Pork Chile Verde is a comforting Mexican dish made with tender pork simmered in a flavorful green chile sauce.
This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The sauce is made with roasted tomatillos, green chiles, garlic, and spices that give every bite a rich and slightly tangy flavor.
It’s the kind of hearty meal that tastes even better the next day and fills the kitchen with an amazing smell while it cooks.
Table of Contents
🥣 How to Make It
- Rinse the pork loin
- Pat it dry with a paper towel
- Chop it into 1 to 2-inch pieces
Any cut will do, but pork loin is not as fatty. If using pork butt or boneless pork shoulder, trim off any excess fat. Cutting into really small pieces is not recommended, or it will fall apart completely. You want meat to stay intact but still be tender.
- Heat the oil
- Season the pork pieces with salt, pepper, and cumin.
🐖 More Mexican Pork Recipes
- Pork Chile Colorado with Nopales
- Pozole Verde
- Cochinita Pibil Tacos
- Asado de Puerco
- Red Pork Tamales
- Chuletas en Salsa Roja
- Pambazo Sandwich
- Chuletas Adobadas
- Sear the meat in a large pot.
- Do this in batches so the pork gets a good, brown sear.
- Take your time in searing the meat. Remove pieces as they sear with a cooking spoon so as not to crowd the pot.
- Do NOT skip this step as tempting as it may seem. It will lock in the flavors.
The searing is what will make this dish taste like something from a Mexican restaurant, or you’re eating at your grandmother’s home in Mexico.
- Add all the roasted ingredients into the blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to use.
Roast everything on a baking sheet to make things easier. Or, if you have time, roast the ingredients on the stove over medium high heat.
You can also buy pre-made salsa verde for even easier cooking, but don’t tell my mom I said that. lol.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tip
- Make the tomatillo sauce a day before. That way it will all come together easier. Another thing you can do is make a double batch of Roasted Salsa Verde Recipe and freeze it until you’re ready to use.
- How to freeze Salsa Verde: Make the salsa. Let it cool down before placing in a sealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible. Place in freezer. Frozen, it lasts up to 3 months. Thaw completely before using.
- Remove the seared meat from the pot.
- Drain the fat from the pot, if necessary.
- Add remaining white onion and garlic.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Return the meat back to the pot. Don’t go very far. This step will go very quickly.
Want to make it spicier? Add more serranos or use more jalapeños. Or to make it less spicy, don’t add serranos or jalapeno peppers, instead use only poblano peppers to make the sauce. For an even milder sauce, use anaheim peppers.
- Pour in the salsa verde.
- Add some chicken broth to the blender to get all the sauce.
- Add the liquid from blender and remaining chicken broth.
- Place a lid on the pot and let cook for 1 hour.
Using other proteins: You can easily make this recipe with beef or chicken. Simply swap out the type of meat for Chile Verde Beef or Chile Verde Chicken. However, at that point, you are making Salsa Verde Chicken and Salsa Verde Beef. Both variations are very yummy dishes.
🥔 Adding Potatoes
• Add peeled and cubed, raw potatoes 30 minutes before turning off the stove.
• To use cooked potatoes, add them 4-5 minutes before turning off the stove. You just want them to heat through in the chile verde sauce.
Don’t want to slave over the stove for hours? Here are other ways to make this recipe.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Follow the steps according to the recipe up until Step 15.
- Place the seared meat in the slow cooker.
- Add the onions, garlic, chicken broth, and salsa verde.
- Set on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Turn on SAUTE feature and HIGHT HEAT.
- Heat Oil.
- Season and sear meat on all sides.
- Add the salsa verde.
- Place lid on. Move valve to SEALING.
- Press High Pressure. Cook 20 minutes.
- Then let out the full NATURAL RELEASE.
🍴 Sides
- Corn Tortillas
- Frijoles Puercos
- Arroz Mexicano
- Chiles Toreados
- Frijoles de la Olla
- Ensalada de Nopales
🔥 Reheating and Storing Instructions
- Place leftovers in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Or freeze for up to 4 months. Thaw and microwave for 3-3 ½ minutes.
Pork Chile Verde is one of those classic recipes that always feels warm and comforting. The tender chunks of pork and bold green sauce come together for a meal that is simple, filling, and packed with flavor. Whether you serve it for a weeknight dinner or a special family gathering, this dish is always a crowd favorite.
😋 Hungry for More?
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter for my latest recipes and videos.
Pork Chile Verde
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon oil divided
- 3 ½ to 4 lbs pork loin chopped into 1-inch pieces (not tenderloin)
- 2 tablespoon Salt Divided
- 1 tspn Pepper
- 10 tomatillos
- 1 onion divided
- 3 garlic cloves divided
- 2-3 serrano chile (use 3 if you like it spicy)
- ½ bunch cilantro
- 2 cups chicken broth (or water, but taste for salt)
Instructions
For the Pork
- In a large stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil.
- Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Add the pork to the stock pot.
- Sear on all sides.
- Stirring occasionally.
For the Salsa Verde
- Meanwhile preheat the broiler on high.
- Place the tomatillos, ½ onion (chopped), 2 garlic cloves, and 2-3 serrano chiles on a sheet pan.
- Note: if you like it spicy, use 4 to 5 serrano chiles.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over all the ingredients and mix well.
- Add salt over everything.
- Place the sheet pan inside the oven.
- Broil for 4-5 minutes until the tomatillos are black and charred.
- Add all the tomatillos and cilantro into a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- If there is excess fat, remove the seared pork from the pot.
- Drain any excess fat.
- Place the remaining ½ onion chopped and 1 finely minced garlic into the pot.
- Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the pork to the pot.
- Add the salsa verde from the blender.
- Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the blender to get any remaining salsa verde.
- Add the liquid from the blender and remaining chicken broth to the pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover with a lid.
- Cook for 1 hour on low.
- Taste for salt.Note: If using potatoes, add 30 minutes before turning off the heat.
- Serve with Mexican rice and beans.
Video
Notes
- Make the salsa verde. Sear the meat.
- Place the seared meat in the slow cooker.
- Add the onions, garlic, chicken broth, and salsa verde.
- Set on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 4 hours.
- Turn on SAUTE feature and HIGHT HEAT.
- Heat Oil.
- Season and sear meat on all sides.
- Add the salsa verde.
- Place lid on. Move valve to SEALING.
- Press High Pressure. Cook 25 minutes.
- Do not release the pressure when done. Full NATURAL RELEASE.
• You can use cooked potatoes, add them 5-6 minutes before turning off the stove. You just want them to heat through.
very nice. my cut of pork sugestion is rib. eye cut of pork. much better than loin cut. try it can also be used many other ways just cut to desired thickness.
Great suggestion. 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
My broiler doesn’t work, is there another way to do the tomatillos, peppers and onions?
Yes, you can do it in a skillet. Roasting on the skillet requires some attention though. Char all the sides of the tomatillos, peppers, and onions. It’ll take a few minutes on each side. Open the window. Turn on the fan. Once everything is blackened, the ingredients are ready. Another way to do this is simply boil the ingredients. Don’t let the tomatillos explode. Just until the tomatillos change color. There’s a layer of flavor that is missing from the roasting, but it’ll still be just as delicious!
Thank you!
I’ve made many of your recipes and they are delicious!
How would you make this into a wet burrito?
That’s a great idea! For a wet burrito. Wrap it in a flour tortilla then drench it in salsa verde. Now, I have to try that. lol!
very good recipe. my tip is try find a pork Rib rye roast way way way better than loin same section of the porker as a Rib Eye steak from the cow. you will say who knew. y’all can also slice it for Milanese grill like a steak. and enjoy
Great tip. Thanks for sharing!
very good recipe. my tip is try find a pork rib eye roast way way way better than loin same section of the porker as a tie eye steak from the cow. you will say who knew. y’all can also slice it for Milanese grill like a steak. and enjoy
Great tip! Thanks for sharing.
I made this recipe for a chili contest that we were having. Never made chili verde before but every one else was making typical red chili con carne so I thought why not? I took 1st place from the judges & a red chile took 1st place people’s choice. Not bad for a recipe that I had never made before! Got a small trophy, no money but great bragging rights. Thanks.
So glad you took first place. Chile verde for the win!
This was fantastic and full of flavor, the little bit I had leftover, cut meat and potato into smaller pieces and stuffed my empanadas, was so delicious.
It’s great to hear that you enjoyed the Authentic Chile Verde recipe and found it full of flavor. Using leftovers to stuff empanadas sounds absolutely delicious! It’s always fun to get creative with them and create new tasty dishes.
Can you add papas to an instant pot
I wouldn’t add papas to the instant pot until after. Once it’s done with its cycle cooking, add diced potato and run it again at high pressure for 5 minutes.
My family asks for this all the time. Comes together fairly quickly and house smells incredible while it cooks. Love it!
Happy to hear you liked it.
This recipe is almost perfect…except it’s missing two important ingredients for it to be authentic Chile Verde…you need to add Cumin seeds or powder if you don’t like the seeds, (seeds give much better taste) y oregano! I’ve lived in Mexico all my life and learned to cook on the ranchos en Hidalgo y Querétaro and these two spices will make it so delicious!
I love cumin. We use it a lot in Durango. Probably too much. lol. I didn’t add it to this recipe because this is the way that my family makes this recipe. It would definitely add good flavor to the dish.
I love salsa verde but I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never made my own! It’s so versatile–I could use it in this recipe and several others 🙂
I love reading the tips on preparing chili verde. This recipe sounds easy.
Thank you for sharing this recipe- I adore this but have never tried to make it myself. I will now, seems more simple than I thought and how stunning is yours!
Mmmm, I love chili verde. This recipe would surely be a hit in my house!
This looks delicious! I know my family would love it
Mexican is literally my favourite food, I love all the different flavours and bits and bobs! These look delicious!! x
What a new and delicious recipe for me to make for the whole family and I am sure they are going to love it.
What a delicious dish! Not sure I would add the Jalapenos to mine though haha.
I was reading your recipe as one of my kiddos walked by and said “Mom, that looks amazing! Will you make that?” haha.. looks like I will be going to the store tomorrow and saving your recipe. It looks delicious!
I made this green Chile verde last week, it was delicious and very authentic, I like using pork with bone in it so I used riblets instead.
Yum! That sounds wonderful!
This really look so delicious! Never heard of it before but I can’t wait to try to cook it. Thanks a lot.