Chiles Rellenos de Barbacoa en Caldillo (Stuffed Poblanos in Tomato Sauce)
Roasted poblano chillies stuffed with beef and melting cheese, dipped in fluffy egg batter, fried and served in a light tomato sauce.
Made with Salsa ranchera and Barbacoa beef. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelHard
- Costabout £2.51 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the whole poblanos under a very hot grill, turning, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the skins are blistered and black in places. Put into a bowl, cover with cling film and leave for 10 minutes to steam.
12 min - 2
Peel off the skins. Make a slit down one side of each chilli and carefully remove the seeds, keeping the stalk on and the chilli whole.
- 3
Warm your ready made barbacoa beef (see the base recipe) until steaming hot all the way through, drain it well and mix with the cheese. Stuff each chilli, then close and secure with a cocktail stick. Dust lightly with the extra cornflour.
- 4
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in the yolks and the 3 tablespoons of cornflour until just combined.
- 5
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to about 175C. Hold a chilli by its stalk, dip it in the batter to coat, and slide it into the oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
2 min 30 s - 6
Warm your ready made salsa ranchera (see the base recipe) until steaming hot. Spoon into shallow bowls, sit the chiles rellenos on top, remove the cocktail sticks, and sprinkle with coriander.
Tips
- Drain the barbacoa really well. Wet filling makes the batter soggy and splits the chilli.
- Dust each chilli with cornflour before dipping so the batter clings.
- Cook the batter straight away. Whisked egg whites deflate after a few minutes.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Keep leftover sauce in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rellenos do not reheat well, though they can be warmed in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
Questions
What if I cannot find poblano chillies?
Use large, mild green peppers with a jalapeño or two in the filling for a bit of heat. Roast and peel them in exactly the same way.
Can I bake chiles rellenos instead of frying?
Yes. Skip the batter, top the stuffed chillies with extra cheese and bake at 200C for 15 minutes. The result is simpler but tasty.
Is it gluten free?
Yes. Cornflour replaces the flour in the batter, and the rest of the ingredients contain no gluten.
More made with salsa ranchera
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.