This soul-warming Pork Chile Verde delivers tender meat swimming in a vibrant green sauce that bursts with authentic Mexican flavors. Ready in under 3 hours with just 20 minutes of prep time, this protein-packed dish (22g per serving) strikes the perfect balance of heat and heartiness. The slow-cooked pork melts in your mouth while fresh chiles create a sauce that’s both bold and comforting. At just 240 calories per serving, it’s a guilt-free way to enjoy restaurant-quality Mexican cuisine right at home.
Ingredients Section
- Pork: 3 pounds pork loin or shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces, trimmed
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, cumin, dried oregano leaves
- Aromatics: 1 large yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Green Chilies: 4 poblano chilies and 2 jalapeños, halved and seeded
- Fresh Produce: 1.5 pounds tomatillos (husks removed), 1/2 cup cilantro
- Liquid: 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Oil: 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Instructions Section
- Prep the Meat: Season pork pieces thoroughly with salt and pepper
- Sear the Pork: Heat oil in large pot, brown meat on all sides until golden
- Build the Base: Sauté onion until tender, add garlic briefly, then mix in cumin and oregano
- Start the Simmer: Return pork to pot with broth, cover and let cook for 2-4 hours on medium-low
- Prepare Chilies: Arrange halved poblanos, jalapeños, and tomatillos on oiled baking sheet
- Broil Vegetables: Place under broiler for 7-10 minutes until nicely charred
- Steam Peppers: Place hot peppers in sealed plastic bag for 5 minutes, then peel skins
- Make Sauce: Blend roasted vegetables with cilantro until smooth
- Final Cooking: Combine sauce with pork mixture, simmer additional 30-45 minutes
Cooking Techniques
This tasty chile verde brings together two main cooking methods – broiling and braising. The magic happens when you broil those peppers and tomatillos until they’re nicely charred. That quick steam in the plastic bag afterward makes peeling the peppers super easy! For the pork, we’re using a classic braising technique – first searing to get that lovely brown crust, then slow-cooking in broth until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender. If you’re new to these methods, don’t worry! Just keep an eye on the peppers under the broiler, and remember: the longer you simmer the pork, the more tender it becomes.
Heat Level Tips
Want to adjust the spiciness? Here’s the scoop! Keeping the seeds and white membranes from the peppers will give you a spicier sauce. For milder flavor, remove them completely. You can also start with just one jalapeño instead of two. Remember – you can always add heat, but you can’t take it away. My tip? If you’re not sure, go mild at first. You can always spice things up with some hot sauce at the table!
Serving Suggestions
This chile verde shines brightest when served with warm corn tortillas! Wrap it up like a taco and add your favorite toppings – diced onions, extra cilantro, or a squeeze of lime all work beautifully. The recipe suggests Mexican rice and beans on the side, which is perfect for soaking up that amazing sauce. Want to mix it up? Try serving it over rice for a bowl-style meal, or use it as a filling for burritos. A simple fresh salad with cucumber and radishes adds a nice crunch!
Storage and Leftovers
Good news – this chile verde actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge! Store it in an airtight container and it’ll keep for 3-4 days. The flavors will continue to develop, making it even tastier. You can also freeze portions for up to 3 months – just thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy it again. To reheat, warm it gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed to thin the sauce.
Pork Chile Verde
Equipment
- Large stock pot
- Jelly roll pan
- Blender
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork loin or pork shoulder trimmed of fat and cut into 1” pieces
- to taste salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons oil vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano leaves
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 fresh poblano chiles seeded and sliced in half
- 2 fresh jalapeño peppers seeded and sliced in half
- 1.5 pounds fresh tomatillos husks removed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Season pork pieces on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large stock pot over high heat. Add oil. Once hot, sear the pork pieces until browned on all sides.
- Remove the pork from the pot. Add a little additional oil to pan, if needed.
- Add onion and saute until tender. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the cumin and oregano. Return pork to the pot and add the chicken broth.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 2-4 hours.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce.
- Place rack on second to top level of oven and turn the oven to high broil.
- Lightly spray a jelly roll pan with cooking oil. Wash the poblano peppers, jalapeños and tomatillos.
- Slice the tomatillo and both types of peppers in half, and remove stems. Seed the peppers and remove the white veins inside if if you do not want the chile verde to be very spicy. Do not seed the tomatillos.
- Place the poblano peppers, jalapeño and tomatillos on baking sheets cut side down. Broil for about 7-10 minutes or until browned.
- Immediately place peppers in a plastic bag and tie the bag. Allow them to steam for 5 minutes, and then peel off their outer layer of skin.
- Add the peppers, tomatillos and cilantro to a blender and puree.
- Add mixture to the pot with the pork and cook everything together for an additional 30 to 45 minutes.
- Serve with tortillas, and a side of Mexican rice and beans.
