Search For Chili Rellenos

[Yul Lose]

I don’t want to hijack Widder Mexican food anymore than I have so I’ll tell you about the ongoing search for the best chili rellenos. When I first moved here in 1988 there was a Mexican restaurant called Estrada’s. My future wife had been eating there for about 15 years before I met her and  we both really enjoyed their chili rellenos. Occasionally she order something else but when I came in they wouldn’t even give me a menu because they knew what I’d order unless of course they were sold out, which happened occasionally. I got a couple of pards, Buck Garrett and Double Diamond, hooked on them too and about once a week we’d meet there for lunch and we’d usually all order the same thing, two chili rellenos ala carte. Unfortunately Estrada’s closed down last month because the owners sold the property the restaurant is on and retired, sad day for sure. Since then we’ve been to tow other Mexican joints searching for replacement chili rellenos. 
 

The first one that we tried had pretty good chili rellenos but they would not allow us to order them alacarte. We had to take the rice and beans also and that was way to much food. The second place sold them alacarte but they were nowhere near as good as Estrada’s and the first place that we tried. So  we are still looking and to my surprise there aren’t that many places that serve chili rellenos according to their online menus.

[Pat Riot]

What I like about Chili Rellenos is they are always a little different at every restaurant. 
 

This is going to sound odd but one of my favorite things in SoCal used to be Ramona’s Chili Relleno burritos in the fridge section at 7-11. I haven’t seen those in years. 
 

Don Ramone’s  in Huntington Beach used to make a wonderful Chili Relleno but the chef retired. Now they suck. 

[Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619]

I do like them indeed. They seem to be on most of the Mexican restaurants hereabouts. The bigger ones, anyway.

[Charlie Plasters, SASS#60943]

My standard when first tying a mexican restaurant is a chili relleno and a cheese enchilada. Best relleno I have ever had came years ago at a hole in the wall place called La Familia in Graham Central station shopping center , Phoenix.  Around here in the verde valley the best is from Conchos but they never seem to have the grease quite hot enough cause they tend to be a little greasy.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

Good Chili Rellenos are hard to find. What I have found is that even when you find a place that has good ones, they will change depending on who is cooking that particular day. Years ago when I had a home in Baja (Loreto), there was a small eatery that had wonderful food, including chili rellenos. It's all about the chilis.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

For you connoisseurs of chili rellenos, what differentiates a good relleno from a bad or mediocre relleno?

[Yul Lose]

 

For you connoisseurs of chili rellenos, what differentiates a good relleno from a bad or mediocre relleno?

IMHO, of course, Anaheim chili’s make the best chili rellenos. I don’t care for the rellenos that use poblano chili’s. Next comes the coating and the place that I liked used a coating similar to tempura only not crunchy, if that makes any sense. Next is what’s inside, only cheese is needed, again that’s my opinion. Some places stuff so much different stuff in them that you can’t enjoy the chili. Lastly the sauce and I like the green Heredez style. There’s a place about 1/4 mile from my house that serves chili rellenos but from one visit to the next you never know what you’re going to get. The closest I’ve found to the Estrada’s chili relleno was at a place called Rivera’s in Yuma, Az. The chili relleno was very close but they used red sauce instead of green sauce and would not use green sauce when I requested it. When I’m over at Yuma for the Prison Break match in January I visit Rivera’s as much as I can.

 

My wife took some cooking classes at Estrada’s a few years ago and learned how to make the rellenos like they made them but it’s so much work she only does it a couple of times a year.

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

I want to taste the flavor of the chili. Not so hot that it takes the flavor away or no flavor so you taste only the cheese or batter it is coated with.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

Chili Rellenos are my favorite Mexican food dish.

I've learned just this year to make my own chili rellenos basically using the recipe below.

The batter in this recipe is perfect!!

In place of the Anaheim chili, I use roasted & peeled mild Hatch's green chili we bought right after the harvest. 

Also, I vary the cheeses I use.  Sometimes I use a Monterey Jack, or Colby, or Chedder, or a combination of cheeses.

Next, find a salsa or a red sauce you like to pour over the rellenos.

Sometimes I'll serve with a sunny-side-up egg on top. 

What a delicious cholesterol bomb!!!

 

Recipe:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/219646/authentic-mexican-chili-rellenos/

 

 

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

I  chili rellenos so much that I even made them once. First, they must be made with fresh chilies.

 

There is a Mexican restaurant in Rancho Murieta, CA and one in Henderson, NV that make good ones.

 

I have found that I like different dishes at different Mexican restaurants. That is one reason I rarely order chili rellenos.

 

At my favorite Mexican restaurant in Sacramento, I always ordered a Chicken Chimichanga. In Jackson, it is a Carne Asada taco in a flour tortilla. They even have flour tortilla chips.

 

I  Mexican food. However, I hate their rice. So, I always order a la carte.

[Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217]

PS I have a "killer" Mexican Rice recipe.

[Smokin Gator SASS #29736]

When I first moved to Chico there was a place, Ruby's Ranchito. They had a Chile relleno omelet that I always ordered. Never had a better breakfast.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663]

 

When I first moved to Chico there was a place, Ruby's Ranchito. They had a Chile relleno omelet that I always ordered. Never had a better breakfast.

If I have left over rellenos, I'll warm them up in the microwave and eat with my morning eggs!  Sometimes I'll hurt myself because they're sooooo good.