Mini Goat Cheese Chili Relleno Casseroles
Hi 🙂 Catching up from the long weekend?
I ran my first postpartum half marathon. I’m wicked sore, but am happy to be back in the game. Thank you again for all of the wonderful birthday wishes, too!
Chili rellenos were never my favorite Mexican dish.
If I was going to have Mexican, which was fairly often, it was always all about the tamales, rice and beans. Burritos, enchiladas, um YES….
but rellenos? Ew.
Something about a chili dipped in egg and fried just didn’t sound like my cup of tea.
Then, we went to Ciudad Juarez (a border town in New Mexico) and my life was changed forever. Not only did I instantly have access to the beloved pink cookies I knew so well, fresh tortillas, and tortas, steaming hot and stuffed with cheese, lettuce and guacamole (excuse while I get a napkin for the intense salivation that’s occurring), there was a woman on the back of one of the restaurants patios, frying chilies rellenos before my very eyes. They were light, fluffy and smelled like heaven, so of course I tried one. Needless to say, it was love at first bite.
Something about the mild chili complemented with creamy cheese and a light, crispy shell… well, it’s basically everything that’s beautiful in the world.
Photo source – I’ve actually eaten in that very spot many times.
We haven’t been back to Juarez in quite a few years as things have changed a lot in that area. I miss walking around the mercado and shopping all day with my mom, my nana and family friends. I’m hoping we’ll make it back one day, but for now, I’ll enjoy this treat I made yesterday using fresh Hatch chilies from our farm box.
Since I’ve never been one to venture into the world of frying -let’s be real, I set off the smoke alarm making salad- this version is a little bit lighter than the original and includes my cheese soulmate. I decided to do more of a casserole version because I’m not about to make something that would pale and wither in sadness compared to the real thing.
I hope you enjoy it with salsa and frijoles, just as you should 😉
Serves 2
-3 eggs
-1/4 C milk of choice
-2.5 oz soft goat cheese
-2 green chiles (I used Hatch; Poblano would be great, too- roasted, seeded and chopped)
(you can also chop them rustically.. with a steak knife… and leave a few seeds in for some kick)
-1 T flour (I used brown rice)
-1/2 t oregano
-1/4 t sea salt
-splash of hot sauce (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350, and grease 2 large ramekins with nonstick spray or the misto.
2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, crumbling the goat cheese in and mix to combine.
3. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until set and slightly browned.
Breakfasts like this seem like a little bit of a luxury to me because the bake time is so long.
The good news is that the prep time is extremely quick (maybe 10 minutes max of active prep, if you roast the chiles. It will be much quicker if you use a can of chopped green chiles!) and they would be perfect to make ahead for a brunch, or to easily reheat before heading off to work.
Hope you enjoy <3
xoxo
Gina
Any fun new breakfast ideas lately?
GREAT news: For all of my Namaste November friends, Challenge Loop is matching my $100 contribution to the prize, making the winner’s lululemon gift card worth $200! They’ll also be giving away some awesome Challenge Loop shirts, too. Make sure to keep checking in via the app and/or the site – the more you check in, the higher your chance of winning.
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I love this! This is inspiring me to try some mini-casserole type dishes
Um, YUM. I’ve always loved rellenos, maybe because the only time I get them is when I’m visiting the States (Canada is not known for its Mexican food). This looks delicious!
Hi Gina!
I once tried chile relleno at a restaurant here near Boston called Tu y Yo. Then I tried it at another restaurant, and it was what you described, fried and in a bath of cheese!! Definitely not healthy, and not anywhere close to the one I tried at Tu y Yo, I haven’t found anywhere else that has one like this one, here is the description:
Chile Relleno en Nogada
Poblano pepper stuffed with ground beef, almonds, raisins and peaches covered in a sweet creamy sauce with pomegranate and cilantro on top (available on fall and winter season).
It’s so weird to think of ground beef with nuts and dried fruits and then creamy sauce, all in a hot pepper?? But it’s actually weirdly delicious. Have you seen any dish like this before? I haven’t found it anywhere but this restaurant!
Will definitely be trying this casserole soon!! Thanks!
Kylee
that sounds incredible!! have never heard of anything like that
I got as far as the end of the post title before saying (out loud) “WOAH!” haha.
That looks amazing! When I was in Mexico, I ate chilaquiles almost every day for breakfast, SO good 🙂
No place has chile rellenos like New Mexico! Light and fluffy, sometimes wrapped in a tortilla! When I moved to Las Vegas, I ordered a relleno and immediatley threw it away. It was nothing like what I was used to, and I think NM is the only place that makes them perfectly! I spent alot of time in Juarez as well, I went to school in Las Cruces, NM. I miss it and so sad that things that have gotten so bad over there. Thanks for the trip down memory lane, I miss the mercado in Juarez!
it makes me sad, too. we probably won’t be able to go back for a very long time :/
AGREE 🙂 I’m a native New Mexican and chiles are our thang!
I love that you said that you are “wicked” sore!!! Usually only Boston people use that phrase! Are you from here…did I miss something?
haha no, not from boston
Chili Rellenos is one of the few Mexican dishes my Hungarian father eats. So he always requests it from my mom in the summer when he sees the chilis at the farmers markets 🙂 Mi mama makes some of the best rellenos. Love them. Sadly, my stomach and peppers do not mix that well anymore so I have to find something else to make the relleno out of. 🙁
I once tried one of the chili rellenos in a Mexican restaurant – and only ate one bite. I love this idea. I think the added ingredients and chopping it all up makes it look a lot more appetizing.
Glad you had a great birthday and that you’re recovering well from your 1/2 marathon!!!
these casseroles look amazing!!
I’m going to have to try these. Just got new ramekins in the $1 bins at target, and this would be perfect!
I die! You have all my love and gratitude for this recipe! Why have I never thought of making them in individual casseroles? Brilliant, making these soonest. Thanks Gina!
Looks delicious! With those ingredients, how could it be bad?
I know I’m a little late on this, but Happy (belated) Birthday Gina!! Glad you had a great day, and congrats on the half marathon! 🙂
Wow for no good reason I assumed I would think this recipe looks great but never actually make it.
No way I have to try it ASAP! Thanks!
I did my VERY first yoga class today! I was reading about your Namaste November and thought I’d tell you that i’ve decided that yoga is definitely my time! I’m a competitive Crossfitter and it’s sooo great to do something that is more calming!
PINNED!
i remember the first time i had a chile relleno IN mexico – my favorite Tex-Mex haunts didn’t even compare!
once you have the real thing, the imitations can never compare
Your casseroles look great. Goat cheese is always a win and so is anything in mini ramekins. Cute!
Did you live in New England at any point? The way you use ‘wicked’ is something I have only heard used here 🙂 (I’ve lived in Massachusetts my whole life)
nope, but a few of my friends are and say it all the time 🙂
Omg that looks delicious! Thanks for sharing! I’m sorry you haven’t been able to get back to that town, I hope it gets safer soon!
Yumm that looks amazing! I love goat cheese combined with baked eggs.
That looks absolutely delicious!
Do I need to have the ramekin dishes to make? Or could it be made in a larger casserole?
you could definitely do it in another dish 🙂
I am going to have to make this STAT! I used to live down the street from this little itty bitty mexican place in college. I didn’t have a full kitchen so I’d stop there a lot for their veggie breakfast burritto with only one egg (instead of the 4 they put in usually) after the gym. They had these chilis that they would roast and then roll in some combo of spices… still haunts me to this day, best breakfast ever.
let me know if you try it!
and that sounds amaaaaazing
I work from home and this looks like a perfect meal for when I have a late breakfast – especially with some wholemeal bread.
I wish more bloggers would add chile to thier recipes. It’s so healty and flavorful. I don’t know if you were awarde but the Mercado burnt down severla years back. And I miss it!
The mercado burnt down?! How sad. I went to school at NMSU in Las Cruces and spend so many great weekends there. My parents loved spending Saturdays at the mercado when they would come to visit me.
NO WAY. i am so sad!!
I read this post just as I was wondering what to make for lunch today. I didn’t have any fresh peppers so I used a can of hatch peppers from Trader Joe’s and also substituted feta for goat cheese. Turned out great, and I have the 2nd portion for tomorrow!
My favorite breakfast now that it has cooled off has been muffins, I bake a big batch and keep them in the freezer, reheat with my morning latte. Today I made some sunrise muffins, you blend a whole orange (rind and all) and it makes them a beautiful dark orange color with dried cranberries they really look like a sunrise.
yay, i’m so happy you liked it!
do you have a recipe for the orange muffins?
Its from You Can Trust A Skinny cook cookbook so I don’t want to post but will e-mail you a copy.
thank you for sending it to me 🙂
yum!
Just popped these in the oven for the sailor man to reheat for breakfasts! I made a whole muffin pan of them, loosely based off your recipe. I used 9 eggs (we have chickens and the amount of eggs in my fridge was starting to scare me!), a can of chopped green chilies, 4 oz goat cheese, a handful of mozzarella, 3 slices chopped turkey bacon, 1 chopped chicken sausage link, 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, and oregano
They smell delicious so far! 🙂
I’m going to have to try these!
One of my favorite favorite Mexican foods are Chipotles Navideños. HAve you had them? They’re just like regular chiles rellenos except with fiery chipotles, which makes all the difference in my book. I seek them out every year during the Christmas season. They’re even better within a torta!