Chile Relleno is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. The authentic way is a deep-fried stuffed chile surrounded by a spicy red sauce but it’s not all that healthy. So I went about creating a healthy Chile Relleno Casserole to give me the same basic flavors.
What ingredients go into this Chile Relleno Casserole?
One of the reasons I like this recipe is that it uses staples that I keep on hand at all times, even the canned chiles.
- ground beef — extra lean
- chopped onion– of your choice
- canned diced green chile or fresh roasted Anaheim pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese–I used sharp
- milk– of your choice
- gluten-free flour–I used Bob’s Red Mills
- large eggs
- hot pepper sauce–Frank’s Red Hot is my fav
Putting it all together!
Start by doing some prep work so that you have everything ready. Grate your cheese, I always use block cheese when I want it to melt the pre-grated stuff just will not melt properly. Cook the ground beef and the onions together.
Prep whatever chiles you want. I like a combo of canned and fresh most of the time. I just roast an Anaheim pepper/chile over the open flame of my gas stove to turn the skin black (you could do it in the oven or on the grill too). Then slip the chili into a plastic bag till it cools off and wipe the skin off with a paper towel.
Cut the top off the chile, split it open, and rinse the seeds out of it. I like to cut them into strips to decorate the top of the casserole with! I use the canned ones for the lower layers. (They also have whole green chiles in a can that you can slice!)
Start assembling this Chile Relleno Casserole
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I use a 2.5 quart Pyrex casserole sprayed lightly with olive oil spray. Layer 1/2 the chiles and half the cheese into the bottom of the pan. They do not have to cover the entire bottom of the pan because the egg mixture is going to go thru everything.
Next layer on all of the ground beef mixture.
Add the last of the chopped chiles and top with cheese.
Mix the milk, beaten eggs, flour, and hot sauce (if using). Pour it over the entire pan. Here is where I like to use my fresh chile strips as a topper. There will be ingredients peeking thru the mix. and that is fine.
Cook till golden on the edges and the center is set firm, about 40-45 minutes.
Chile Relleno Casserole {Portion Fix/21 Day Fix}
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup onion, diced
- salt and pepper
- 2 cans diced green chiles (optional pepper strips) , divided in ½
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded , divided in ½
- 1 cup milk of your choice
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup gluten-free flour
- dash hot sauce
Instructions
- Brown ground beef and onion till done. Drain well and season with salt and pepper.
- Prep as many ingredients as needed.
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spray 2-3 quart casserole dish, sprayed with olive oil spray.
- Layer 1 can of the chopped chiles to the bottom of the pan.
- Add 1 cup of cheese on top of the chiles.
- Spread all the ground beef mixture on top of the cheese.
- Add 2nd can of chilies on top of the meat.
- Add 1 cup of cheese on top of the chilies.
- Mix eggs, milk, flour, and hot sauce very well and pour over the whole pan.
- Put chile slices over the top if you are using them.
- Bake 40-45 minutes or till golden and set. Insert a knife in the center, if it comes out clean it is done.
Portion Fix/21 Day Fix Container counts for 1/6 of the pan: 1R, 1B
Notes
What do I like to serve with this casserole?
I love to stick with the green theme and use a good salsa verde with mine. There is a great recipe HERE.
Roasted corn is another flavor I love with Mexican flavors!! Check out a few different flavors HERE.
[…] You can even make a “twin casserole” of Chili Relleno Casserole. It is egg-based and could also be served for breakfast, lunch, and supper. Recipe HERE. […]