Baked Chicken Chili Relleno Recipe
Baked Chicken Chili Relleno Recipe: Are you tired of the same old chicken recipes? Looking for a flavorful and unique twist on a classic dish? Look no further than this baked chicken chili relleno recipe. Combining the savory flavors of chicken, cheese, and traditional Mexican chilies, this dish is sure to become a staple in your weekly meal rotation. Get your taste buds ready for a mouthwatering experience as you learn the simple steps to creating this delicious dish. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, this recipe is perfect for anyone looking to spice up their dinner routine.
How to Make Baked Chicken Chili Relleno
BAKED CHICKEN CHILI RELLENO RECIPE INGREDIENTS LIST-full printable recipe below in recipe card
- 6 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 (4 ounce) can whole Hatch green chilies
- 2 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cut into 6 strips or shredded
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper
- 8 ounces red bottled taco sauce
- 2 ounces jack cheese, shredded
- Optional: fresh cilantro, chopped
BAKED CHICKEN CHILI RELLENO RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Pound chicken to 1/8 inch thickness.
- Combine cornmeal and taco seasoning mix.
- Place egg in another bowl and beat.
- Cut chilies in half lengthwise making six pieces.
- For each roll, place half of a chili pepper onto a chicken breast. Then add a strip of cheese and sprinkle on some cilantro and crushed red peppers.
- Roll up and dip into egg, then into cornmeal.
- Place chicken seam down in a shallow baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Heat taco sauce sprinkle chicken with cheese and optional fresh cilantro.
- Serve with sauce.
- Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
More Sauce Choices for the Chicken Chiles Rellenos
Not a fan of store bought taco sauce? Below are a few other sauce options that can be easily found at the grocery store. CLICK HERE FOR HOMEMADE SALSA RECIPES→SALSA
- SALSA VERDE
- RED SALSA
- PICO DE GALLO
How to Roast Hatch Chile Peppers
This technique works for any chili peppers or bell peppers. In the summer the farmer’s market is a great place to find different types of peppers. Pasilla peppers, hatch peppers are a great find. The poblano pepper is what’s used in the traditional Mexican dish.
- Heat grill to medium high. Place chiles directly on the grill. Cover with lid. Check and turn every few minutes. You’ll want to keep an eye on these. They can cook faster then you think. Cook until blistered or charred skin on both sides (about 10 minutes per side).
- When the skin is blistered and cracked, place on a baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap, set the chiles sit on the counter until cool enough to handle. Peel the skin from the chile and take off the top.
- TIP: I found it was easier to peel the pepper *BEFORE* removing the top.
- Place in a freezer safe zip plastic bag and freeze. Can be frozen up to a year.
Traditional chile rellenos are fresh peppers, roasted, stuffed with cheese, dipped in a fluffy egg batter, and fried until golden brown. This Baked Chicken Chile Rellenos Recipe is on the lighter side. Not as much cheese and baked instead of fried. Plus the added bonus of more protein.
MORE EASY FIESTA PARTY RECIPES
BAKED CHICKEN CHILI RELLENO RECIPE FAQ’s
Yes, Since pepper jack already has red pepper flakes you won’t need to add them separately.
Yes, Anaheim chile is a mild, medium-sized, slightly sweet pepper often used in Mexican and Southwestern cuisines.
Yes, The poblano is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho, from the Spanish word ancho. Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in chiles rellenos poblanos
Yes, Preheat the air fryer to 375°. Place the chicken chili relleno seam side down in the air fryer and let cook 6 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking an additional 6 minutes or until internal temperature reads 165°.
Yes, Cream Cheese would be phenomenal in chicken chile rellenos! Replace the Monterey Jack Cheese with the same amount of cream cheese.
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Chicken Chili Relleno
Struggle no more about what to serve your guests at your next Fiesta
party! This Baked Chicken Chili Relleno recipe is perfect!
Ingredients
- 6 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 (4 ounce) can whole green chilies
- 2 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cut into 6 strips or shredded
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper
- 8 ounces red bottled taco sauce
- 2 ounces jack cheese, shredded
- Optional: fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Pound chicken to 1/8 inch thickness.
- Combine cornmeal and taco seasoning mix.
- Place egg in another bowl and beat.
- Cut chilies in half lengthwise making six pieces.
- For each roll, place half of a chili pepper onto a chicken breast. Then add a strip or pile of cheese and sprinkle on some cilantro and crushed red peppers.
- Roll up and dip into egg, then into cornmeal.
- Place chicken seam down in a shallow baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
- Heat taco sauce sprinkle chicken with cheese and fresh cilantro.
- Serve with sauce.
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This is a keeper. Of course I didn’t have any gluten free cornmeal and was determined not to go to the store. I used a frozen cornbread muffin that I crumbed instead. Excellent recipe. tfs
AWESOME Diedra! That’s what I like to hear. 🙂
My hubby loved this when I made it! I did make the mistake of getting extra hot Mexican hot sauce…but I’m trying it again with regular. I also used a fresh pablano pepper last time and it was too stiff and crunchy so this time I roasted the pablano. It’s in the oven now and I can’t wait! This is a keeper!
Sounds good Brittany. 🙂
This was delicious! I made so many, after I rolled them in egg and the cornmeal concotion, I toothpicked them, wrapped them individually and put them in the freezer. GOOD STUFF!
That’s awesome Joan. 🙂
What would you suggest in place of the cornmeal? Do you think they would be good without the breading? Thanks!
How about this Amy, I think they would be good just not as good. 🙂
I did this recipe and I used crunched up pork skin rinds that way they would be completely carb-free. Delicious.
Hi Sherry, that is an interesting addition. 🙂
I made these tonight and they were awesome!
Couple mods: fresh pablano – microwaved to soften (I was in a hurry; roasting would be ideal), pepper jack cheese (no need for the separate spices), and enchilada sauce instead of the taco sauce.
This will become a regular in our house!
YAY! That’s awesome to hear Ashley! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I found this via Pinterest. It was delicious! I didn’t have the patience to flatten my chicken, and subbed regular flour for cornmeal. But it was sooo good! My dh called it “High dollar Mexican food”. Thanks so much!
That’s awesome Season. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I just wanted to tell you that I bought ingredients for this & then life happened. So I modified this for week night one-skillet cooking & it was SOOO good! I used boneless, skinless thighs, diced & rolled in taco seasoning, chopped the chilis, added a bag of frozen bell peppers & onions, cooked it up, sprinkled grated pepper jack & cilantro on top & served it with a mexican rice mix. My hubby & I rarely love the same thing (usually one of us loves something & the other is so-so) but we both loved this. It will be made again, soon!! THANK YOU!!
Sounds like you created a great recipe Tracey.
I found this on Pinterest and made it last night. My husband said the recipe was a keeper and wanted the dinner in the monthly rotation. It was super easy too! Thanks for sharing.
My hubby made this at my request. He called me at work because we didn’t have the right ingredients. He subed crushed Tortilla chips for the corn meal and used extra cheese because the peppers were unusable. OMG they were to die for. Must make again!
Hi Mary, Sounds like your husband made a really good dinner. 🙂
Hello, I love this dish. Made it last week and highly suggest this to others. I do have a question, what kind of beans are pictured? Black beans out of a can? Or is their a recipe? I served the chicken chili relleno with spanish rice and refried black beans – which is fine, but canned refried beans are simply not the same as Mexican restaurants. Would love to know. Thanks!
UGH!!! I wish I could spell check my improper use of “their” with “there” !
Hi Christina,
Those are dried pinto beans I make in my slow cooker. Cover with water, add a couple slices of bacon, salt and pepper and let the slow cooker do the rest! 🙂
Is the cheese pepper jack or Monterey Jack?
Thanks
Hi Teri, It’s Monterey jack.
Used thin sliced chicken breasts. Fantastic!
Awesome Karin! So glad you liked it! 🙂
Is the chili supposed to be boiled before rolling with chicken ? Or can I just cut the peppers and put a strip in?
Hi Arely, The recipe calls for 4 ounces of canned green chilies (ortega)
I love your recipes!! Keep posting them, can’t get enough!!
Awww…that is so sweet Julia. Thank You! 🙂
I am lucky enough to live in Colorado where we have fresh chile grown on our farms. I used 1 large “Pueblo Hot Chile” per chicken breast and this recipe is just the best! Another great way to use some of my frozen roasted Pueblo Chile’s. Thank you!!
Yay Sandi! It would be great to have chili peppers so easily available.
Most of the farms ship these Chile’s by the bushel ..I ship my sister in Florida a bushel every year! Check out Mauro Farms in Pueblo,Colorado. We have a Chile Festival every year and the farms roast them there and then we all run home with our bushels and freeze them!!
Anxious to try this recipe!!!
Recipe sounds great! I like the suggestion of coating w crushed tortilla chips too! Can’t wait to try this!
I’ve had this recipe pinned for some time and I’m now ready to try it. I’m a Atkins lifestyle guy so i’ll have to substitute the cornmeal with crushed up pork rinds. Thanks ahead of time, I know it’ll be tasty!
That’s awesome Keith!
In place of the cornmeal; would planko breading work? Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Teresa, You can use panko but it won’t coat the Relleno as well as the corn meal will.
This was outstanding! I just drizzled a little canned enchilada sauce over it to cut corners on time and it was still delicious. My husband doesn’t usually care for chicken breasts but these were very moist and he said they were the best he’s ever had. The only other thing I did differently, since the breasts I had were pretty large, was use a whole canned chili opened up flat. Wanted to get plenty of the chili flavor in there. Also used pepper jack cheese. Yummy recipe. Thank you!
That’s Awesome Linda! I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
Aloha Sheryl: I am going to make these for New Years. A friend has some chicken breasts that are brined in his freezer and wants me to do something with them. This recipe is one. I also have some Mexican cheese (the one used for cheese and chili tamales) that I will use up in this recipe.
I made some mole several months ago, so I will heat up some and serve as a sauce on the side for those who would like it.
I will also make chicken picatta with some of the chicken breasts. This sounds like a great recipe. Blessings,Anne
Hi Anne, That all sounds delicious!
I used the crushed pork rinds, we prefer it to the cornmeal!
Interesting choice Brenda.
Excellent dish. We used some leftovers. We had queso left from another dish as well as red chili sauce. Had a huge chicken breast from a local farm. So we made one relleno with hatch chili we keep. It was very good. Will do again.
Great use of leftovers Dan! I’m glad you like the recipe as much as I do.
This sounds awesome. Do you think it could be made in the Ninja food air fryer? Thank you.
Hi Sherry, I think it would be amazing in the air fryer!
These were wonderful. Being on the low carb thingy, Mexican food can be a challenge at times. To cut the carbs we substituted the cornmeal with pork rind crumbles.
Great idea Baltisraul! I’m glad you liked the recipe.♥
The recipe is not included in this. I signed up to get it through my gmail account, and it was never sent
Hi Susan, the program does not automatically send the recipes. What it does is unlock the recipes. Now, you can access all the locked recipes on my sight. Go to the Baked Chicken Chili Relleno Recipe, sign in and the recipe will be there for you to enjoy.
Since we live in the frozen tundra of Canada, Mexican food is rarer up here. I do not like the taste of canned chilis so I modified lol. Since there’s only two of us, I use 1 breast cut in half. I used 1/2 of an Anaheim chili for each, Monterey Jack cheese and the rest the same. I used enchilada sauce and salsa verde for serving. Served with Mexican rice and a crisp green salad. Was really good and I cooked them in the air fryer. We have a very small, sporadic supply of fresh (or canned) chilis up here. This recipe worked well for us.
Hi Elaine, I’m glad you were able to make it work.
Made this tonight and it was excellent. My husband says “this is a keeper!”.
That’s wonderful Annie!
Made this for the family… so yummy
Will make this again.
1
Hi Maryann, I’m so glad you liked the recipe.
My husband said “I really like this” about 5 times. It’s a keeper!
Yay! That’s great Lise♥