This chili verde recipe is made with tender pork shoulder cooked low and slow in a rich verde sauce of roasted tomatillos, poblanos and jalapeno peppers.
Chili Verde Recipe
It's "Chili Madness" in the Chili Pepper Madness household lately. I've been going gangbusters making chili because the weather has turned here and the only thing I like about the cold is warm soups and chili.
A good chili can warm up those chilly bones, and to be honest, not much else can hit the spot like a good bowl of chili.
Right? Chili! I love the stuff!
Most people think of a big bowl of RED when it comes to chili - like my Chili Colorado Recipe - but a really good chili can also be GREEN. Like this one.
We're talking Chili Verde, my friends! And it's some pretty dang GREAT stuff!
About Chili Verde
Chili verde is a green chili made with tender pork shoulder that has been seasoned and seared, then cooked low and slow in a rich "verde sauce", or "green sauce".
The verde sauce is KEY here, made from roasted tomatillos, poblanos and jalapeno peppers, very much like salsa verde, which can definitely be used to make this recipe.
Pork is traditional with chili verde, though you can make it with other meats. Chicken is particularly good.
The Name "Chili Verde" - What does it mean?
The name simply means "green chili". Some people have come to call chili verde "Colorado Green Chili", because the cooking method is somewhat similar to Chili Colorado, with the meat simmering away slowly in sauce until it becomes super tender and flavorful.
It's funny, though, because "Chili Colorado" literally translates to "Chili Colored Red", so what they're really saying is "Red Green Chili".
Chili Verde is definitely one of my favorites, and I think it will be one of your favorites as well.
Let's talk about how to make chili verde! Authentic Chili Verde coming your way.
Chili Verde Ingredients
- FOR THE VERDE SAUCE
- Tomatillos.
- Poblano Peppers. Anaheim peppers are a good use here as well, as are any of the Hatch Chile varieties.
- Jalapeno Peppers.
- FOR THE CHILI VERDE
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Pork Shoulder. You can use other pork roasts as well.
- Seasonings. Ancho chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper. Use "green chili powder", like Hatch, for more green color to your final chili.
- Onion and Garlic.
- Chicken Stock.
- Cilantro.
- Lime Juice.
- For Serving. Extra limes sliced jalapeno peppers, fresh chopped cilantro, crumbly white cheese, spicy chili flakes, sour cream.
How to Make Chili Verde - The Recipe Method
Make the Chile Verde Sauce. Preheat your oven to broil.
Slice the peeled and rinsed tomatillos in half through the horizontal center (not up and down) and arrange on a lightly oiled baking dish with the skin sides up.
Like so.
Place the poblano chiles and jalapeno peppers on a separate lightly oiled baking sheet skin sides up.
Roast the Peppers and Tomatillos. Bake the peppers and tomatillos about 12 - 15 minutes until skin side is blistering on both the tomatillos and peppers. Rotate the baking sheets if needed.
You may need up to 20 minutes, depending on your proximity to the heat element.
Remove from heat and cool slightly. They will look like this.
Peel off the pepper skins and discard them.
Learn more about How to Roast Tomatillos and How to Roast Chili Peppers.
Add the tomatillos and peppers to a food processor. Process until smooth. Set aside for now.
Make the Chili Verde. For making the chili verde, heat a large pot to medium-high heat and add a bit of olive oil. I like to use my Dutch oven for this.
Sear the Pork Shoulder. Season the pork shoulder with ancho powder, cumin, salt and pepper, then add the pork. Sear the cubes 2-3 minutes to brown the pork on all sides, until each side is nicely browned, stirring here and there.
I like to get a good crust seared into the meat. Do this in batches if you need to.
Onions and Garlic. Add the onions and stir. Cook them down about 5 minutes to soften.
Stir in the garlic and Mexican oregano and cook another minute.
Time to Simmer. Add the reserved verde sauce along with ½ cup chicken stock, or up to a cup if you’d like a thinner chili verde. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 2 hours (you may need longer), until the pork is fork tender. It's SO good when slow cooked.
Remove the chili verde from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and juice from 1 lime.
Serve It Up! Serve it up in bowls and top with your fixings - Extra limes, sliced jalapeno peppers, fresh chopped cilantro, crumbly white cheese, spicy chili flakes. Whatever you like!
BOOM! DONE! I hope you love your pork chile verde recipe!
It's so good, isn't it? I love this stuff!
Recipe Tips & Notes
Slow Cooker Chili Verde. I most often use my Dutch oven to make this recipe, but it can be made in a slow cooker or crock pot. If you'd like to make it in a slow cooker, follow the seasoning instructions and still sear the cubed pork in a pan, then add it to the slow cooker.
Also, it is best to still make the salsa verde per the recipe, then add that to the slow cooker. Then, cook the whole thing on low for 6-8 hours, or until the pork is extremely tender.
Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Chili Verde. You can also make chili verde in a pressure cooker or instant pot very easily.
Simply season and brown the cubed pork along with the vegetables in the pot, then cover and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Naturally release the pressure, then stir up your chili. It is extremely easy and delicious.
Freezing Chili Verde. You can easily freeze your leftover chili by transferring it to sealable freezer containers and setting them into the freezer.
Frozen chili will last 6 months easily this way.
How to Thicken Chili Verde. If your chili is too thin, a great way to thicken it is to stir a tablespoon or two of cornstarch in water and swirl it into the pot.
Simmer until it thickens up. If your sauce is too thick, swirl in some chicken broth.
About the Chili Verde Seasonings
A lot of chili verde recipes forego any additional seasonings and let the dish gain its flavor entirely from the pork and the verde sauce, which truly is delicious. However, I like to add in a bit of cumin and particularly ancho powder for additional flavor.
You know me, I LOVE big flavor, and these seasonings bring this dish to the TOP for me. Feel free to incorporate other seasonings to your own preference.
Serving Chili Verde
You can serve up your chili verde in a bowl on its own and you'll love it. Or, serve it over a bit of rice to help absorb all that verde sauce.
Try serving it with tortillas so you can enjoy it as tacos. It's also great served over chips as sort of a chili verde nacho bowl.
Enjoy!
Try Some of My Other Popular Chili Recipes
- The Best Chili Recipe (Classic Chili)
- Chili Colorado
- Chili con Carne
- Texas Chili
- Slow Cooker Southwest Beef Chili
- White Bean Chicken Chili
- Homemade Roasted Tomatillo Pork Chili
- Pork Chili with Roasted Red Hatch Chili Peppers
- "Real Deal" Turkey Chili
- Crockpot Chili
- Chunky Vegetarian Chili Recipe
- Carne Adovada
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Chili Verde Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE VERDE SAUCE
- 2 pounds tomatillos husked and rinsed
- 2 poblano peppers stemmed and sliced in half lengthwise
- 3-4 jalapeno peppers stemmed and sliced in half lengthwise
FOR THE CHILI
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pound boneless pork shoulder cubed (do bite sized cubes)
- 2 tablespoon ancho chili powder optional
- 1 teaspoon cumin optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large onion chopped (white or yellow)
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- ½ - 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Juice from 1 large lime
FOR SERVING
- Extra limes sliced jalapeno peppers, fresh chopped cilantro, crumbly white cheese, spicy chili flakes
Instructions
- Make your verde sauce first. Preheat your oven to broil.
- Slice the peeled and rinsed tomatillos in half through the horizontal center (not up and down) and arrange on a lightly oiled baking dish with the skin sides up.
- Place the peppers on a separate lightly oiled baking sheet skin sides up.
- Bake the peppers and tomatillos about 12-15 minutes until skin side is blistering on both the tomatillos and peppers. Rotate the baking sheets if needed. You may need up to 20 minutes, depending on your proximity to the heat element.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly. Peel off the pepper skins and discard them.
- Add the tomatillos and peppers to a food processor. Process until smooth. Set aside for now.
FOR THE CHILI
- Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Season the pork shoulder with ancho powder, cumin, salt and pepper, then sear the cubes a minute or 2-3 on each side, or until each side is nicely browned. I like to get a good crust seared into them. Do this in batches if needed to not overcrowd the pan.
- Add the onions and stir. Cook them down about 5 minutes to soften.
- Stir in the garlic and Mexican oregano and cook another minute.
- Add the reserved verde sauce along with ½ cup chicken stock, or up to a cup if you’d like a thinner chili verde. Bring to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 2 hours (you may need longer), until the pork is fork tender.
- Remove the chili verde from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro and juice from 1 lime.
- Serve in bowls and top with your fixings - Extra limes, sliced jalapeno peppers, fresh chopped cilantro, crumbly white cheese, spicy chili flakes
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/7/22 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 11/23/18.
Tim B. - Reno says
I made a larger batch with 2 1/2 pounds of tomatillos. I used four Poblanos and four jalapeños, then I added four Anaheim sweet chili and four of the little red Fresno peppers. I only used about half of the spices called pork because I wanted a mild sauce. I got lucky guessing at the quantities of peppers because the Verde sauce was fairly mild and sweet and absolutely excellent. I strongly recommend this recipe!!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Tim! Glad to help!
Becky says
Delicious!!! Definitely will use this recipe again.
Carol says
Made this tonight and the whole family thought that t was out of this world. Thanks for a great recipe. We will be having it again next week.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Carol. Enjoy, guys!
Marvin Antwaine Simelton says
I’m using this con carne. In the process of braising this deliciousness and eating it in three hours.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Marvin!
Judith Skehan says
I will be making this recipe this weekend as we have an over abundance of poblanos, jalapenos, and tomatillas in our garden this year. This will be perfect! Thank you!
Mike H. says
Great plan, Judith! Let me know how it goes please.
Gary says
Just took it off the heat and it smells great. I’m going to refrigerate overnight. When should I add chili powder?
Mike Hultquist says
Gary, the chili powder is used to season the meat before searing. However, you can also just add it when adding the sauce. If you missed it, you can swirl it in and simmer a bit longer to cook it into the chili.
Janie says
made your spicy noodle recipe last night but substituted with Udon noodles,
and it was fantastic!!!
Thank you so much Mike!
Janie
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Janie! Sounds wonderful! I appreciate it. =)
Dani says
I have been making this for years. I follow it exactly - except I at least double it. It is so delicious every time!
Mike H. says
Awesome, thank you!
Dennis says
Hi Mike, greetings from Germany. I love your recipes and I really want to try the chilli verde. Unfortunately there are no tomatillos in Germany. Except sometimes in the can. Can i cook it with that too? how much of it is needed?
Mike Hultquist says
Dennis, yes, you can use canned. Use 1 kilo (close to 2 pounds).
Dennis says
Thanks for your reply! Can I smoke them in the oven? Or do they come straight from the can into the pot?
Mike Hultquist says
Dennis, I would just dump them straight into the pot, as they'll be very soft. You can still roast the peppers, though. Let me know how it turns out for you! Enjoy!
Scott Swanbery says
I made this recipe and added the optional ancho chile powder. The night I made it I thought it was too ancho-y. But the leftovers the next day were amazing !! Mike - do you think maybe I didn't cook it long enough to fully meld the acho flavor? Keep up the great work !!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Scott. Yes, you might have simmered a bit longer, but you've come across a cook's secret to big pots of chili and slow cooker dishes like beef stew - let the whole dish sit overnight in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld, then reheat it and enjoy the next day. It really does add flavor to the final dish. I appreciate it!
Steve says
This was my second recipe from you. Wow! Amazing flavor. It was delicious before adding the last two ingredients. With them, cilantro & lime juice, the dish exploded with flavor. This is going to be part of my permanent short list. Our neighbors across the street are Dutch from Surinam. They are both excellent cooks. We are constantly showing up on each others doorsteps with foods prepared from our respective heritages. Theirs Dutch/Caribbean and mine Austrian and whatever else catches my eye. Can’t wait to share a bowl of this chili with them.
Mike Hultquist says
Steve! I love to hear this! I love cooking for my neighbors. It's a wonderful gift to people. Food is meant to be shared. Very happy you are enjoying my recipes. Cheers.
Mike Dory says
This came out great. 2 jalapeños and 2 Serrano peppers didn’t over heat. I am adding more chopped peppers as I eat it. Thanks Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Mike! Thanks for sharing.
Fay Ybarra says
Made this yesterday and it is wonderful. I’ve made Pork Verde in the past but was never satisfied with the final flavors. This is perfect. Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Fay! Yes!
Ava Lansbery says
This was delicious. My husband always offers in in Mexican Restaurants. Said mine was better….I’m in trouble.
I did leave out cumin, I’m not a fan….
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Simon says
Hi Mike,
It has just turned winter here in Adelaide Australia, and we've had a slow season. So I've got some chilis still on the plants that haven't ripened. Can I use the unripened chilis for this dish? There's just a few scotch bonnets, a couple of chocolate bhutlahs (not looking very chocolaty though!) and some birds eye's - all green still.
Also, in lieu of pork, would you recommend chicken or turkey? For beef chili I usually use a combination of diced chuck and mince, so I'm thinking diced chicken breast and minced turkey. Does this sound ok? Or would you suggest minced chicken or diced turkey breast etc.
Thanks, Simon.
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Simon. Yes, green chilies will work just fine here. I do the same thing, often freezing them or processing then freezing for recipes like this, sauces, etc. They're still good. Also, your usual combo of ground meats will work just fine here, though different texture. Still tasty. Seared chicken as well. Though adjust your cooking times. Enjoy!!
Glen says
Fantastic! This recipe is SO good. I've made it 3-4 times, and now I'm wanting it every week. I've mixed up the pork a bit, getting whatever cheap, kinda fatty, pork I can find--triangle, shoulder, butt, it all seems to work. I could not find the ancho chili pepper, but I found a bag of ancho chilis and the coffee bean grinder made quick work of that. Veggies in the oven, then into the pot. It is great in the pressure cooker too (I ran out of time the other day). My wife wanted some beans added--I know, I know, beans and chili? But it's all good and goes down just fine! So I added a mix of dry beans and did it in the pressure cooker for 45 minutes. Meat and beans are done to perfection! Over rice, into tacos, it is great. THANK YOU!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Very awesome! Glad you enjoy it that much, Glen! All sounds perfect!
Corey says
I've made chile verde a 1/2 dozen times maybe. Never tried ancho powder in it. I will definitely try that in a week or 2 when I plan on making some. You have so many great recipes!
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Corey! I love the ancho addition. Very tasty!
Camille says
Looks delicious! Thank you. Curious to know if you misspelled Chile Verde to match you website name of Chili.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Camille. TI spelled it that way intentionally so people can more easily find the recipe. Cheers.
Nile says
Great recipe!! I do have a question, when I broiled the tomatillos and chiles, the pan was filled with the juices. I did not add the juice to the verde. Should I? Is it normal to have so much juice?
Mike Hultquist says
Nile, yes, next time add the juices and all. It's all good flavor. Yes, it is fairly normal. Tomatillos break down pretty easily. Glad you enjoyed it!
Lee Moore says
As a Texan, I’m automatically (just ask me) an authority on all things chili or Tex-Mex, so this dish is another CPM winner!
I grilled the peppers and tomatillos, bloomed the Sazon and other spices then cut-up a pork loin and seared the chunks. Cooked it all, chilled it overnight, second dose of seasoning and let cook low and slow.
Tomatillos and peppers meet in the middle for a sweet/hot/savory delight. Thanks for the recipe… CPM dish!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent, Lee! Very happy you enjoyed it! Cheers!
Sandie says
I don't have any poblano peppers will that make a Huge difference I do have Priscilla peppers
Mike Hultquist says
Sandie, do you mean pasilla peppers? I'm not familiar with Priscilla peppers. If you mean pasilla, they are dried, and you can rehydrate them to use for this recipe. The flavor will be somewhat different, though, but good. If you want to use other fresh peppers, just sub them and use in place of the poblanos.
Ida says
Can you cook this in a slow cooker? Say on low overnight?
Mike Hultquist says
You definitely CAN, Ida, but overnight might be a bit long. You could get it going very late, then check it right away in the morning.
Lizz says
This is SOOO Damn Good!
Had it with cheese, sour cream, & lettuce on a flour tortilla. I will make this again and again.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Glad you enjoyed it, Lizz!
Ellen says
This is the most authentic Chili Verde I've ever made. I made it a part of a taco bar for all my adult kids and hooked them up with this recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Ellen! Glad they enjoyed it! =)
DONNA SCOTT says
Absolutely loved this recipe. Will be made again and again. Did I say I loved this???
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear! Thanks, Donna!
Vince says
How many servings is this recipe? Can’t wait to try it!
Mike Hultquist says
Vince, this is 8 servings. Enjoy!
Meredith says
Mike! We attempted this Chili recipe after dinner. It is now 8pm & we just added the verde to boil briefly before the 2.5 hr simmer! We are excited about it even tho we totally massacred the peeling of the peppers & tomatillo. I finally put them directly under the broiler, close, to get this party going!
It’s been an experience that we look forward to repeating, only better! We have never cooked tomatillos! and I added a new chili powder we just bought called Guajillo. It has a wonderful taste and aftertaste on lots of foods. We’ll let you know how this tastes tomorrow! thx for the spicy foods - I love them! Meredith &Bryce
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Meredith!
Amber says
made this today for dinner.. .
living in England you can't buy tomatillo or jalapeno in most places so this year I grew my own .. banging recipe
Kelly says
Hi Mike. I’ve never made this before, nor have I had it! It looked good, so I followed your recipe, with the addition of a couple good dashes of fermented habanero sauce from another one of your recipes. Excellent!! Great heat and flavor! Thank you for another great recipe!
Obed Salazar says
I'm pretty sure that Colorado Green Chili refers to green chili in the style associated with the *state* of Colorado. That dish is typically made with Hatch (New Mexico) green chiles, and has nothing to do with the red (colorado) color.
Darrell says
Hi Mike. This looks sooooo delicious. However, I’m not a fan of certain cuts of pork (bacon, sausage, ribs, pork chops….yep. Pork shoulder/butt….nope. Haha). Have you made this recipe with chicken or beef? If so, what would you change in the recipe? I would imagine that chicken wouldn’t have to simmer as long as pork or beef.
Mike H. says
Hi Darell, Thank you! Pork is traditional with chili verde but you can make it with other meats. Chicken is particularly good. When cooking with chicken, cut the simmering time to 45-60 minutes tops. Enjoy!
Nanette says
Could I do this recipe in an InstantPot?
Mike H. says
Yes, sure! You can easily make chili verde in a pressure cooker or instant pot, too.
Ken says
I have a friend who made Chili Verde omitted. They were to die for delicious.
Mike H. says
Thanks, Ken - enjoy!
Jennifer says
I haven't made this recipe, but I look forward to making it this weekend. I have a lot of poblano peppers and jalopenos in my garden. Thank you.
Mike H. says
Sounds like a plan, Jennifer - enjoy!
Heat says
Great recipe! I too smoked my poblanos (only) on the Traeger to give it a richer depth since I didn't have access to Hatch chilis. Kept some of the poblanos just chopped for added texture. 2 japs (small), 2 serranos and the heat was perfect! Next time I'll smoke my pobs a buutt longer and cut my pork into larger chunks (2 in +)... they shrink! Thank you!
Mike H. says
I am glad that you've enjoyed it - thanks!
John Parker says
Hi Mike. I just made this recipe and used New Mexico Hatch Chilis as the the base. Since they are now in season, and as I live in Tucson, the stores are overflowing with them. It was great. Love your recipes. Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding!! Glad you enjoyed it, John! Perfect with New Mexican pods. I love it.
Carrie says
This green chili was really good. My husband REALLY liked it so I'll be making it again. I did think the oregano was pretty powerful so I might cut that in half next time but overall very delicious.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Carrie. Yep, easy to customize as needed!
Darrell says
Yes. If you used Mexican Oregano, it is much stronger than regular (Mediterranean??) oregano. I always use less than what the recipe calls for.
Dave (Seattle) says
SO good! My wife and I loved it. My only disappointment was that I halved the recipe so we didn’t end up with any leftovers. . .
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, nice! Time for another batch then! Thanks for sharing, Dave. I appreciate it.
Natalie says
I made this last night, and it was/is so delicious (I have leftovers to enjoy)!! Mine didn't stay green though (I'm not mad!), and I think it's because of the ancho chili powder I used, and the meat I used was seasoned already (that's all I could find yesterday). This is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Natalie! Glad you enjoyed it! So good!
Hollis Ramsey says
How serendipitous! I bought a Heritage boneless pork butt from D’Artagnan a couple of weeks ago, intending to make a chili verde with half and either carnitas or rillettes with the other half. So I’ve been reading lots of chili verde recipes.
Yours has most of the ingredients I want in mine. I like the nice amount of tomatillos, jalapeños, and poblanos, but I also like to add a bunch (or more) of cilantro and scallions to the sauce before blitzing. I like to use whole cumin seeds in mine instead of ground, and a generous amount of dried Mexican oregano. And I’ll probably add 1/2-3/4 c. chicken stock because I also like it on the thick side.
But it’s the add-ins that make it the best IMO: sour cream, pickled jalapeños, fresh-chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, sliced radishes, hot sauces, and warm tortillas. The D’Artagnan recipe even adds peeled and diced Yukon gold potatoes, and adding potatoes is never a bad idea.
Hollis Ramsey says
P.S. Since I last made chili verde, I’m no longer able to tolerate as much heat as I used to. No matter, it doesn’t need to be super hot to be super good.
Mike H. says
Absolutely - just adjust to your preference. Thank you!
Mike H. says
Thank you, Hollis - enjoy!
Jordyn says
I love this recipe and have made it several times, it always comes out great! However, I have family visiting now that can't eat pork, I was wondering if I could substitute the pork for beef? And if I did this how would the cooking times change?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jordyn. This will definitely work with beef. I would use beef chuck or brisket, basically a fattier, tougher cut that will benefit from the low and slow cooking. You can also make this with chicken, but cut the simmering time to 45-60 minutes tops. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy!
Santa says
Taste great
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Santa! I appreciate it!
Diggsies says
When you have experience cooking you can tell if a recipe is trash or if it will do great. I am going to the market to pick up a few things and I'll be making this recipe. It seems great.
And from what I'm reading this may be my new favorite website. Can't wait to update this with an actual review!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Diggsies. I greatly appreciate it. I definitely test all my recipes and have been cooking quite a number of years. Enjoy!
Nancy Buckley Murphy says
Have not tried it yet. . .but I will. I LOVE your green chili pork stew. I am hooked now on the green peppers on the lower end of the heat scale. Never had a tomatillo so this will be fun.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! Thanks, Nancy. We LOVE that stew recipe. A favorite here.
Hollis Ramsey says
This recipe sounds so delicious and so easy. True story: my husband’s BFF ate his first bowl of chili verde in New Mexico, with roasted Hatch green chili peppers and lots of garlic. Although tears were streaming down his face, he somehow managed to eat four bowls. 😉
That’s exactly how hot I like my chili verde, so I use serranos, unseeded, in the sauce and sliced jalapeños as a topper, along with plenty of chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and dollops of sour cream (The Cooler lol). Ancho chili powder and cumin are not optional. I also prefer the brothier version when eating it in a bowl but I like it thicker when using with the aforementioned toppings in corn tortillas.
Mike, you always succeed in whetting my appetite. Thanks so much, dude!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Hollis. I appreciate it!
jamie parisi says
quick question. - how much salsa verde does this recipe make. I have a number of canned salsa from your recipe. can i use this and what amound would i need?
thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jamie, this makes about 8 small bowls of chili verde, or 4 larger bowls for more of a full meal. Yes, you can use canned salsa. I would probably use 2-3 cans. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Michael Kohrn says
I made this for a chili outing and it came out exceptionally good. Amazing recipe for sure. I did some tweaks (chipotle powder, smoked paprika, smoked salt and smoked pepper on the shoulder, mezcal at the onion and garlic phase) I also slow cooked the shoulder for a bit longer maybe 4hrs. Instead of chicken stock I used a pork/beef bone broth. I also added black beans towards the end of the simmer stage. I really wanted to have a smoky under lying flavor in there!! This chili is great on its own or with tortillas or chips, some folks enjoyed it with cotija cheese... great job and will for sure make it again and again!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding, Michael! I love the tweaks. Glad you enjoyed it!!
Sandra says
This was sooo good. We smoked the tomatillos and peppers on the Traeger grill first then blistered the peppers on the grill. The flavor was fantastic. Easy recipe to make. Will definitely make this again.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Sandra! Smoking the tomatillos first = AWESOME. I love it.
Carol says
Mike, your Chili Verde recipe is phenomenal. However, it took me two plus hours to get it to the simmer stage. I used a pork loin which melts in your mouth after an hour and a half. Do you think it would be almost as good using roasted Hatch Chili Peppers? Love your newsletters.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yep, that's quite a long time to get to a simmer. Definitely would be GREAT with Hatch peppers. I love it! Thanks!
Julie Vanderwekken says
Awesome, my new favorite Chili Verde recipe! Inspired me to make my own Ancho Chili powder from the poblano chilis we grew. Can't wait to try out your Ancho Jalapeno hot sauce using it also. Made a quadruple batch of the sauce to freeze to use throughout the winter.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Very nice! Super happy you enjoy it. Always a good time for a good verde chili! I love that you make your own ancho powder, too. Very satisfying.
Margaret says
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. My first attempt at green chili and making my own green enchilada sauce and it was yummers! We are still smacking our lips. Followed recipe to a T if you don’t count not knowing what peppers I used. The jalapeño’s were a given but the gal at the green house didn’t know what the big green ones were. I had to grind up dried peppers to make the one seasoning but found the Mexican oregano! What a hit, these two seniors loved it! Thanks again for great directions and recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Wonderful! Thanks, Margaret! Super happy you enjoyed them.
Cynthia says
Just finished having this for dinner. My family loved it, so Delicious. I made this in my Instant Pot. I used 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin cut into 1 1/2" pieces. 1 lb tomatillos but still used about the same seasonings. Added to Instant Pot with 1 cup chicken broth cooked on high for 15 minutes, with 10 minute natural release, and it was perfect. This recipe will be made time and time again. Thank you for the recipe, it is beautifully written, with outstanding step by step pictures.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Cynthia! Glad you enjoyed it!
Claudia Harbourt says
Used cooked shreaded pork, and a slightly different pepper mix, a scotch bonnet, and some others , added sumac to the seasoning mix. Only had generic chili powder... It's all simmering in a dutch oven now, and will be dinner tomorrow night, most likey over rice. The kitchen smells amazing, so glad I found your site!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Claudia! Glad you enjoyed it.
Larry Thomas says
Oh man, so good Mike, this definitely goes in my favorite list! I made my own ancho chili powder from some dried anchos using a spice/coffee grinder. I threw in an extra pablano and another 1/4 lb of tomatillos and a little heavier on the spice because my pork butt was a little bigger. Made everything as per your recipe then put it all in a crock pot on high for four hours. I've made chili verde before using anaheim peppers but they are next to impossible to find in southwest Florida, the pablanos were great.
Fantastic recipe Mike!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! I love it, Larry. Super happy you enjoyed it. I need a bowl now!
Julie Vanderwekken says
Came out wonderful! Even though I had some dried ancho peppers from our garden I didn't have time to make chili powder from them this time, but will definitely do it for the next time. I used fresh tomatillos, jalapenos & poblanos from our garden and picked up a pork shoulder from the farmer's market.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Julie! Love it.
Richard Juwah says
Hello Mike,
I've never tried your Chili verde recipe before but if its Spicy, count me in!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hello, Richard. There is surely a kick, and you can make it as spicy as you'd like! Enjoy.
Helga says
We loved the flavors of this recipe. For our taste it was plenty hot enough without any added peppers. We had leftovers, which might have been better than day 1.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Helga! Glad you enjoyed it! We LOVE chili verde. I need to make another pot soon!
Gurjit Lopez says
I tried making it in the instant pot but I quickly got an burn error message. I ended up making it on the stove. Do you know what I could have done wrong?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Gurjit, not sure what could have done wrong. You really only need to brown the meat first, then pressure cook until it all comes together. Sorry if you had an issue.
Jim says
Mike
Your recipes are great, appreciate each, and all I’ve tried. I have a question about the Chili Verde recipe, you mentioned that we could use the Verde Sauce recipe you gave, which is a lesser amount of tomatillos , in this recipe, how many cups of verde sauce does it take.
Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jim, I would use 4-5 cups of the verde sauce, depending on how many people you were serving. You could easily use more to make it more saucy. Thanks for the comments!! Glad you are enjoying the recipes.
Janette says
Couldn't find Mexican Oregano and ancho chili powder. So I used marjoram instead and dried whole ancho chili that I ground it to powder form. Loved the spiciness of the recipe. Surprisingly, my 13 year old son who doesn't like spicy food or soup dish actually ate a bowl. This is one happy momma!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love it, Janette! Glad to hear it! Super happy your son enjoyed it, too. Thanks!
Dianna says
I am using jarred verde sauce rather than making my own. Can you tell me approximately how much sauce your recipe makes so I can substitute? Thanks.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Diana, I would use 3 cups of your jarred verde sauce, though you may need 4 cups. Start with 3, then adjust to your own preference with more. Please let me know how it turns out for you.
Dianna says
The two jars I picked up yielded 3 3/4 cups sauce, and it covers everything perfectly! Thank you!
Chuck Hickl says
Just stumbled across this site and feel like I have literally struck gold! Going to be making the Jamaican Jerk Sauce recipe tinight!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Chuck. Thanks! I hope you find some recipes you enjoy. Contact me anytime with questions. Happy to help!
Krista Fowls says
If you really want a unique flavor, get some Pueblo chillis or Mira sol (means looking up at the sun and for some reason only grown in my home town of Pueblo, Co, musso farms has the best and ships)
I make it for friends in GA and have them hooked 🙂
You can really add it to anything, I enjoy it more since my husband won’t eat it lol I don’t have to share
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds wonderful, Krista! Thanks for the suggestion! Certainly one to try.
william a perry says
Some lucky people have picky eaters. My Nebraska wife use to be that way.20yr latter she loves the spice and a bit of fire. As she can't make more then soup from a can an a grilled cheese sandwich. Its eat or starve. Lol
Phillip Michael says
Using so much chili powder turned it red. 2 tablespoons tastes great but didn’t look like the photo
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Phillip. Fresher chili powder will surely darken the overall verde, but won't dampen the flavor.
Theresa says
Hello. I am looking to make this next week for my work chili cook off. it looks and sounds amazing i cant wait to make it. There anything else you would suggest to put in it to make it more heartily ( like beans or veggies)?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Good luck, Theresa! Let me know how it goes! Yep, you can easily include beans with this. Great northern beans would be great here. You can also include other vegetables. Potato might sound strange for a chili, but it actually works, making it a bit more like a stew.
Jeffrey Silvers says
Love the recipe. I used regular chile powder instead of ancho chile powder and regular oregano instead of Mexican. I am from California and I can taste the difference with those substitutions. It was really delicious but a little too gringo chile verde with those substitutions. Next time I will follow it exactly and I think that it will be totally amazing. Can't wait to try some other recipes. Next year I will start using my chile peppers sooner and in new ways. Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Jeffrey! I appreciate it!
Gonefission says
Absolutely great. I live more than forty miles from a halfway decent source of chiles so I stock up when I visit there. I was down to my last three poblanos so I used them in this recipe. It turned out perfect. On my next chile buying trip I will make sure to get extra poblanos so I can make this one again (and again). I live in a heavily wooded area and don't get enough sun to do a good job at raising chiles or tomatoes. I can raise a few on my deck but not enough to make much of a dent in my needs. Is there any way to extend the "shelf life" of purchased fresh chiles?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, thanks. Check out my Preserving Chili Peppers section of the site for ideas to preserve them. Freezing would probably be your best method. You can roast then freeze them, too. You might also purchase dried poblano peppers (ancho peppers), which last a very long time and have HUGE flavor. Good luck!
Sharon T says
Do you take out the seeds of the poblano and jalapeños?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sharon, I seeded the poblanos, but not the jalapeno peppers. However, you can deseed them if you'd like.
Sharon T says
Thank you for the quick response, Michael! The chili turned out fantastic! While I was in the other room my husband came home and helped himself to a tortilla and chili right before dinner! Grrrr... but he still had plenty more at dinner time. Ha! I took out the seeds of the jalapeños and it was still a bit spicy so I topped it with sour cream... yummy! I also could not find the ancho chili powder at the store so I used 1 tablespoon of reg. Chili powder. 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks, Sharon!!
Yvonne says
Loved it, however it was a bit too spicy for me family. I only used 2 jalapeños (no seeds). Is there a way to tone it down?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Yvonne. To tame the heat, you can add a dairy, such as milk or sour cream. Or, make another batch without any jalapeno peppers and combine them to dilute the overall heat. I hope this helps!
Cathy says
Michael, my mouth is salivating with this recipe, I lovee, lovvvvve Chili Verde and honestly it's the best with pork and pork shoulder, even better. Excellent recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! Soooo good. I love it, too.
Stef says
I love when I learn something and get a great recipe! I had no idea that Colorado meant colored Red! That was fascinating! Anyway, I can't wait to try this! Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Stef!
cheflolaskitchen says
perfect thing to kill my spice love Mike! Way to go!
cheflolaskitchen says
Perfect recipe for my Indian, spice loving friends. Amazingly described recipe, way to go!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Loving the sauce, although I would skip the chilli as I'm veggie.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You can make this without the pork as a vegetarian version. You can add in extra sliced roasted poblano peppers to add more substance to it. I think that would be GREAT.
Luci says
Yum, I haven't tried a green chili before only with the red. Will have to give this a try.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I do believe you'll love it!
Katie says
This recipe looks so delicious! I love the spiciness of the peppers and chili, and the brightness of the lime. Can't wait to make this!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
It's easy to adjust the spices, too, which I love. Extra spicy for me, please!
Krissy Allori says
This looks like the perfect recipe for my spicey food loving friends!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I think so, too! Thanks, Krissy!
Jeremie says
Hey Mike! One more time, a great recipe, realy tasty, I loved the lime touch. I just used bacon instead of shoulder.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Jeremie! Sounds pretty awesome with bacon. Glad you enjoyed it.