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This award-winning Pork Chile Verde recipe is bursting with authentic Mexican flavor. With tender pork simmered in a spicy green chile sauce, it’s a true crowd-favorite that will knock your socks off!
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Thank you for a great recipe. I made it for a chili contest at work and came in first place. I will be making it again, soon.” – Betsy
“This was a killer recipe!! I made it tonight. Easy and scrumptious!! My brothers favorite dish and I made it for his birthday “ Restaurant quality Sis” so happy.” – Gina
“EXCELLENT! I received a ton of compliments and took home the “Fan Favorite” award in my company’s Chili Cook Off. Thank you for posting!” – KJ
An Award-Winning Recipe From a Friend
This recipe actually comes from a sweet friend in our church, Diana, who once brought a big pot of it to a chili cook-off. It was such a hit that she won first place by a landslide! I begged her to let me share it here, and she kindly said yes. Since then, many of our readers have written in saying they won their own chili cook-offs with this recipe! So when you’re enjoying a bowl of this flavorful, spicy goodness, you can thank Diana for her award-winning recipe.
I like to serve this dish with Mexican Cornbread, Mexican Street Corn, or to cool things down a bit – Grilled Corn Salad. It’s time to see what all the fuss is about, you’ve gotta try it!
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Pork – Use boneless pork ribs, pork shoulder, pork butt, boneless pork shoulder, or basically any cut of pork will work. If you prefer chicken, you can use chicken thighs instead.
- Jalapeño – Jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers can be pretty spicy. Cut down on some of that heat by removing the seeds from the jalapeños which is where the heat lives.
- Green chiles – You’ll find that 27 ounces is a lot when looking for chiles, so you can buy them whole in large cans at the grocery store. They chop up easily in the food processor or blender and it’s much cheaper than buying several small cans. You can also roast your own chiles if you prefer (see the following paragraph or the notes in the recipe card below).
- Add flavor – For extra flavor, add a bay leaf, ground coriander, some garlic cloves or dried oregano to the sauce.
Using Fresh Roasted Chiles
If you can’t find canned or pre-roasted chiles, it’s easy (and extra flavorful) to roast your own at home. Anaheim, Hatch, and poblano all work great in chile verde, and you can mix and match depending on how spicy you like it. To roast, place the whole peppers on a baking sheet and broil them in the oven, or char them directly over a gas flame or grill, turning occasionally until the skins are blackened and blistered. Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and let them steam for about 10 minutes. This makes the skins loosen up. Then simply peel off the charred skins, remove the seeds and stems, and chop them up for your sauce. Use about 6 cups of roasted, prepared chiles for this recipe or use a kitchen scale to weigh out the amount needed and you are good to go!
How to Make Pork Chile Verde
- 1. Brown the pork: In a large pot, brown the pork and drain.
- 2. Add onion & broth: Add onion and chicken broth (broth will not cover meat). Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring often.
- 3. Season & simmer: Stir in garlic powder, celery salt, cornstarch, oregano, cumin, jalapeño, cilantro, chili powder, and green Tabasco. Cover and simmer another hour, stirring often.
- 4. Add enchilada sauce: Stir in green enchilada sauce and simmer 30 minutes.
- 5. Add chilies & beans: Stir in chopped and puréed green chilies, white beans, and salt to taste. Simmer 15 minutes.
- 6. Serve & enjoy: Serve with cheese, sour cream, rice, chips, limes, avocado, and/or flour tortillas.
Crock Pot Instructions
Whether it’s on the stove top or in the Crock Pot, this recipe is so simple to throw together. For the slow cooker version, start by searing the pork in a hot skillet, then drain any excess fat. Sauté the onion in the same pan until softened, and add both the pork and onion to your slow cooker. Pour in the chicken broth, cover, and cook on low for about 3 hours. Stir in the remaining ingredients and continue cooking on low for another 2 hours, until the pork is tender
How To Serve Pork Chile Verde
- No toppings – just soup.
- Traditional – topped with shredded cheese (white cheddar or Monterrey Jack is delicious), avocado, jalapeños, and sour cream.
- Enchilada style – Wrapped up in warm flour or corn tortillas. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the meat into tortillas, roll them up, then spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until bubbly. Seriously, it’s so good!
- Nacho style on top of a pile of crisp tortilla chips and salsa verde on the side.
- Over rice
- With a side of Mexican Rice and beans topped with fresh cilantro or diced jalapeños.
How To Make the Sauce Thicker
If your chile verde turns out a little thinner than you’d like, don’t worry, it’s easy to fix. One quick method is to whisk a spoonful of cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the pot and let it simmer until the sauce thickens. If you prefer, you can also let the chile simmer uncovered for a bit longer, which allows the liquid to reduce naturally and concentrate the flavors. On the other hand, if the sauce gets too thick, simply stir in a splash of chicken broth until it reaches the consistency you like. The goal is a rich, velvety sauce that clings to the pork and makes every bite flavorful.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe gets its name and rich green color from green enchilada sauce and green chiles along with a shot of green Tabasco sauce. A traditional Chile Verde dish is made with tender pieces of pork, chunks of beef, or a blend of both, sort of like a stew. Chicken is a delicious option, too.
This version has a medium kick. For a milder dish, skip the jalapeño or cut back on chili powder and hot sauce. For more heat, add extra jalapeños, serranos, or a dash of cayenne.
Yes! Chicken thighs work well and cook a little faster. Beef chuck roast is also a good substitute but will need extra simmering time for tenderness.
Definitely! It actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen. Just reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. To freeze, cool completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Pork Chile Verde freezes great, and can last up to three months in the freezer. I like to make two batches at once, and freeze one for later. To reheat, thaw it out in the refrigerator, then warm up on the stove or in individual servings in the microwave.
More Delicious Chili Recipes
We adore soup season around here. Nothing beats a cold evening like a bowl of warm, nourishing soup or chili. Check out some more of our favorite chili recipes:
This award-winning Pork Chile Verde is comfort food at its finest. It’s hearty, flavorful, and sure to impress. Give it a try and drop a comment below, letting me know what you think! 🌶️💚
Chile Verde Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork, diced (I used boneless pork ribs)
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 14 ounces chicken broth
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- ½ tablespoon jalapeno
- 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- ½ tablespoon chili powder, more or less, to taste
- 1 tablespoon green Tabasco sauce
- 10 ounces green enchilada sauce
- 27 ounces canned green chiles, chopped or diced
- 8 ounces canned green chiles, pureed
- 1-2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, brown the pork and drain.
- Add onion and chicken broth (will not cover meat entirely). Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring often.
- Add garlic powder, celery salt, cornstarch, oregano, cumin, jalapeno, cilantro, chili powder, and green Tabasco sauce. Stir. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring often to avoid sticking.
- Add green enchilada sauce and stir. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add chopped green chilies and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add pureed green chilies, white beans and salt to taste.
- Serve with cheese, sour cream, rice, chips and/or flour tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This looks so delicious and tasty! My husband is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try!
I love a good spicy chili and I’m always looking for new and original recipes. This green chili fits the bill!
Such a wonderfully comforting meal! So many incredible flavors. I love that you included instructions on how to make it in the slow cooker too! Yum!
EXCELLENT! I received a ton of compliments and took home the “Fan Favorite” award in my company’s Chili Cook Off. Thank you for posting!
What cut/type of Pork did you use?
I like to use boneless pork ribs!
The recipe is a keeper!! So delicious and so much flavor!! I always get TONS of compliments and people requesting the recipe!!
Did this recipe used to be made with chicken? I have made this recipe many times but it’s been a couple years. I have always used chicken because I thought that’s what the recipe called for. I never knew it was pork. Woops! Well I can attest to it tasting great with shredded chicken as well. 😂
Honestly, I’ve done it with both! I make a white chicken chili that is similar to this and they’re both great.
This recipe is delicious and perfect! Thanks!!
Very delicious and flavorful. I’d make sure to cover the pot when simmering the first 2 1/2 hours. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Really enjoyed making it and eating it as well.
You sat 2 Tablespoons chicken broth—do ya mean 2 cups ?
Nope! The recipe is correct!
I will be trying this recipe this weekend.
Chicken stock vs chicken broth (what’s the difference): Chicken stock tends to be made more from bony parts of the chicken, whereas chicken broth is made more out of the meat. Chicken stock tends to have a fuller mouth feel and richer flavor, due to the gelatin released by long-simmering bones. [Foodnetwork(dot)com/recipes/chicken-stock-vs-chicken-broth]
The Best Green Chile Verde Soup! I tried so many of them and I was looking for that perfect one.
I just changed one thing. Instead of purred chilis from a can I add a pound of my mild roasted chilis from fall harvest. I keep them in a freezer at home. You can also buy them in a grocery store in a frozen section. It makes this Green Chile soup more flavorful. Thank you so much. Looking forward trying your other recipes.
Oh yeah, I would imagine the chiles from your garden would taste WAY better than canned! Thank you for coming back and sharing!
Has anyone ever made this in an instant pot yet?? Busy mom of 5 over here and if I can cut down the cook time that would be awesome!
I may attempt it and see how it turns out!
We haven’t made it in the IP yet but I am sure it would be great! Let us know if you try it and how it turns out!
I made this for a chili cook-off in my building tonight. I tweaked it just a tad. It was absolutely delicious and I won first place!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Woohoo!!! That is amazing, congrats on the big win! Hope you walked home with an awesome prize (and leftovers! lol– it really heats up well. YUM!)
I doubled the recipe bc I live in a high-rise. Lots of tasters! There wasn’t an ounce left! I will most definitely be making this again!!!! DELISH!!! I also made homemade guacamole and cheese to top it off with! It certainly doesn’t even need toppings bc it’s that good!!! Thanks again!
Does anyone know how many calories are in this?
We don’t have calorie counts on our recipes yet, but all our recipes can easily be added to Nutrition Calculators online such as LiveStrong or My Fitness Pal. Hope this helps!
I made this yesterday for a St. Patty’s Day chili cook off and won first place! I sped up cook time by making the pork in the Instant Pot then moving everything else to stovetop.
WOOHOO!! That is awesome!! Congratulations!! Great idea using the Instant Pot for this recipe, too. Next time I am totally going to try that!
Just wondering how you would make this in a crockpot? The seasonings sound great and everyone’s comments are fantastic… any way you might try? Thank you
At the bottom of the recipe card, there are instructions on how to make in a slow cooker. Hope this helps!
I would like to use this for a soup exchange. Can you tell me how many servings this makes? Thank you!
I would say it serves 8-10 regular servings.. if people are just wanting a small amount, you should be fine keeping the recipe as it is. If it is the main course for everyone, I would consider doing 1.5x the recipe.
Just wondering if this is better the second day, like most other chilis are? Does anyone know?
Hi Roni- It is still awesome the next day… definitely just as good as (possibly even better than) the first day!
Oh dear…this looks amazing! I am definitely going to give this one a go…stat!!
How much does this recipe yield? I’m in a soup club and need to make 8 quarts. I’ve made this in the past and used pork butt. It was amazing.
Hmmm I haven’t measured it in quarts before. How many servings do you need?
I need like 11
Did you dice the pork butt before cooking as the recipe says or leave it whole to cook then shred?