Description
Mexican chili verde combines tender pork with tangy green sauce for a hearty meal. Slow-cooked and packed with authentic flavors, you’ll savor each spoonful of this comforting dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) pork shoulder or pork butt, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 lbs (0.9 kg) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 cups (946 ml) chicken broth
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2–3 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, and diced
- 1 (4 oz / 113 g) can diced green chilies
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1–2 jalapenos, diced (adjust for spice level)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped cilantro (optional topping)
- Diced avocado (optional topping)
- Sour cream (optional topping)
- Shredded cheese (optional topping)
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Season pork cubes generously with salt and pepper. Sear in hot olive oil across multiple batches until deeply caramelized, creating a rich golden crust. Transfer browned pieces to a separate plate.
- Aromatics Development: Reduce pot temperature and sauté diced onions until translucent. Add minced garlic, quickly toasting to release aromatic oils without burning.
- Sauce Creation: Char tomatillos and poblano peppers under intense heat. Blend roasted vegetables with jalapenos and cilantro into a smooth, emerald-green sauce.
- Flavor Infusion: Combine seared pork with vegetable base. Add green chilies, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Pour chicken broth to create a rich cooking liquid.
- Slow Cooking Process: Bring mixture to a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until meat becomes fork-tender and flavors meld completely, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Final Touches: Incorporate fresh cilantro and lime juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to enhance overall flavor profile.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle chili verde into warm bowls. Serve alongside fluffy rice, warm tortillas, or crispy tortilla chips. Optional garnishes include sour cream, additional cilantro, or diced onions.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose fatty pork cuts like shoulder or butt for maximum tenderness and rich flavor, ensuring the meat remains juicy during slow cooking.
- Charring Technique: Roast tomatillos and poblano peppers until blackened edges develop, which deepens the sauce’s smoky complexity and enhances overall flavor profile.
- Spice Balancing Act: Adjust jalapeño quantities based on heat tolerance; remove seeds for milder version or include them for extra spiciness in the verde sauce.
- Slow Cooking Secret: Maintain low, steady heat during simmering to break down meat fibers gradually, creating melt-in-your-mouth texture without toughening protein strands.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg