Whether it’s made with a traditional crust or a potato crust to make it gluten-free, this green chili quiche makes a delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  When I eliminated wheat from my diet in 2003, this was one of the first recipes I adapted to my new way of eating.

Green chili quiche can be made in a pie pan or as individual servings in a jumbo muffin pan.  For make-ahead breakfasts, I prefer the muffin pan.  The mini quiches can be stored in the freezer and reheated in a microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. If I’m serving 6 to 8 people for breakfast, especially if they may want different serving sizes, the pie pan is the way to go.

I’ve made numerous variations of this recipe trying different ingredients: russet, Yukon gold, red, and sweet potatoes, frozen hash browns, mild and hot chopped green chilies, chopped jalapeños, and various cheeses.  My favorite combination uses a russet potato, hot chopped green chilies, and good quality cheddar cheese.

Russet potatoes give the crust the flavor and texture I prefer. Whatever potato you use, be sure to squeeze as much liquid from them as you can. This is especially important if you use frozen hash browns. Thaw them first, wrap them in a cheesecloth or a thin cloth towel, and squeeze. Even with fresh potatoes, I was surprised how much liquid I could squeeze from them. 

There’s not a big difference in the flavor of the hot and mild chopped green chilies, but the hot chilies seem to better stand out against the cheese. Since I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to hot spicy foods, the jalapeños were a bit much for me. If you like it hot, try the jalapeños. 

To save time, I’ve occasionally used a bag of shredded cheddar, but I prefer the taste of a good quality cheese like Cabot Vermont, Tillamook, or Kerrygold. That means an extra step to shred the cheese, but I think it’s worth the effort. 

Preparation time: 25 minutes Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

One-butt kitchen needs: 

• You’ll need either a Jumbo Non-Stick Muffin Pan for individual servings or a Pyrex Pie Pan to make a 9-½-inch quiche. 
• To peel the potatoes, use a Vegetable Peeler.  
• To shred the potatoes and cheese, using an 8-Cup Compact Food Processor will be faster and easier than a Box Grater, but the box grater takes up less storage space in the kitchen. 
• The best way to squeeze the water from the shredded potatoes is to use a Cheesecloth, but I’ve also used a thin cloth dishtowel. 
• Silicone Basting Brushes are great for brushing the potato crust with a little butter or olive oil before baking. The silicone brushes are easier to clean than the old fashioned bristle brushes, and you don’t have to worry about a stray bristle ending up in your food. 
• An Oven Thermometer is necessary for two reasons.  First, it indicates when the oven is preheated to the specified temperature.  Second, it shows the actual temperature, which seldom matches what’s on the dial. My oven takes at least 10 minutes to preheat, and it’s usually about 10 degrees hotter than the dial.
• A Pizza Stone on the rack helps distribute the heat of the oven.  Without it, food is likely to burn above the heating element and be undercooked on the sides.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 russet potato (or about 1 lb Yukon gold or red potatoes), peeled and shredded
• 2 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
• non-stick cooking spray (optional, depending on how non-stick your muffin pan really is. I have 2 non-stick muffin pans; the one needs it, the other doesn’t. If only I could remember which was which. 😉)

• 1 ½ cups grated pepper jack cheese (about 5 ounces)
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese (about 3½ ounces)
• 4.5-oz can chopped mild or hot green chilies or jalapeños
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 large eggs, slightly beaten
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cumin

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a pizza stone on the rack for even heat distribution if you are using an RV oven. If you are using a pie pan, butter it. If you are using a non-stick muffin pan, a non-stick cooking spray like Pam or a coconut oil spray may make the muffins even easier to get out of the pan. 

Shred fresh potatoes.  Wrap them in a cheesecloth or a thin cloth towel, and squeeze to release as much moisture as possible.  (When you are done, soak the towel in water or throw it in the washer. The water from the potatoes will stain the cloth.)

Press shredded potatoes into a buttered pie pan or a non-stick muffin pan to form a crust. In a pie pan, the potatoes will cover the bottom and sides of the pan. In a muffin pan, the potatoes will cover the bottom and come about halfway up the sides. Brush with melted butter or olive oil.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. The crust will shrink a bit while baking. 

While the crust is in the oven, put the eggs into a bowl and beat slightly. Stir the half and half, salt, and cumin into eggs. Shred the cheese and set aside. 

When the edges are lightly browned, take the pan from the oven and reduce the oven to 375. Sprinkle all of the pepper jack cheese and half of the cheddar cheese on the baked crust.  Spread chilies over cheese.  Pour egg mixture over cheese and chilies. Top with remaining cheddar cheese.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the center of the pie is set.   Serve warm.  

Freeze leftovers for make-ahead meals. Reheat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.