Name: Chili Relleno Casserole
Ingredients: 1 lb grated cheese (i use a mexican blend or a cheddar also works well); 3 eggs; 1 1/2 cups milk; 1/2 cup flour; 1 can whole green chilies

Why it works: Cheese and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 10% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,426 recipes. Both carry delta-dodecalactone, which smells sweet, creamy. The science ↓

Chili Relleno Casserole

Oven350°F

Timeabout 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb grated cheese (i use a mexican blend or a cheddar also works well)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1 can whole green chilies

Directions

Prepare

Mix the milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and flour.
Spray a 9x13 pan with a nonstick cooking spray.

Assemble and bake

Layer chilies, then the mixture made in step 1, then the cheese.
Continue this order until you run out of ingredients and put extra cheese on the top.
Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes.
Allow about 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

908Calories

41 gProtein

33 gFat

108 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 5 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Flour	1 cup (125g) all-purpose	455
Milk	1 cup (244ml) whole	149
Cheese	1 oz (28g) cheddar	113
Cheddar Cheese	1 oz (28g)	113
Egg	1 large egg (50g)	78

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Cheese + milktop 10% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together4,426 recipes

Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
Milk + flourtop 14% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together78,219 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together106,462 recipes

Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Egg + milktop 18% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together88,785 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Cheese + eggtop 28% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together6,253 recipes

Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).

Milk and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Eggs: Bind the batter and help it set into a custard-like layer as it bakes.
Flour: Thickens the milk and egg mixture so it holds together around the chilies.
Milk: Provides the liquid that turns the batter into a moist, tender custard.
Cheese: Melts into the layers and browns on top, adding richness and flavor.
Whole green chilies: Add mild heat and aroma, and their moisture keeps the casserole tender.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.