Air Fryer Chile Rellenos is a stuffed poblano pepper dish made with charred poblano peppers filled with corn, scallions, cilantro, Monterey Jack cheese, and Mexican crema, then served with a quick red chile sauce. It’s quick and works well for a weeknight vegetarian main or side, since you can go from start to finish in about 40 minutes. Unlike traditional chile rellenos that are battered and deep-fried, this version air-fries the peppers for a no-mess, no-frying approach and pairs them with a fast, flavor-packed sauce.
What Makes These Air Fryer Chile Rellenos Perfect?
- Fast. An air fryer recipe done start to finish in 40 minutes.
- Easy. Char the peppers, stuff them with a delicious filling, cook, and drizzle with sauce.
- Vegetarian. A satisfying and filling vegetarian recipe.
- Versatile. Serve as a main course or as a side dish.
- Delicious. Robust flavors thanks to charred peppers and a variety of flavorful spices.
The odd thing about this recipe is that it's for 3 Chile Rellenos. I know, I know, who makes 3?
Someone whose air fryer will only take 3 chiles, that's who. If you have an air fryer with a larger basket or removable trays, you can probably get 4 in at a time. In which case, just add a little corn and cheese, and you should be good to go.
Does It Taste Authentic?
Let's talk about the sauce. I know several of you will be writing to me telling me how it's not authentic. Tomato paste? What?
Okay, I hear you. I know it's not completely authentic, but it TASTES authentic. In my book, if you can achieve the same flavors while saving a ton of time and steps in the kitchen, it's a win.
You have to try it before you knock it. It is SO GOOD. You'll be grateful you have extra sauce when it's all said and done.
Ingredients You'll Need
For The Peppers
- Poblano peppers
- Frozen Corn Kernels
- Green Scallions
- Chopped Cilantro
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Mexican crema
For The Sauce
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Minced Garlic
- Tomato Paste
- Ancho Chile Powder
- Dried Oregano
- Ground Cumin
- Kosher Salt
- Chicken Broth
- Lemon Juice
How To Make Air Fryer Chile Rellenos
- Char the chiles in the air fryer
- Make the sauce
- Mix up the filling
- Cook the filled chiles
- Drizzle sauce over the poblanos
- Enjoy
The way to do this efficiently is to get the chiles char and make the sauce while that happens. Then mix up the corn and cheese and have it ready for when the chiles are done and ready to go.
What I loved about charring the chiles in the air fryer was no smoke, no mess on the stove, and no standing around and turning it.
I just put them in the air fryer, and they pretty much took care of themselves.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Stuffed Peppers
I served mine with my Instant Pot Refried beans and Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo, but I have to be honest, that might have been overkill.
These air fryer chile rellenos stand well on their own. I'd maybe make a nice Tomato Coconut soup with it Air Fryer Carne Asada if you want something with a little meat and call it a day.
How Long Do They Last?
If you have cooked Chile Rellenos, they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Make sure to let them cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
It's important to note that the texture and flavor of Chile Rellenos may change after being stored for an extended period of time, so it's best to consume them as soon as possible for the best taste and quality.
Can You Freeze Them?
You can also freeze uncooked Chile Rellenos for up to 2-3 months. Just make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil before freezing.
How Do You Reheat Chile Rellenos?
It's likely that if you're only making one batch of these stuffed poblanos, you won't have to worry about reheating leftovers.
However, if you're making them as a side dish or are making multiple batches to feed a larger family, you may need to warm them up later. Here's how I would do it:
- Place the Chile Relleno in a silicone liner and place it in the air fryer basket.
- Set the air fryer time to 4 minutes at 350F
- Test the center of the peppers to check for thorough heating
- Enjoy
Traditional chile rellenos are most commonly made with poblano peppers because they’re large enough to stuff, have a mild-to-medium heat, and roast well for easy peeling. They're perfect for a classic chile rellenos with cheese filling.
If you can’t find poblanos, Anaheim peppers are a popular substitute (usually milder and a bit narrower), and occasionally you’ll see other mild chiles used depending on region and preference, especially for air fryer chile rellenos (no batter), where shape and heat level matter most.
To roast poblanos for chile rellenos without tearing, char the skins quickly in the air fryer until blistered all over, then immediately transfer them to a covered bowl or sealed bag to steam 10–15 minutes so the skin loosens.
Peel gently with your fingers or a paper towel (avoid rinsing under water, which can make peppers slippery and delicate), and handle them by the sturdier stem end while you work.
When you're ready to stuff, make one small slit down one side after peeling, remove seeds carefully, and keep the peppers slightly warm so they stay flexible instead of splitting.
To keep chile rellenos with cheese filling from leaking, start with well-roasted poblanos that you’ve peeled gently and dried so they aren’t slick or torn, then make one small slit (not a big opening) and remove seeds carefully to preserve the pepper’s structure.
Don’t overstuff. Leave a little room so the pepper can close, and use a cheese that melts well but isn’t overly wet. Then, seal the slit by tucking the edges together and chill the stuffed peppers 10–15 minutes so everything firms up before cooking.
Want More Delicious Mexican Recipes?
- Instant Pot Tamale Pie
- Taco Meatballs
- Flank Steak Fajitas
- Tacos De Alambre
- Mexican Pulled Pork
- Black Bean Quesadillas
- Black Bean Enchiladas
- Ground Beef Casserole
Looking for more great Mexican recipes to cook up in your air fryer? My Air Fried Carne Asada Recipe makes a delicious carne asada in no time!
If you love this Air Fryer Chile Rellenos recipe as much as we did, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can try it too.
Ingredients
For the peppers:
- 3 (3) poblano peppers, rinsed and dried
- 1 cup (164 g) Frozen Corn Kernels, thawed, or use drained canned corn
- 1 (1) Chopped Green Scallions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) Chopped Cilantro or Parsley
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Ground Black Pepper
- 1 cup (113 g) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) Mexican crema or sour cream
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoons) Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup (80 g) finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Minced Garlic
- 1 6-oz can (1 6-oz can) Tomato Paste
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) Ancho Chile Powder
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- 2 cups (470 g) Chicken Broth
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) Lemon Juice
Instructions
- For the peppers: Place peppers in the air fryer basket. Set air fryer to 400°F for 10 minutes, turning peppers halfway through cook time. Remove peppers from air fryer (skins should be charred) and place in a resealable plastic bag to steam for 5 minutes. Peel skin and discard.
- In a medium bowl combine corn, scallion, cilantro, salt, black pepper, and grated cheese; set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, chile powder, oregano, and cumin, and salt. Cook and stir 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Cut a slit down the center of each poblano pepper, starting at the stem and continuing to the tip. Remove the seeds, being careful not to tear the chile.
- Carefully stuff each chile with a layer of half of the corn and cheese mixture, and 1 tablespoon of the crema.
- Place stuffed peppers in 6-inch heat-proof pan and place the pan in the air fryer basket. Set air fryer to 400°F for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted
- Serve with red chile sauce.*
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Nutrition
And don't forget to check out my air fryer cookbooks! Every day easy air fryer, and Air Fryer Revolution.
AshleyThompson
I would have never thought to make this in the air fryer! Thanks for another amazing recipe.
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Great recipe. Have made them a few times now
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