Pork Chile Verde
Pork chile verde: tender chunks of pork shoulder braised in a tangy roasted tomatillo, poblano, jalapeño and cilantro sauce. A hearty stew for bowls, burritos and tacos.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
2 hr 55 min total About 8 cupsIntermediate

Photo: joshuaheller · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Chile verde is a much-loved Mexican-American stew of pork simmered in a vibrant green sauce of tomatillos and green chillies. Charring the vegetables under the broiler first gives the sauce a smoky depth.
The pork shoulder becomes fork-tender after a long braise, and the sauce thickens as it cooks. Serve it in bowls with rice and beans, in burritos or with warm tortillas.
Equipment you'll need
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Blender
- Large Dutch oven
Tips for success
- Choose firm, bright green tomatillos with husks that fill out the fruit.
- If the sauce is too thin at the end, simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
- If the sauce is too tart, add a pinch of sugar.
Substitutions and variations
- Use chicken thighs instead of pork and simmer for 45 minutes (to 165°F / 74°C).
- Use Anaheim or Hatch chiles instead of poblanos.
- Cook in a slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours after browning the pork.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Reheat on the stove over medium heat until steaming hot throughout, adding broth if it has thickened.
Recipe
Pork Chile Verde
Pork chile verde: tender chunks of pork shoulder braised in a tangy roasted tomatillo, poblano, jalapeño and cilantro sauce. A hearty stew for bowls, burritos and tacos.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 55 min
- Yield
- About 8 cups
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Green sauce
Pork
Instructions
Step 1: Char the vegetables
Heat the broiler. Arrange the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeños, onion and garlic on the baking sheet and broil for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until blackened in spots and soft. Let cool slightly.
Step 2: Blend the sauce
Peel and seed the poblanos, stem the jalapeños (seed them for less heat) and peel the garlic. Blend with the tomatillos, onion, cilantro, cumin and oregano until smooth.
Step 3: Brown the pork
Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the pork in batches, 6 to 8 minutes per batch.
Step 4: Braise
Return all the pork to the pot, add the green sauce and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover partially and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
Step 5: Finish
Stir in the lime juice, adjust the seasoning and serve with tortillas, rice, radishes, cilantro and lime.
Cuisine: Mexican-American · Course: Dinner
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410
- Protein
- 42 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugars
- 6 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/chile-verde
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