The first time I tasted authentic chili rellenos at a small Mexican restaurant, I fell in love with the combination of mild green chilies and melted cheese encased in a light, crispy coating. But making traditional chili rellenos at home means stuffing individual peppers, battering, and frying each one, which can take hours.
This casserole version captures all those beloved flavors in a simple, family-friendly format that takes just minutes to prepare and delivers the same satisfying combination of creamy cheese and mild chili heat.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The genius lies in layering whole green chilies with cheese, then pouring a Bisquick-based custard mixture over the top that bakes into a fluffy, soufflé-like texture. The combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack perfectly balances flavor and melting properties, while canned green chilies offer consistent mild heat and tender texture. This method delivers all the essence of traditional chili rellenos without the time-consuming individual preparation.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what I put in my casserole:
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Provides bold flavor base and excellent melting properties
- Monterey Jack cheese – Adds creamy mildness and superior melting quality
- Butter – Prevents sticking and adds richness to baked casserole
- Large eggs – Create a custard-like base that holds the casserole together
- Whole milk – Provides creaminess and helps create proper custard consistency
- Bisquick baking mix – Forms light, fluffy texture without complicated batter work
- Whole green chilies – Deliver authentic mild chili flavor and tender texture
- Diced green chilies – Distribute chili flavor throughout the custard mixture evenly
How to Make Chili Relleno Casserole
This is such an easy recipe to make. The prep work is a breeze. Mix the ingredients and then layer them in the casserole dish. Here are the recipe steps:
- Combine Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses in a bowl.
- Spread melted butter in 13 x 9-inch casserole dish.
- Lay whole chilies on top of the melted butter. Sprinkle two-thirds of the cheese on the chilies.
- Mix the milk, eggs, and Bisquick until smooth.
- Stir in diced chilies and pour the mixture over the cheese.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.
Storing Leftovers & Reheating Instructions
- Reheating Options: Microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes or reheat in 350°F oven until warmed through completely.
- Refrigerator Storage: Cover tightly and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days maximum for best quality and food safety.
- Freezing Method: Wrap unbaked casserole in plastic wrap and foil, freeze up to 3 months before baking as directed.
What do you serve with Chili Relleno Casserole?
This could be a meal all on its own. But if you want some side-dish ideas, try one of these.
- Spanish Rice Recipe
- Mexican Style Refried Beans
- Easy White Queso Recipe
- Corn Air Fryer Recipe
- Casa Ole Salsa
More Tasty Casseroles
- Cracker Hash Brown Casserole
- Crab Casserole Cheese Seafood Bake
- Sour Cream Noodle Bake
- Taco Spaghetti Casserole
- Tuna Mushroom Casserole
Popular Copycat Recipes
Find even more Mexican restaurant recipes and casserole dishes to make and enjoy.
Chili Relleno Casserole – Easy Bisquick Mexican Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 7 ounce can whole chilies
- 2 cups milk
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup Bisquick Baking Mix
- 1 4 ounce can diced chilies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees
- Combine Cheeses in a bowl.
- Melt butter in a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish. You can do this by placing the butter into the baking dish while the oven is preheating.
- Lay whole chilies on the melted butter, covering the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle 2/3 of the cheese on chilies.
- Mix the milk, eggs, Bisquick until smooth. Add diced chilies and pour the mixture over the cheese. Top with remainder of cheese. Bake for 45 minutes.
Delicious, quick and easy side dish to put together. Heading back to the store to stock up on fresh Hatch chili while still in season.
I make this every year, this time of year 😉 I love those peppers.
This is soooo good. I add powdered parmesan, cilantro, and smoked paprika over top before baking for pretty color and extra yum flavor!
Absolutely delicious! Super easy to make and even my picky toddlers scarfed it down.
I add 1# of sausage and 1# of hamburger and put over the cheese so the bisquick runs through it. So good!
I make this all the time. Especially for get together’s. l also use pepper jack cheese with the cheddar because I like it more spicy than most ! 😋😋😋
I’m probably missing something very obvious here, but I’m not seeing in the recipe how many relleno chili’s are used?
This recipe uses the chilies by weight. I think you are asking me how many chilies do you need to use.
You posted nutritional info but no serving size so it’s hard to work this into any kind of plan where you’re tracking calories, carbs, etc…
So it was my intention that the casserole resulted in about 10 servings. So the servings would be a bit smaller than 4 x 6 inch piece.
I wonder if you could replace Bisquik with corn muffin mix?
I haven’t tried this, but I think you would need two boxes of corn muffin mix.
Does this recipe freeze well?
Yes, this recipe freezes pretty well.
I believe I added this recipe years ago.
It is possible, when I converted over to wordpress I lost some data in the conversion 🙁