by Bottom Line: The Chile Rellenos con Queso from Trader Joe’s offer a good version of this Mexican classic and they bring a bit of a kick.
Chile Rellenos are a particular favorite of mine, and they are common on the menus of Mexican restaurants in my area, whether they specialize in Tex-Mex or more authentic cuisine. The dish consists of a roasted poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, meat, and/or other fillings, then coated in egg batter and deep-fried (or sometimes pan-fried). It is topped with sauce and cheese and delivers an excellent taste of Mexico.
So I was delighted when I stumbled across Chile Rellenos con Queso on a recent visit to Trader Joe’s while browsing their frozen section. Following is the description from the website: “Each bite manages to combine the gooeyness of melted cheese, the tenderness of a fire-roasted pepper, and the crispiness of its egg-battered exterior, all at once.” They come with a “zesty” tomato sauce, and you can heat them on the stove, in the microwave, or in an air fryer.
I cooked the peppers in the air fryer while heating the sauce on the stove, and that worked out quite well. The batter is not too crispy but still has good texture, and the crust of a Chile Relleno does not typically have much crunch to begin with. The poblano pepper has some chew—it isn’t mushy as you might expect from a frozen meal—and offers a good roasted pepper taste with a bit of a kick. The cheese inside is thick, gooey, with some sharpness, and just a slight pungent touch. The sauce is rich, with a salsa-like taste and a bit of sweetness, pairing well with the Chile Relleno without overpowering it. I also added a little shredded cheese on top once everything was cooked, which helped bring the dish together.
The heat is right around Mild on my scale, which is about what you would expect from a Chile Relleno. If you chop up some chilis (might I recommend Chili de Arbol) and throw them into the sauce, that will amp up the heat. But no matter how you serve it, Trader Joe’s has done a pretty darn good job of replicating this Mexican classic so that you can pull it out of the freezer for a quick meal yet not feel like you are eating frozen food. It may not be as good as getting the same dish from your favorite local Tex-Mex joint, but this is definitely a superior frozen entry.
They also had some frozen Spanish Style Rice sitting in the freezer section, and I figured that would pair perfectly with the Chile Rellenos. You can heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop, and I went with the latter method. The rice has a good texture and isn’t mushy at all. It has a nice tomato tang with some richness and has the taste you would expect from this side dish. You could also sauté some onions and peppers and maybe some tomatoes before adding the rice, and that will boost the flavor. I was running short of time, so I did it straight from the package, and that still worked quite well.
The Chile Rellenos retail for $5.99 per box, which includes two servings. The Spanish Rice sells for $3.69 and includes two packages, each containing two-plus servings. So when you bring the two together, that’s a heck of deal for a pretty darn good meal. And it is not to high on the calories either at 330 cals for the pepper and about 200 for a serving of the rice. It won’t stop me from visiting my favorite Mexican restaurant on a regular basis, but it is sure nice to have these in the freezer to throw together a quick and easy (and inexpensive) meal in a manner of minutes.
Nutrition Info:
Chile Rellenos con Queso
Serving Size: 1 Pepper + 1/3 Cup Sauce
Calories: 330
Fat: 9g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 9g
Carbs: 19g
Sodium: 870mg
Spanish Style Rice
Serving Size: 142g (½ Pouch Frozen)
Calories: 220
Fat: 6g (0.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 4g
Carbs: 38g
Sodium: 700mg
