Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your broiler to high. Place poblano peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 8-10 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes with tongs, until the skin is charred and blistered on all sides. Transfer to a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let steam for 15 minutes.
- While peppers steam, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it apart, for 7-8 minutes until fully browned. Drain any excess fat. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Add the well-drained diced tomatoes to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in the Monterey Jack cheese until melted. Let the filling cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Peel the charred skin off the steamed peppers. Carefully cut a slit lengthwise down each pepper and remove the seeds, keeping the pepper intact.
- Lightly dust the inside of each pepper with about 1 teaspoon of flour. Stuff each pepper generously with the beef and cheese filling and arrange them seam-side up in the prepared baking dish.
- Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl and beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the yolks with a pinch of salt. Gently fold the yolks into the whipped whites until just combined.
- Spoon the egg mixture over each stuffed pepper, covering them completely. Sprinkle the shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until the egg coating is set and lightly golden and the cheese is bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
Storage: Store leftover baked chili rellenos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes for best results. They can also be frozen individually for up to 3 months — just wrap each one in plastic wrap before freezing.
Lighter swap: Substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef to reduce the fat content while keeping all the great flavor. Black beans are a wonderful vegetarian option — season them with the same spice blend!
Seasoning tip: Taste your filling before stuffing the peppers and adjust salt and spices to your preference. If you're watching sodium, use a no-salt-added canned tomato and reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon — the spices still carry plenty of flavor.