Description
Hearty chili verde recipe brings authentic Mexican flavors to home kitchens with tender pork simmered in green chile sauce. Robust spices and fresh ingredients create a comforting meal you can savor with warm tortillas and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 lbs (907 grams) pork shoulder, cut into chunks
Vegetables:
- 1 lb (454 grams) tomatillos, husked and halved
- 2 poblano peppers, roasted and chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F and arrange tomatillos, poblano peppers, and jalapenos on a baking sheet, roasting until skin becomes charred and blistered, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender and pulse with garlic and onion until a smooth, vibrant green sauce forms.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear pork chunks until golden brown on all surfaces, creating a rich caramelized exterior.
- Remove browned pork and set aside, then pour the green sauce into the same pot, using liquid to lift and incorporate the flavorful browned bits from the bottom.
- Reintroduce the pork to the sauce, then pour in chicken broth and sprinkle cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper for layered seasoning.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and allow the chili verde to gently simmer for 2-3 hours, ensuring the pork becomes meltingly tender and sauce thickens.
- Once meat is fork-tender, taste and adjust seasonings if needed, then garnish with freshly chopped cilantro before serving hot with warm tortillas or rice.
Notes
- Roasting veggies intensifies their flavors, creating a deeper, smokier profile for the chili verde sauce.
- Browning pork chunks before simmering helps develop rich caramelization and locks in tremendous meat flavor.
- Choose fatty pork cuts like shoulder or butt for maximum tenderness and succulent results during long cooking.
- Consider making extra sauce and freezing for quick future meals, as the flavors continue developing after initial preparation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg