Cheesy Chile Relleno Bites
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Small bites with melted cheese wrapped in wonton wrappers, fried till golden. Prep involves cutting firm cheese into small bricks, egg white-water mix for sealing. Freeze before frying to keep shapes intact and cheese from leaking prematurely. Fry in hot oil until crisp and leaking cheese signals readiness. Serve hot with dips like guac or salsa. Substitutions include pepper jack for cheese, or using egg yolk instead of whites for richer seal. Sensitive to oil temp; too hot means burst wrappers. Storage in wax paper layers avoids sticking. Quick, finger-messy, satisfyingly gooey.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Mexican-inspired
#appetizers
#snacks
#fried foods
#cheese recipes
#freezer friendly
Ever made chile relleno bites that leak cheese everywhere? Yeah, me too. Takes practice to get these crisp outside and molten gooey inside without disaster. My first tries ended in molten cheese rivers sinking pans, wrappers sticking like glue. Learned to chill in freezer first — absolutely key. Rolling with egg whites sticks everything tight, no cheese runs early. Wonton wrappers are the perfect thin crunch, not thick like traditional batter. Fry in batches, listen for that sizzling change when filling gets melty inside. That’s the green light to pull ’em. Serve right away or lose the magic. I like pepper jack mixed in for punch. These are little messy gems worth the trouble.
Ingredients
- 1 block firm white cheese (mozzarella or pepper jack as substitute)
- 1 package wonton wrappers
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon water
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Wax paper
- Optional: salsa, sour cream, guacamole for serving
About the ingredients
Wonton wrappers vary; some are thicker so watch cooking times. Mozzarella’s classic but pepper jack or Oaxaca give a welcome twist with spice or stringiness. Avoid pre-shredded cheese, melts too fast and overwhelms wrapper. Egg whites with a splash of water act as glue, sealing edges so cheese stays put — don’t substitute whole egg or too liquidy, wrappers sog out fast. Wax paper is cheap but key to freezing; paper towels just stick and tear wrappers. Oil choice matters; vegetable, canola, or peanut oil at neutral flavor all work. Never overcrowd pan or temp drops — soggy, greasy bites.
Method
PREPARE AND PORTION
- Cut cheese block into four long strips then into 1-inch little bricks. About a dozen or so, keep extra cheese aside for later. Mix egg whites and water lightly in small bowl — this is glue for wrappers. Have a cutting board or plate prepped for assembly. Cut wax paper squares large enough to layer between completed rellenos in storage container — keeps them from freezing into a solid mess.
ASSEMBLE
- Pick a wonton wrapper, lay flat diamond-shape. Lightly brush entire surface with egg white mix — don’t soak, just enough for stickiness. Put one cheese brick near bottom center. Fold bottom edge up and roll once tight. Pinch sides in to mimic open envelope, then fold remaining wrapper over cheese and seal tightly. Don’t skimp on edges or cheese will escape during frying. Drop finished bites carefully into container lined with wax paper. Keep them separated, no touching or freezing becomes a nightmare later.
FREEZE
- Seal container airtight. Place in freezer for at least 65 minutes; more time won’t hurt, these keep well for up to two months frozen. Freezing firms up wrappers so they crisp rather than fall apart when fried.
FRY
- Heat about 1 inch oil in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Test by flicking water drop — aggressive sizzle and occasional spit means ready, but be mindful, hot oil is dangerous. Using a fry spoon or slotted spoon, drop 5–8 rellenos at a time depending on pan size. Keep an ear out; the popping oil sound shifts when cheese inside starts to soften and vent. Once first bite leaks cheese, time to pull all out — ideally 3 to 4 minutes, but watch carefully. Oil progressively heats so frying time drops a bit after first batch.
DRAIN AND SERVE
- Transfer bites to paper towel-lined surface to soak excess oil. If frying in big batches, warm finished bites in oven set to lowest temp — usually 180F — but watch closely so no cheese explosions happen. Serve immediately with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole for best impact.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- Too soft cheese or flimsy wrappers ruin the crunch and fold. Use firm, block cheese; shredded melts too fast causing mess. Egg white mix seals but don’t overbrush or wrappers sog out. Substitute pepper jack or Oaxaca for different flavor and melt properties; experiment. Oil temp check is critical — cold oil soaks up oil and gets greasy; overheated oil bursts wrappers. Layering with wax paper in the container saves hours of frozen stomach-churning separation struggle. Leftover cheese? Fry wrappers alone for crunchy snacks.
CLEANUP
- Oil can be strained and reused if clean. Wipe surfaces quickly; greasy hands are inevitable but a lemon half and salt scrub magic afterwards keeps residue manageable.
Cooking tips
Prep with tidy workspace ready — sticky fingers guaranteed. Roll tightly so no gaps where cheese might slip out mid-fry. Frozen bites hold shape and crisp better, skip thawing or wrapper gets mushy. Test oil temp by sprinkling water — if no immediate sizzle, heat more. Fry in small batches for crisp textural control; more bites crowd pan, temp dips and ruins crunch. Listen for sizzle shift as cheese softens — audible sign to scoop ’em up. Drain on paper towels absorb excess oil fast. Use warm oven for holding but keep low and check often — even slightly too hot and cheese erupts, frying temp ruins final bite. Leftover wrappers fried solo for crispy garnishes — zero waste.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cut cheese into firm bricks not shreds. Firm blocks hold through frying, shredded melts too quick, leaks everywhere. Freeze finished bites at least one hour so wrappers crisp, no falling apart later. Egg white with water mix seals edges better than whole egg yolk; yolk gets soggy fast. Watch oil temp closely; drop water test — if no snap, heat more. Overhot oil bursts wrappers. Keep batches small for even cooking, listen for oil pop and cheese soften sounds. Use wax paper in layers when freezing; prevents sticking, saves hours untangling frozen mess.
- 💡 Roll wonton wrappers tight so cheese won’t slip out mid-fry. Brush edges lightly with egg white mix — not soaking — just sticky enough. Don’t rush folding or sealing or cheese lava. Use a slotted spoon to handle bites carefully after frying; rough tossing breaks wrappers. If oil sizzles hard or spits flames, reduce heat, oil too hot damages bites fast. Hold finished pieces on paper towels to soak excess oil; avoids greasy mouthfeel without flavor loss. Warm oven at 180F works to hold but watch closely — heat too high triggers cheese explosions and breaks crisp. Timing is key on every step.
- 💡 Substitutes work if careful — pepper jack adds spice and melt pull, Oaxaca adds stringiness but watch softness. Mozzarella standard but melts fast. Egg yolk instead of white gives richer seal but makes wrapper soggy quicker — may spill when frying. Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil best neutral flavors; avoid strong oils that mask cheese taste. Don’t overcrowd pan — temperature drops ruin crust and make bites greasy not crisp. Fry in 5-8 chunks max depending on pan. If leftover cheese remains, fry empty wrappers solo for crunchy snacks. Waste not, stay nimble.
- 💡 Fry oil depth about 1 inch; too shallow means wrappers stick bottom and don’t crisp evenly. Use heavy pan for even heat—thin pans risk hot spots that burn bites. Flick water drops to confirm temp — pop noise means ready. Listen closely to change in sizzle and popping sound — first bite leaks cheese escape signal to pull batch quickly. Fry time varies but usually 3 to 4 minutes. Big batches heat oil up—later bites fry faster, watch carefully so no burnt edges. Paper towel drains absorb grease rapidly; skips sogginess. Store frozen bites separated wax paper layer to avoid frozen clumps, wrappers tear easily without.
- 💡 Cleanup messy: oil can be strained and reused if clean. Greasy hands inevitable; rubbing lemon half with salt cuts residue well. Wipe surfaces quickly before oil sets sticky. Chop cheese cold, keep workspace tidy. Prep wax paper squares ahead — saves chaos after assembly. Avoid rushing any fold or seal or cheese explodes early. Fry fresh batches with patience; listen to sizzling shifts. Keep dip options ready: salsa, guac, sour cream. They moisture balance dense fried bites. Leftovers stored airtight frozen up to two months without quality loss.
Common questions
How to know oil temp right?
Flick little water drop, listen for sharp snap and light spit. No sizzle means cold, too much spit means overhot. Adjust heat quick. Test each batch. Safety and crispiness hinge on oil heat. Watch—the popping pattern shifts as cheese softens inside bite. That’s signal to scoop out or mess happens.
Can I use whole egg instead egg white?
Whole egg too wet, wraps sog fast. Edges fail sealing, cheese leaks early in fryer. Egg white and splash water glue best. Yolk adds richness but risks soggy wrapper and bursting early. If substitute, brush thin, watch fry timing. Not recommended for hold or freezing.
Wrappers tearing mid-fry, why?
Common issue from loose folds, too thin edges or over soaked wrappers. Cheese melting leaks and bursts wrapper under heat stress. Freeze before frying firms shape, avoids goo leaks. Overcrowded pan drops oil temp, wrappers cook uneven and weaken. Roll tight, use egg white glue. Freeze solid. Fry small batches hot but not burning.
How to store leftovers?
Freeze wrapped bites spaced with wax paper in airtight container. Prevents sticking and freezer burn. Thawing softens shell, fryer mess. Reheat gently in low oven 180F; no microwave, makes wrapper chewy. Can keep frozen up to two months. Assembly day prep saves future microwave headaches and soggy bites.
