Hatch Chile Stuffed with Shrimp

These shrimp stuffed Hatch chile peppers are the seafood take on New Mexico's stuffed-chile tradition — fresh Hatch green chiles filled with a creamy mix of shrimp, leeks, garlic, and melty Oaxaca cheese, then topped with golden panko for a little crunch. It's a restaurant-worthy plate you can pull off at home, and the kind of dish that stops the whole table in its tracks.

Stuffed chiles run deep in our family, but most are built around beef and cheese. This one swaps in plump, juicy shrimp for something special — the briny sweetness of the seafood against the smoky Hatch chile is a pairing you have to taste to believe.

The seafood twist on a stuffed chile

If the classic battered, beef-and-cheese version is what you're after, that's our traditional Hatch chile relleno recipe. This recipe is its seafood cousin: baked rather than fried, stuffed with a rich shrimp-and-cheese filling, and finished with crisp panko instead of egg batter. It's lighter on the technique but every bit as impressive on the plate.

Why fresh Hatch chile is the right vessel

Fresh Hatch green chile is the perfect boat for this filling — meaty enough to hold a generous scoop, with a clean heat that lifts the richness of the shrimp and cream cheese rather than fighting it. Roast the chiles until charred, steam them so the skins slip off, then halve and seed them. Prefer to skip the roasting? Pre-roasted Hatch chile gets you straight to stuffing. Medium chile keeps the heat friendly so the seafood stays center stage.

Tips for the filling

Use both chopped shrimp folded into the cheese mixture and whole tail-on shrimp to crown each pepper — it looks stunning and gives two textures in every bite. Oaxaca cheese melts into long, creamy strands; Monterey Jack is a fine stand-in. Don't overcook the shrimp in the filling, since it bakes again inside the chile. A pinch of salt and pepper is all the seasoning the chile and seafood need.

Serving and storage

Serve these warm, right after the panko turns golden, so the topping stays crisp and the cheese is molten. They shine as a dinner-party main or a celebration centerpiece with rice and a crisp salad. Seafood is best eaten fresh, but leftovers keep one day in the fridge; reheat gently in a 325F oven just until warmed through to avoid overcooking the shrimp.