← Back to Recipe
📥 Download PDF📌 Pinterest Pin (PNG)
CocinandingVisual Kitchen Infoguide • Editorially Validated
MexicanMain Courses

Traditional Cheese-Stuffed Chiles Rellenos in Tomato Caldillo

⏱️ Prep: 25m🔥 Cook: 25m∑ Total: 50m🍽️ 4 servings
Traditional Cheese-Stuffed Chiles Rellenos in Tomato Caldillo
🎬 Video ref: Views on the Road (Stephanie & Cloud)

Mise en Place / Ingredients[10]

  • 4 units Fresh, large, straight Poblano chiles with stems attached
  • 1 lb (450g) Authentic Queso Oaxaca or melting Chihuahua cheese, shredded (El Mexicano Oaxaca)
  • 4 units Large eggs, whites and yolks separated
  • 0.5 cup All-purpose flour for dusting
  • 4 medium Ripe Roma tomatoes, boiled for caldillo
  • 1.5 cups Chicken broth or water for caldillo
  • 1.5 cups Vegetable oil for shallow frying
  • 2 cloves Garlic cloves, peeled (for caldillo)
  • 0.25 medium White onion (for caldillo)
  • 1.5 tsp Kosher salt, divided

🛒 US Supermarket Brand Guide

Authentic Oaxaca Cheese: El Mexicano Shredded Oaxaca Cheese

Supreme string-cheese melt that stays rich without watering out inside the pepper. • 📍 Hispanic dairy section.

Cooking Sequence & Checkpoints

1
Char & Sweat Poblanos⏱️ 15 min

Roast chiles directly over flame or on hot comal until skin is blistered and charred black. Steam in a plastic bag for 10 minutes; gently peel off skin and make a small slit to remove seeds.

✓ Checkpoint: Clean, peeled chiles with stem intact.

2
Stuff Chiles & Simmer Tomato Caldillo⏱️ 8 min

Stuff each pepper with generous Oaxaca cheese, pin closed with a toothpick, and roll in flour, shaking off excess. Meanwhile, blend the boiled Roma tomatoes, white onion, garlic cloves, chicken broth, and 1 tsp salt until smooth, then simmer the red caldillo in a saucepan for 8 minutes until savory and warm.

✓ Checkpoint: Dry, flour-dusted stuffed chiles and a simmering pot of fragrant red tomato caldillo.

3
Whip Cloud-Like Batter⏱️ 5 min

Beat egg whites with the remaining 0.5 tsp salt until stiff peaks form. Add yolks one by one, gently beating on low speed just until incorporated.

✓ Checkpoint: Fluffy, pale golden egg batter.

4
Coat, Fry & Ladle into Caldillo Pool⏱️ 8 min

Dip each floured pepper into egg batter. Fry in 350°F (175°C) oil for 2 minutes per side, ladling hot oil over top until golden and puffed. Ladle the warm red tomato caldillo into shallow bowls and rest the fried chiles rellenos on top.

✓ Checkpoint: Puffy, golden cloud-like chile relleno resting in warm red tomato caldillo.

🛡️ Food Safety & Internal Temperature: ≥165°F (74°C) safe internal cooking and serving temperature (hold hot at ≥140°F / 60°C)USDA/FDA Food Safety Standard: Cook to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for microbiological safety. Hold cooked food hot at ≥140°F (60°C) prior to serving and refrigerate any leftovers to ≤40°F (4°C) within 2 hours to prevent bacterial spore growth.
👁️ Master Doneness Checkpoint:Golden, cloud-like soufflé egg crust encasing a tender roasted poblano with long strings of molten cheese resting on savory tomato broth.

🔬 Why It Works:

The Stiff-Peak Egg Soufflé Batter: Whipping egg whites to stiff peaks before gently folding in yolks traps micro-cavities of air that puff up dramatically upon meeting 350°F oil, shielding the pepper without absorbing excess oil.

⚠️ Troubleshooting:

The egg batter slid off the poblano in the oil: Dry the peeled poblanos thoroughly with paper towels and coat evenly in flour so the egg batter has a dry anchor.