Des

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Pork Chile Verde

Chile Verde (green chili) is a Mexican stew made with tender chunks of pork shoulder simmered in a green chile and tomatillo sauce.

I seem to be on a bit of a soup kick lately. And can you blame me? It’s winter! It’s cold! And the best way to warm yourself up on a cold winter’s day is with a hot bowl of soup or in this case chili. But not just any chili, I’ve got a little bit of a twist for you today with this Chile Verde.

When most people think of chili, the first thing that comes to mind is a thick hearty tomato based dish like this Hearty Beef Chili or Instant Pot Chili. Unlike the chili that most of us are used to, pork chili verde doesn’t use tomato sauce, or tomatoes. Instead, it calls for tomatillos which give it the lovely green color.

Chili verde in white bowl.

And while the verde broth is delicious, my favorite part about chile verde is the succulent pork pieces. By cooking them low and slow in the broth they get unbelievably tender. So tender that you can shred them with a fork.

This recipe is so easy to make and the whole family loved it so let’s talk about what you need to make it!

Pork Chili Verde Ingredients:

Chili Pork Verde Ingredients.
  • TOMATILLOS: Many people may associate them with tomatoes, or think they are simply green tomatoes that is not actually the case. Tomatillos have husks on them and are best when used when they are green. Flavor wise, unlike tomatoes, with their touch of sweetness, tomatillos are a lot more tart . You will be able to find them in the produce section of your local grocery store usually next to the tomatoes. After you try them in this recipe, you’ve got to try making Fried Tomatillos too!
  • GARLIC: The garlic in this recipe gets roasted along with the tomatillos to add a touch of sweet garlic flavor.
  • PORK SHOULDER: The shoulder is a pork cut that can be used in many different ways. It is at its best when it’s slow roasted, braised or stewed. Basically any kind of slow cooking that will allow the pork to become tender and succulent.
  • SALT AND PEPPER
  • OLIVE OIL: Used to sear the pork as well as sauté the onions.
  • CUMIN: Adds a nutty, smokiness to the verde sauce.
  • OREGANO: Found in a lot of Italian and Mexican recipes, Oregano is one of my favorite spices to add a pungent, slightly bitter flavor.
  • LOW-SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH: Using low sodium chicken broth will allow you to control the final saltiness of the dish.
  • CILANTRO: Adds a lemon, peppery flavor while also adding a bright green color to the chile verde.
  • JALAPEÑO: Adds a touch of heat.
  • DICED GREEN CHILES: Using canned diced green chilies is a short cut for this recipe but you can also roast your own if you like.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Like most stew recipes, the hardest thing about making this Chili Pork Verde, is allowing it enough time to cook. It will take about 1 1/2 hours for the pork to get tender. You will be able to tell that it is ready when the pork shreds easily.

  • Step #1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the tomatillos and garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
  • Step #2: While the tomatillos are roasting, toss the pork pieces with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over medium heat and brown pork. You may need to do this part in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
  • Step #3: Reserve 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings. Stir in onion, cumin and oregano. Cook 1- 2 minutes or just until the spices become fragrant. Return the pork to the pot and add the chicken broth.
  • Step #4: After the tomatillos have roasted, place the tomatillos, garlic and cilantro into a blender and blend until smooth. Once blended, pour the mixture into the soup. Add in the jalapeños and green chiles. Cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve.

You can serve Pork Chile Verde on its own as a soup or, my families favorite way, with some red beans and rice.

Storage and Leftovers:

This reheats beautifully! Store it in the refrigerator for up to a few days. Reheat on the stove until warmed through.

Pork shoulder is one of my absolute favorite cuts. It is extremely economical and versatile. If you’re looking for more recipes that use it check these out:

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork is on repeat around here! We use it for so many recipes.

Use pulled pork to make these epic BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Classic Hawaiian Kalua Pork is made easy using the Instant Pot.

Pulled Pork Nachos are PERFECT for game night!

The entire family will LOVE these Pulled Pork Enchiladas.

Note: This post was originally published in 2011. It was updated with new photos, step by step instructions, nutrition information and a slightly modified recipe in 2023.

Chili verde in white bowl.

Chili Verde

Chile Verde (green chili) is a Mexican stew made with tender chunks of pork shoulder simmered in a green chile and tomatillo sauce.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 299 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound tomatillos husks removed and cut in half
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 pounds pork shoulder trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno diced (optional)
  • 8 ounces diced green chilies

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place tomatillos and garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
  • While the tomatillos are roasting, toss the pork with the salt in pepper. Heat olive oil over medium heat and brown pork in batches.
  • Reserve 1 tablespoon of pan juices. Stir in onion and cumin. Cook 2 minutes. Return pork to the pot. Pour in chicken broth.
  • After the tomatillos have roasted, place the tomatillos, peeled garlic and cilantro into blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into the soup. Add in diced jalapeno and green chilies. Cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
  • Serve as is or with rice and beans.

Notes

Nutrition facts for estimation purposes only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 30gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1469mgPotassium: 830mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 271IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 3mg
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Keywords: blender, chili verde, entree, Food, green chili, pork shoulder, Recipe, tomatillos

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    LOL BEANS
    January 30, 2023 at 12:01 am

    5 stars
    This was a mouthwatering treat! The only thing I altered was the seasoning by adding around one teaspoon of oregano and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. I am grateful to you for the recipe… will most certainly do so in the future!

  • Reply
    Mindy T.
    January 15, 2023 at 10:52 am

    This looks so good! I’m a big fan of chile verde. I know it won’t be as delicious, but what do you think of the idea of using pork loin instead of shoulder? I know it will have an impact on the flavor, but I’m on the WW program and shoulder has a lot more points than loin.

    I really enjoy your recipes!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 15, 2023 at 11:44 am

      Thank you Mindy! I am happy to hear you enjoy my recipes! And you’re right, using pork loin instead of pork shoulder will have an impact on the over all flavor of the dish but I think it could still be good tasting dish. I’ve never tried it so I can’t be sure but I wouldn’t cook it nearly as long. Pork loin is much lower in fat so it’ll be tougher if it over cooks. I hope this helps and I hope you enjoy it if you try it!

  • Reply
    Santos
    December 17, 2022 at 12:17 pm

    I’m going to try it. Thank you.

  • Reply
    Tina
    January 3, 2018 at 5:28 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! Only thing I did different was to add appx 1 tsp of oregano and a few splashes of Worcestershire. Thank you for the recipe…will be making again for sure!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      January 4, 2018 at 8:23 pm

      You are so welcome Tina! I am glad you liked it! I will have to try your additions next time I make it :)

  • Reply
    Diana
    February 27, 2011 at 11:25 am

    this looks great, John and I are trying to eat healthier now… this looks like it fits the bill. I am trying this tonight… or tomorrow! :-)

  • Reply
    Deseree
    February 21, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    Thank you Chris! I’m glad you liked it! I’ll think about the food network thing ;-)

  • Reply
    chris
    February 21, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    Mmm! Just finished a nice big bowl. It was the perfect meal to warm up from the little bit of snow we got here in NY. You really need to get your own show on the food network! :)

  • Reply
    Jenn's Food Journey
    February 21, 2011 at 6:14 am

    It’s been colder here lately….this would be perfect for one of those nights!! Looks delicious, Des!

  • Reply
    Jamie
    February 18, 2011 at 11:12 pm

    This looks great! Printed it out and thinking I may make it this week!

  • Reply
    Deseree
    February 18, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    Thanks guys! Kath- yes, you remove the husks first as that allows you to rinse the tomatillos.

  • Reply
    Lisa (Dishes of Mrs. Fish)
    February 18, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    I love verde anything, so I’m sure I’d love this. I’ve never used tomatillos before. Can’t wait to try this recipe out!

  • Reply
    Kath
    February 18, 2011 at 8:21 am

    I have never used tomatillos before. It sounds like you remove the husks before roasting. Is that correct? Your Chili Verde looks delicious!

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »

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