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.

Ingredients to have on hand
- canned green chiles
- canned evaporated milk
- tomato sauce
- Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Claudia W says
This is so delicious -- a go-to recipe for anything: breakfast, brunch, dinner! We always have eggs, right? So yummy and simple. I always get raves.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Thank you Claudia!! Great point, we always have eggs on hand and this is a simple recipe too. Thanks for the five star rating!!
Debi says
Yummy recipe. I add 1# sautéed ground beef to mine.
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
What a great idea to add ground beef! I'm going to try that next time. Thanks Debi! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you!!
Celeste E Watson says
I grew up in San Diego eating chile relleno casserole with two modifications - crushed saltines instead of flour, and cottage cheese run thru blender to smooth consistency vs cheddar (extra protein, lower fat than cheddar). A frequent Lenten meal for us still, but wanted to see someone else's proportions on chiles and eggs ... Thanks!
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
Hi Celeste, Crushed saltines! How interesting, I’ll have to try those as a topping next time. 🙂 Let me know how this turns out for you!!
Melissa Jensen says
Yum! My Arizona roots love anything involving a green chili! Can’t wait to try out this recipe!
Melinda O'Malley Keckler says
YAY! I can't wait to hear what you think Melissa!! XO