Baked Chili Relleno Casserole: Astoundingly Easy to Make

If you love to order Chili Rellenos at your favorite Mexican restaurant, you will appreciate how easy it is to enjoy the same flavors at home with this easy recipe for Baked Chili Relleno Casserole.

Updated 01/10/2020

We recently returned from a 2-week vacation to Central Europe–visiting Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Budapest, and other places previously unheard of by me. The scenery was spectacular, the weather perfect, and the food delicious, even though it was mostly meat and potatoes.

Not surprisingly, that made the men happy.  But anytime I leave home for more than a week, I start to crave Tex-Mex. Baked Chili Relleno Casserole is a one-dish meal that qualifies as comfort food for a jet-lagged, homesick Texan.

Chili Rellenos are my #1 favorite Mexican food. Whenever we try a new Mexican restaurant, the likelihood we will return depends on their Rellenos.

My favorite ones come from the El Rancho Grande restaurant in the Ft. Worth Stockyards. Admittedly, these Chili Rellenos aren’t quite the same as theirs.

First, I left out the “stuff, batter, and-fry-each-individual-poblano-pepper” part. Secondly, it’s easier to layer all the ingredients into a casserole dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:

Poblano Peppers:

Fresh poblano peppers are cheap and fairly easy to broil and peel yourself. They give this dish the best flavor, making them my first choice.

RELATED POST: Green Chili Enchiladas

However, if you lack the time or inclination, buy a can of whole green chilies and slice them lengthwise to lay flat. Or, use chopped green chilies if you can’t find the whole ones. It all gets mixed up anyway.

Taco Seasoning:

Store-bought packets of taco seasoning are the most convenient option. Or, make it yourself. I love the recipe for Taco Seasoning on Perry’s Plate.

Leftovers make a scrumptious filling for a burrito using a flour tortilla. I wonder how many times I’ve said that about a recipe on this blog. It’s my #1 recycling trick.

Heavy Cream:

Heavy cream adds richness to this recipe. It takes the place of the cheese or Ranchero sauce usually served with Chili Rellenos. I have not tried half and half or milk as a substitute.

RELATED POST: Tamale Pie

Cilantro-Tomato Seasoning:

Ever since a cashier at Kroger’s told me how to use this seasoning, I don’t need much of an excuse. Goya Sazon makes several flavors. Con Cilantro Tomate is my favorite. These mysterious packets pump up the flavor.

What to serve with Baked Chili Relleno Casserole:

Serve with sour cream and/or cilantro, diced tomatoes, or avocado slices. In my family, refried beans must be served on the side. Fresh, hot tortillas are also good.

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, consider helping other readers and me by returning to this post. Leave a rating on the recipe card itself underneath the picture. Although always appreciated, comments aren’t required. Thank you for visiting! Paula

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Baked Chili Relleno Casserole

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A spicy Tex-Mex casserole mimicking the flavor of chili rellenos, but requiring a lot less time and trouble.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
• 4 poblano chilies (broiled with charred skin peeled off and seeded) or 8 ounces whole or chopped green chilies
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 packet cilantro-tomato seasoning SAZON (optional)
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack, shredded

Instructions

1. Brown ground beef sprinkled with a pinch of salt and pepper, and drain off any excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning.
2. Broil fresh poblano chilies just until skin is charred. Place in a paper bag or covered bowl to steam for about 10 minutes. Carefully peel away blackened skin. Split open and remove seeds. OR, use canned whole green chilies and split lengthwise so you can open them up flat. You can also use chopped green chilies.
3. Whisk together heavy cream, tomato paste, Sazon seasoning, and eggs in a medium bowl.
4. In a 9-inch square dish or pan, layer half the ground beef, then half the green chilis, then 1 cup of pepper jack cheese.
5. Make a second layer using the remaining beef, chilies, and 1 cup of pepper jack cheese.
6. Pour cream mixture over the layers. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until pie is set and a knife comes out clean.
8. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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  Goya Sazon Con Cilantro Tomate

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 528 Total Fat: 39g Saturated Fat: 21g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 15g Cholesterol: 266mg Sodium: 512mg Carbohydrates: 12g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 7g Protein: 34g