Chili Relleno Casserole

Name: Chili Relleno Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2, 7 ounce cans diced green chilis ((or 4, 4 oz cans)); 1, 12 ounce can evaporated milk; 4 eggs; 1/3 cup flour; 2 1/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese (shredded); 2 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese (shredded); 1, 8 ounce can tomato sauce

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Chili Relleno Casserole is perfectly versatile. The green chilis, eggs and cheese make it great for breakfast, fantastic for brunch or a satisfying dinner. In a rush? Assemble the casserole the night before and bake for about an hour before you plan to dig in.

Side view of the casserole with tomatoes and a bowl of salsa in the background. — The cheese and green chilis bake together to create a light, delicious breakfast casserole.

Ingredients to have on hand

canned green chiles
canned evaporated milk
tomato sauce
Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses

Canned ingredients for chili relleno casserole stacked on a counter. — Four cans of ingredients, that's all you need from the pantry to make delicious chili relleno casserole.

Whisk the Liquid Ingredients

A one quart, or four-cup glass measuring cup is about the perfect size to whisk together the can of evaporated milk, eggs and flour. It also makes for easy pouring when you layer the ingredients in the baking dish.

Milk, eggs and flour in a glass measuring cup with a whisk. — A four-cup glass measuring cup is the perfect size for whisking the milk, eggs and flour.

What do you serve with Chili Relleno Casserole?

It's delicious with plenty of sliced tomatoes, avocados or fresh guacamole and of course salsa. I've served it for brunch with hash browns, warm bagels and fresh fruit. If you're serving it for lunch or dinner, I recommend warm tortillas and cole slaw on the side.

Canned green chilis being poured into a baking dish. — It starts with the layer of green chilis.

Baked Not Fried

Chili Relleno Casserole might remind you of the classic Mexican dish chili relleno. The big difference is in that traditional dish the green chiles are stuffed with cheese and typically pan fried in a rich egg batter. This casserole version has all the great flavor, minus the thick batter and the deep fat frying. It's a baked, not fried option for enjoying a favorite recipe.

A handful of shredded cheese over a dish of green chilis. — Next, add a layer of shredded cheese.

Egg Options

For many years I made this recipe using three egg whites and one whole egg, which gave the casserole a lighter almost fluffy texture. Then my husband made the recipe one day and decided to substitute whole eggs instead of the egg whites. We were so blown away with how it turned out I ended up modifying the recipe. It goes to show, sometimes even our favorite recipes can be improved over time.

Chili Relleno Casserole, assembled in a baking dish. — Top all of the layers with the can of tomato sauce.

Fast and Easy

Usually with a recipe for classic chili relleno the green chiles are either whole and stuffed with cheese or sliced in half. I have made this recipe using halved green chiles and it's delicious, but when it comes to easy prep and easy slicing and serving, those fire roasted, diced green chiles in a can work great.

A plate with casserole, tomatoes and a fork. A bowl of salsa and a napkin on the side. — Serve with salsa and wedges of fresh tomato.

Make Ahead, Serve for Days

This recipe stores beautifully in the refrigerator for 3-5 days which makes for quick delicious breakfasts on the go. My kids love to warm up squares of the casserole in the microwave for a quick and delicious breakfast, even when time is short on a busy morning.

A serving of the chili relleno casserole with tomatoes and a small bowl of salsa. — Cut into squares and serve with your favorite salsa on the side.

Is it chili or chile?

Such a dilemma! How to spell the main ingredient in this recipe. I take comfort in knowing even Webster's dictionary offers three spellings. The old journalist in me yields to the Associated Press preference for "chili" with an "i" instead of an "e," but no matter how you spell it, this is a delicious way to serve green chilis.

The Inspiration

I've been making Chili Relleno Casserole for years! It's adapted from a recipe I found in the Healthy Homestyle Cooking cookbook back in 1994. It's the cookbook that inspired me use egg whites instead of whole eggs in this recipe.

Serve these on the side

Here are a few ideas for what to serve alongside your Chili Relleno Casserole.

Crunchy Cole Slaw, a perfectly fresh and crunchy side dish for lunch or dinner.
The Best Guacamole is wonderful with this recipe regardless of the time of day you serve it.
Cheesy Grits has just the right about of kick and is yummy served with about anything and this recipe is no exception.