This easy recipe for Chile Relleno Dip is a fun take on traditional Mexican Chile Relleno, but as a dip made with roasted poblano peppers, cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, and seasonings. Enjoy it as an appetizer with tortilla chips or as a cheesy topping on tacos. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or to bring to any party or celebration!
I absolutely love making dips for all occasions. From Mexican Queso Dip to Mexican Corn Dip and Salsa Verde Queso Dip – I love them all!
This cheesy and flavorful Chile Relleno Dip is the perfect snack to get the party started. It’s made easily with roasted poblano peppers, shredded cheese, cream cheese, spices, and crispy panko breadcrumbs. Baked in the oven, it’s hot and creamy with a layer of crunch on top.
This classic Mexican recipe for chile relleno turned into a dip is a definite crowd-pleaser at any party or event. Easily prepare it ahead of time, pop it in the oven, and in less than 1 hour, you can enjoy the hot and bubbly mix with corn chips, homemade tortilla chips, or veggies!
What is chile relleno dip?
This dip is inspired by my recipe for Chile Rellenos, which are roasted poblano peppers stuffed with cheese and fried until golden brown. I’ve decided to deconstruct it and transformed it into an addicting and crunchy dip!
This recipe is made with roasted and chopped poblano peppers, cream cheese, sour cream, a shredded Mexican cheese blend, and seasonings. A layer of panko breadcrumbs on top gives the baked dip a bit of crunch, just like the original fried and stuffed chile pepper. It presents so beautifully to a crowd with its golden brown color and rich flavors.
Chile relleno dip ingredients
- Poblano peppers – Poblano peppers are a great family-friendly chile because they’re mild and not overly spicy. Once roasted, they become smoky, rich, and so delicious! I’ve included step-by-step instructions on how to roast them in the recipe below, but if you’d like to see some photos of how exactly to roast them, take a look at these tips and instructions.
- Veggies – A mix of sauteed yellow corn, onion, and garlic is mixed into the dip for flavor and texture.
- Sour cream and cream cheese – To give the dip a creamy texture and a bit of tang.
- Shredded cheese – I used a shredded Mexican cheese blend that’s commonly found in most grocery stores in the U.S.. If you can’t find a Mexican cheese blend, you can use mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or even mild cheddar.
- Lime juice – For a pop of freshness and acidity.
- Cumin – To double down on the rich smokiness in each bite.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Once baked, the breadcrumbs give the dip a crispy and crunchy layer on top. If you don’t have panko, use any kind of breadcrumbs you have at home or use a gluten free alternative.
- Garnish – I like garnishing the dip with fresh cilantro and diced jalapenos for a pop of color.
How to make chile relleno dip
Dice up your roasted poblano peppers and place them in a large bowl. Heat some oil in a skillet to saute the corn, onion, and garlic until the onions have softened.
Add the corn mixture to the bowl with the poblanos and add in the cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, salt, lime juice, and ground cumin. Mix the ingredients well and then transfer to a baking dish.
Make the crunchy panko topping by mixing melted butter and panko breadcrumbs together with a fork until the breadcrumbs are fully coated. Add to the top of the dip.
Bake the dip until breadcrumbs are toasted and the dip is bubbling. Serve hot with homemade tortilla chips and enjoy!
Tips and variations
- Give this dip some extra spice. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or some diced jalapenos with the seeds intact.
- To make the dip gluten free, use gluten free panko breadcrumbs.
- Add in some meat! Browned ground beef or cooked shredded chicken would both be delicious options to beef up this recipe.
- Want to speed things up? Freshly roasted poblanos are best here but when you’re in a hurry, replace them with canned green chiles in a pinch.
- Lighten it up! Replace the sour cream with your favorite plain Greek yogurt for a lower-fat and tangy twist.
- If you can’t find panko, use crushed Ritz crackers or pork rinds on top for an unforgettable crunchy crust.
Make it ahead of time
This is the perfect dip to make when you want to save time and energy. Fully assemble the dip, cover the dish with a lid, and leave it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When your guests are on their way over, pop it in the oven so they can enjoy hot and fresh dip as soon as they arrive!
More Mexican appetizers
Ingredients
- 3 medium poblano peppers
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 (15-ounce) can yellow corn, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- optional garnish: cilantro and jalapenos
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the poblanos on top. Set the oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on high.
- Broil for 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip over the poblanos and broil for another 5 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides.
- Remove from the oven and loosely cover the peppers with aluminum foil or plastic wrap to keep in some of the heat to help them steam. Let them sit for 5 minutes.
- Uncover the peppers and pull and rub off as much of the blackened skin as possible. It doesn’t have to be perfect. (View step-by-step photos on how to roast poblano peppers.)
- Transfer the clean peppers to a cutting board, discard the stems, and finely dice them. (If you don’t want the dip to be a little spicy, you can remove and discard the seeds before dicing. Otherwise, leave them in.)
- Transfer diced poblanos to a large bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When melted, add corn, onion, and garlic. Saute for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened.
- Transfer the corn mixture to the large bowl with roasted poblanos. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheese, salt, lime juice, and ground cumin.
- Mix together with a fork or an electric hand mixer until fully combined.
- Transfer the dip to a square 8×8 baking dish.
- In a small bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and melt in the microwave in 15-second increments.
- When melted, add panko breadcrumbs and mix together with a fork until all the breadcrumbs are coated with butter.
- Top the dip with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 35 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are toasted and the dip is bubbling.
- Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy.
Isabel’s Tips:
- Give this dip some extra spice! Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, or some diced jalapenos with the seeds intact.
- To make the dip gluten free, use gluten free panko breadcrumbs.
- Add in some meat! Browned ground beef or cooked shredded chicken would both be delicious options to beef up this recipe.
- Want to speed things up? Freshly roasted poblanos are best here but when you’re in a hurry, replace them with canned green chiles in a pinch.
- Lighten it up! Replace the sour cream with your favorite plain Greek yogurt for a lower-fat and tangy twist.
- If you can’t find panko, use crushed Ritz crackers or pork rinds on top for an unforgettable crunchy crust.
- To make ahead of time: Fully assemble the dip, cover the dish with a lid, and leave it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When your guests are on their way over, pop it in the oven so they can enjoy hot and fresh dip as soon as they arrive!
Nutrition Information
Love this idea. Can’t help but wonder whether a layer of black beans would had to or take away from this dip.
Hi David! That’s a great idea! It would definitely add some more creaminess. If you try it let us know how it turns out!
This dip is epic!! 🙌🏽
Made as written, except I forgot the corn! It still turned out delicious though. In a pinch I can see using the canned diced green chiles. But the roasted chiles really work their magic here. Digging my tortilla chips in it now. Yum!!!