Go Back

Chile Verde

Chile verde with tender shredded pork and a rich green chile sauce made from tomatillos, poblano peppers, onion, and garlic. Simmered until soft, then shredded in the pot for a rustic stew texture—Mexican comfort food made for slow-cooked flavor.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
rest time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pork and vegetables
  • 2 lb pork shoulder
  • 2 lb tomatillos husked
  • 4 poblano peppers roasted and diced
  • 1 onion halved
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro
Sauce and seasoning
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • 1 corn tortillas for serving warm

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Blend the green chile base
  1. Blend tomatillos, poblano peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro until smooth. Stop and scrape as needed until you have a pourable green sauce with no large chunks.
Sear and build the stew
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork cubes in batches and sear on all sides until browned.
  2. Pour the blended tomatillo mixture over the pork and stir to coat. Add chicken broth, cumin, and oregano, then mix everything evenly.
  3. Bring the pot to a simmer, then cover and cook for 35-40 minutes until the pork is very tender. Look for steady bubbling around the edges throughout the cooking time.
Shred and finish
  1. Shred the meat directly in the pot and stir well to distribute it through the sauce. Ensure the stew looks uniformly green with visible flecks of chile and softened tomatillo texture.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust until the flavors stand out without overpowering the green chile.
  3. Rest the chile verde, covered, for 10 minutes off the heat before serving. The sauce should thicken slightly as it sits.
  4. Serve hot with warm corn tortillas on the side. Ladle into rustic bowls so you can see the rich green sauce with tender shredded pork.

Notes

Pro tip: if your tomatillo mixture looks too thick for a stew, add a splash more chicken broth after blending so it simmers evenly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a sealed container. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months and reheat gently on the stove. For a lighter option, use lean pork shoulder or trim excess fat before cubing.