Green Chile Pork Chili (Chile Verde Style)

Name: Green Chile Pork Chili (Chile Verde Style)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) poblano peppers, whole, washed and dried; 4 medium (about 10 oz) (285 g) Anaheim chiles, whole, washed and dried; 1 lb (454 g) tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed of stickiness, halved; 2 medium (60 g) jalapeños, halved lengthwise; seeds removed for milder heat; 1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wedges; 6 cloves (18 g) garlic, left unpeeled; 3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (butt), trimmed of thick fat, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, patted very dry; 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use less if using fine salt); 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 Tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided; 1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, finely chopped; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 1½ Tbsp (10 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warm; 1 cup (loosely packed) (20 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, plus more for serving; 2 whole (about 2½ oz each) (140 g) limes, 1 juiced (about 2 Tbsp), 1 cut into wedges for serving; ½ cup (120 g) sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender cubes of pork shoulder simmer in a bright, smoky sauce of roasted poblanos, Anaheim chiles and tomatillos, deepened with cumin, oregano and garlic. It's a cozy stovetop pot with a gentle heat and tangy finish.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 2 hr 10 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 3 hr 5 min
Makes: About 2 quarts (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the roasted chile sauce
3 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) poblano peppers, whole, washed and dried
4 medium (about 10 oz) (285 g) Anaheim chiles, whole, washed and dried
1 lb (454 g) tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed of stickiness, halved
2 medium (60 g) jalapeños, halved lengthwise; seeds removed for milder heat
1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wedges
6 cloves (18 g) garlic, left unpeeled
For the pork
3 lb (1360 g) boneless pork shoulder (butt), trimmed of thick fat, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, patted very dry
2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste (Diamond Crystal; use less if using fine salt)
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided
1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
1½ Tbsp (10 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, at room temperature or warm
To finish
1 cup (loosely packed) (20 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, plus more for serving
2 whole (about 2½ oz each) (140 g) limes, 1 juiced (about 2 Tbsp), 1 cut into wedges for serving
½ cup (120 g) sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving (optional)

Equipment (6)

Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13-inch (46×33 cm), lined with foil
Large heavy Dutch oven or pot, 6-quart (5.7 L)
Blender or immersion blender
Large bowl with plate or plastic wrap to cover (for steaming peppers)
Tongs and a wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Pat the pork very dry and let it sit at room temperature while you roast the vegetables; dry meat browns instead of steaming.
Wear gloves when seeding and chopping the chiles if you have sensitive skin, and don't touch your eyes.
Plan on about 3 hours start to finish; the pork needs a full 90 minutes of gentle simmering to become tender.

1
Broil the vegetablesOven 500°F / 260°C
- Heat the broiler to high (about 500°F / 260°C) with a rack 6 inches (15 cm) from the heat.
- On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, arrange the poblanos, Anaheims, tomatillo halves (cut side down), jalapeño halves (cut side down), onion wedges and unpeeled garlic.
- Broil 5 minutes, then turn the whole peppers with tongs and broil 5 to 8 minutes more.
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Ready when: Pepper skins are blackened and blistered in large patches, tomatillos are softened and spotty brown, and onion edges are charred.
Tip: Broilers vary; stay nearby and pull items off the pan as they finish so the garlic and tomatillos don't burn to bitterness.
2
Steam and peel peppers
- Transfer the poblanos and Anaheims to a large bowl and cover tightly with a plate or plastic wrap.
- Let steam 15 minutes.
- Squeeze the garlic from its skins.
- Peel off the blackened skin from the peppers (a few specks of char are fine), then remove stems and seeds.
- Don't rinse them, which washes away flavor.
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Ready when: Skins slip off easily when rubbed with your fingers.
Tip: Do this while the pork is browning if you want to save time; just keep the peeled peppers covered.
3
Blend the green sauce
- Combine the peeled peppers, roasted tomatillos and any juices from the pan, jalapeños, roasted onion, peeled garlic and the chopped cilantro in a blender.
- Add ½ cup (120 ml) of the chicken broth.
- Blend until mostly smooth with a little texture, about 30 seconds.
- Work in two batches if your blender is small.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and pourable, like a loose salsa, with small flecks of pepper.
Tip: Hold the lid down with a towel when blending warm ingredients so steam doesn't pop the lid.
4
Season and sear pork
- Toss the dry pork cubes with the 2 tsp salt and the pepper.
- Heat 1½ Tbsp of the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add half the pork in a single layer with space between pieces.
- Sear without moving for 3 minutes, then turn and brown the other sides, about 4 minutes more.
- Transfer to a bowl.
- Repeat with the remaining oil and pork.
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Ready when: Pork is deep golden brown on most sides; it doesn't need to be cooked through.
Tip: Crowding the pan steams the meat and leaves it gray. Brown in two batches.
5
Cook aromatics and spices
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- If the pot is dry, add a splash of oil; if there's more than 2 Tbsp of fat, pour off the extra.
- Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and coriander and stir 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with golden edges, and the spices smell toasty.
Tip: If the spices begin to smell sharp or look dark, add the sauce right away.
6
Combine and bring to simmer
- Return the pork and any juices to the pot.
- Pour in the blended green sauce and the remaining 2½ cups (600 ml) chicken broth.
- Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low so the surface barely bubbles.
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Ready when: Liquid reaches a full boil, then settles to a lazy bubble after turning down.
7
Simmer until tender
- Partially cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer on low for 90 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes and scraping the bottom, until the pork is fork-tender.
- If the chili thickens too much, add a splash of broth or water.
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Ready when: A cube of pork crumbles easily when pressed with a spoon (about 195–205°F / 90–96°C inside), and the broth is slightly thickened.
Tip: Boiling hard toughens the meat. Look for small, steady bubbles only.
8
Reduce and adjust
- Remove the lid and simmer over medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes to thicken slightly, if needed.
- Skim off any excess fat from the surface with a spoon.
- Stir in the lime juice.
- Taste and add salt, up to ½ tsp at a time, until flavors are bright.
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Ready when: A spoon drawn through the chili leaves a trail that closes slowly; it coats the back of the spoon.
Tip: Add lime at the end; long cooking dulls its freshness.
9
Rest and serve
- Turn off the heat and let the chili rest 10 minutes, uncovered, so it thickens a bit and the flavors settle.
- Ladle into bowls and top with extra cilantro, a dollop of sour cream if using, and a lime wedge.
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Ready when: Chili is steaming hot throughout and no longer bubbling.

Good to know

Tips

Leave some seeds in the jalapeños for more heat; remove all of them for a mild chili.
If the sauce tastes too tart, add ½ tsp sugar; the acidity of tomatillos varies.
Cut the pork into consistent ¾-inch cubes so everything cooks at the same rate.
For a thicker chili, mash a few pork cubes against the side of the pot or stir in 1 Tbsp masa harina mixed with 2 Tbsp water and simmer 5 minutes.

Make ahead

Make the chili up to 3 days ahead; the flavor improves overnight. Cool, refrigerate in a covered container, and reheat gently, adding a splash of broth. The roasted pepper sauce can be blended and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers with ½ inch headspace; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, until steaming (165°F / 74°C), adding broth or water to loosen. Add lime and fresh cilantro after reheating.

Substitutions

boneless pork shoulder (butt) → bone-in or boneless country-style pork ribs, or chicken thighs. Country-style ribs need the same cooking time; boneless chicken thighs need only 30–40 minutes of simmering (cook to 175°F / 80°C).
Anaheim chiles → canned or jarred roasted diced green chiles (about 1½ cups / 340 g). Skip roasting and peeling these; add them to the blender. Flavor will be a bit milder.
low-sodium chicken broth → low-sodium vegetable broth or water. If using water, add another ½ tsp salt and taste at the end.
sour cream or Mexican crema → plain Greek yogurt or diced avocado. Use for the same cooling effect and creamy finish.