard made by folding a flour-thickened egg-yolk-and-evaporated-milk mixture into stiffly beaten egg whites. Add cooked chicken for a heartier main. Baked covered at a low oven so the custard sets gently around the cheese and chiles.