Get ready to give those taste buds a kick of fantastic flavor with this chili verde recipe. An authentic Mexican dish, it slow cooks so all those flavors meld together with pork that falls right apart in your mouth. It’s the king of the ring as far as I’m concerned and you’re going to love making it! If you’re look for a related version you can check our green chili recipe.
Best Chili Verde Recipe
If you’ve never had pork chili verde, you’re in for something special. It’s got tender pork simmered in a broth of tomatillos and an assortment of chili peppers for a wild ride. It’s even more excellent with tortillas or rice, so make this one for friends, family, or the whole neighborhood!
Easy Chile Verde Recipe
Yes, you’ll need to plan ahead to make this easy chili verde recipe since it takes 8 hours. But don’t slink out of the ring…you’re not defeated yet. It’s only 25 minutes of hands-on time for you. The rest is all the magic of your slow cooker coming in for the win.
Chile Verde Ingredients
- Pork shoulder – You’ll need 2lbs of pork for green chili, trimmed and cubed and ready to go.
- All-purpose flour – We’ll be using this to brown the meat for that extra layer of flavor in this green chili recipe.
- Peppers – Grab a bunch! You’re going to need poblano, Anaheim, and jalapeno.
- Garlic – A must for authentic chili verde.
- Tomatillos – These add a bright acidity to the dish.
- Onion – Use a white one.
- Cilantro – A necessity for bringing these ingredients together.
- Lime juice – For that burst of fresh Mexican citrus that really hits with a boom.
- Chicken broth – Helps create the base of the chile verde.
- Seasonings – You’ll need ground cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
How do you Make Chili Verde from Scratch?
To make this green chili recipe, you’ll first roast your peppers, tomatillos, garlic, and onions in the oven at 450F for about 20 to 25 minutes. Pull them once charred and let them cool, then put them in a blender with the cilantro, pulsing into they look like salsa. You can add chicken broth here to help. Next, you’ll coat the pork with flour and put it in a large skillet on medium high. Once all this is done, you’ll pop it all in your slow cooker, stir, and cook on low for 8 hours, making sure to leave the lid alone the entire time.
Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Chile Verde Recipe
- Roast those veggies. Seriously, if you want to have the best flavors, roasting brings out the best in them. Just keep an eye on things so they char rather than burn.
- Thicken to your desire. If you want a thinner chili verde, use more chicken broth. Simple!
- Don’t skip browning the pork. Some people will just throw it into the slow cooker, and I get that, but it really adds even more flavor if you just take a moment to brown the meat first.
What does chili verde mean?
Chili verde means ‘green chili’ in Spanish. It simply describes the color of the dish along with highlighting a key ingredient that makes it one of the best Mexican meals around.
What peppers are used in green chili?
In green chili, you will need to use jalapenos, poblanos, and Anaheim peppers to help give it that distinctive flavor.
Is green chili a Colorado thing?
That depends on who you ask. Those in New Mexico swear green chili is their thing while those in Colorado stake claim on green chili.
Is salsa verde the same as green chili?
No, though salsa verde also uses tomatillos in the recipe. Salsa verde is a green sauce that dates back to the Aztecs. It is spicy and delicious.
What is the difference between green chili and chili verde?
There’s no difference since ‘chili verde’ means ‘green chili’ in Spanish. You can use these terms interchangeably.
How to Cook Chili Verde?
Chili verde does have a few steps. You’ll roast the veggies in your oven, brown the meat on the stovetop, and put it all in your slow cooker to cook together.
What is the secret to making good chili verde?
The secret lies in roasting the vegetables first before the puree step. This gives it a more robust, smokey, and authentic flavor.
How do you thicken chili verde?
You thicken chili verde with the salsa you make out of the peppers and tomatillos. Keeping it a bit chunky and minimizing how much broth you add will keep the texture thicker.
What goes well with Chili Verde?
Grilled corn or even elotes would be great with this. I’d also recommend chips with salsa and guacamole, refried beans, and black beans and rice. You can serve this with rice or warmed tortillas too, whatever you prefer.
What do you put on Chili Verde?
You can add sour cream or tortilla strips on top if you’d like to put something on your bowl of chili verde. It’s great with or without this addition.
How to store Chili Verde?
Once your chili verde cools, you must store it in an airtight container and put it in the fridge.
How long does Chili Verde last in the refrigerator?
Tick tock, you’ve got about 3 to 4 days to enjoy your chili verde leftovers from the fridge. After that, be sure you move it to the freezer.
Can you freeze Chili Verde?
Your freezer will ensure that you have chili verde waiting for you for up to 3 months. Label it and trot it out when you need a delicious and simple dinner that’s ready to go.
How to reheat Chili Verde?
Just warm this back up gently on the stovetop and get ready to serve it!
Watch How To Make Chili Verde (Video)
Chuck's Chili Verde Recipe (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 Anaheim peppers
- 2 jalapenos
- 6 tomatillos (husks removed)
- 1 white onion (peeled and quartered)
- 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 2 lb pork shoulder (trimmed and cubed)
- 2 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 bunch cilantro (bulk of stems removed)
Instructions
- Start by roasting your veggies. Preheat oven to 450F. While the oven is pre-heating, place all of the peppers, tomatillos, garlic, and onion onto a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven and let the veggies roast for 20-25 minutes or until the veggies start to become charred on to. Be careful to not let them overcook. Once charred, pull the veggies out of the oven and let them cool.
- Once the veggies have cooled down, place them into a blender and add the cilantro. Pulse the blender until the veggies are broken down into a salsa that reaches your desired thickness. If the salsa is too thick to blend properly, add chicken broth a ¼ cup at a time to the blender while pulsing.
- Place the pork shoulder on a baking sheet and coat evenly with the flour. Once coated, place a large skillet on the stove, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and set to medium high heat. Once the pan and oil are hot, carefully place your flour coated pork in the pan and begin to brown on all sides. You do NOT need to cook through. If all the pork is too much to fit in the pan, you may need to cook the pork in batches.
- Once your veggies are roasted and meat browned, add all ingredients into the slow cooker and stir to evenly combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time. Serve over tortillas with your favorite toppings!
