One Pan Cheesy Chile Relleno Rice

One pan to rule them all, this stove-top cheesy, pepper-filled, chile relleno rice delivers.

That's right, it's one pan cheesy chile relleno rice

I'm mildly obsessed with cheesy stuffed peppers. Though, how can you not be obsessed when we're dealing with what I can only describe as a cheese present. I think "cheesy, salty, wonderpockets" were my last words for stuffed peppers and that's still a perfectly acceptable way of describing them as well.

This time around, we're bringing it all together by simplifying your life and making it one pan (it's a one pan cheesy chile relleno rice after all). We're simmering and cooking everything altogether so your spices are flowing and cheese is a-melting. Since this is a one pan recipe for dinner, it pretty much means you get all the delights of a full meal, with minimal amounts of dishes to do afterwards. It's a cheesy, salty, wonderDREAM now.

One Pan Cheesy Chile Relleno Rice

Serves: 2

Cook & Prep Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Peppers:

• 4 anaheim and/or pasilla peppers (I did two of each)

• 2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Pan Rice Mixture:

• 2 Tbsp oil (a little more as needed)

• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp chili powder

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup Jasmine Rice

• 1 roma tomato, diced

• 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 16oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup queso fresco or cotija cheese crumbles

• Salt/pepper to taste

Topping:

• Cilantro

• Your choice of salsa

Directions

1. Blister your peppers by placing them directly over a medium/high flame until the skin on each side is nicely charred, should take around 10 minutes. Immediately place them in a Ziploc bag to seal and steam for another 10 minutes. Once steamed, peel off the skin of each pepper.

Blistering peppers

2. Make a slit down the side of each pepper, clear out the seeds and veins, then stuff each pepper with 1/2 cup of the shredded Monterey Jack. Seal up the pepper with a toothpick and set aside for now.

3. Heat your medium cast iron over medium heat and add your oil. Add your onion and sauté for 2 minutes, or until translucent. Add your garlic and chili powder and cook for 1 more minute. Add your tomato paste and mix. Cook everything for another minute, or until your paste begins to darken from caramelization.

4. Add a little more oil to the pan before adding your diced tomato and rice, then stir to mix everything together and coat the rice. Toast for two minutes, stirring to make sure the rice doesn't burn. Add your can of beans and mix together. Add your broth to the pan, a little salt, and stir thoroughly.

5. Bring the rice/beans to a rolling boil, then carefully place your peppers in with the broth and rice mixture, placing the seam-side up and alternating the stem ends (see picture). Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium/low, and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is softened and cooked through. If needed, add a splash more liquid and cook for a few more minutes. Once the rice is cooked, remove from heat, add your cotija or queso fresco crumbles to the top and recover the pan. Let sit, covered, for another 10 minutes to steam the rice through and get the cheese a little melty.

Peppers placed in broth and rice mixture

6. Once the rice is ready, fluff it using a fork and remove any toothpicks that may be holding your peppers together. Serve up peppers, rice and beans, topping with your choice of salsa and a bit of cilantro if you'd like.

And when I say top with your choice of salsa, I mean just douse that thing. You only live once.