The rich, cheesy goodness pairs beautifully with the warmth of the chiles in this Green Chile Potatoes au Gratin, a delicious, unfussy spin on traditional au gratin potatoes. This savory dish adds Southwestern flair to your table and is perfect for roasted meats and poultry.

Photo byCarol Borchardt

If you visit any grocery store in late summer, you will likely see mountains of Hatch green chiles. Hatch green chile season only comes once a year; when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Like in this au gratin potatoes recipe with Hatch green chiles!

This easy au gratin potatoes recipe perfectly balances creamy, cheesy comfort with roasted green chiles’ bright, bold, smoky flavor. What makes this recipe super easy is there’s no fussy layering of sliced potatoes!

My family loves au gratin potatoes, so I make them frequently. One day, I was short on time. Instead of carefully slicing all the potatoes uniformly and arranging them in traditional au gratin potatoes style, I cubed, cooked, and scattered them in the baking dish. Everyone enjoyed them just the same!

This Green Chile au Gratin Potatoes recipe is:

• Easy, because there’s no fussy slicing or arranging.
• Make ahead!
• Creamy, cheesy, spicy and delicious!

Photo byCarol Borchardt

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

• Cooking spray or oil for baking dish
• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, approximately 8, small to medium (not baby)
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese (heaping)
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (heaping)
• 3 cans (4-ounce) diced green chiles drained --OR-- 3/4 cup diced roasted Hatch green chiles
• Additional salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Finely chopped scallion or chives for garnish, if desired

Photo byCarol Borchardt

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray or oil a 11 x 7, 8 x 10 or similar-sized baking dishes. Set aside.
• Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in a saucepan. Fill with water to cover, and add approximately 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook 4-5 minutes or until you can just pierce them with a knife. (They should still have some resistance; you don't want them falling apart.)
• Drain in a colander and cool under cold running tap water. Drain again. Set aside.
• Combine the butter and oil in the saucepan you used to cook the potatoes and melt the butter over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion, reduce heat to low and cook the onion for 5-6 minutes or until softened, being careful not to brown it.
• Add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.
• Slowly add the half-and-half and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking constantly until thickened. (Should be the consistency of heavy cream.)
• Add the shredded cheese by the handful, whisking constantly after each addition melts and until the cheese is nicely melted and incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper to taste.
• Pour approximately 3/4 cup of the sauce to cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Place approximately 1/3 of the potatoes in the prepared baking dish, and top with approximately 1/3 of the green chiles.
• Drizzle with some of the sauce and repeat the layers two more times, finishing with the remaining sauce.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking another 20-25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is nicely browned.
• Let rest approximately 5 minutes then serve.

Photo byCarol Borchardt

RECIPE NOTES:

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• Red potatoes will also work. If using Russets, expect they could crumble because of their starchy nature.
• You can also use pepper jack cheese, but it will add more heat.

TIPS:

• While you can still slice and neatly arrange all the potatoes, cutting them into half-inch cubes will save you a lot of time.

MAKE AHEAD:

• Potatoes can be assembled 1-2 days ahead. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate.
• Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before placing in a hot oven. Or, place it in a cold oven, then preheat it. You may need to add additional baking time.

Photo byCarol Borchardt

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