I made Chile Verde Tacos that turn plain pork into outrageously saucy, tangy green chili magic you need to see.
I can’t stop thinking about this Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde. I love the way big chunks of pork shoulder soak up tangy tomatillos and those green chiles, and yes I sometimes picture Chile Verde Tacos piled high.
It’s messy, loud food that actually fixes dinner. I’m obsessed with stealing bites from the slow cooker, with that bright lime kick at the end.
But mostly it’s the sauce, that makes me plan meals around it. Chili Verde Crockpot Easy?
Absolutely. No forks, no shame.
I want it every week. I’ll eat it straight from a bowl.
Every time. Right now.
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder, the hearty protein that makes it comforting and stick-to-your-ribs good.
- Olive oil, for browning if you want richer pan flavor.
- Yellow onion, sweet and softens into cozy background notes.
- Garlic, punchy and aromatic, it wakes the whole pot up.
- Tomatillos, tangy brightness that keeps things from getting heavy.
- Poblano peppers, smoky mild heat and a lovely charred taste.
- Jalapeno, adds quick heat; you control the burn.
- Diced green chiles, canned convenience with steady green heat.
- Chicken broth, keeps everything moist and adds subtle savory depth.
- Fresh lime juice, bright zip that cuts through richness.
- Ground cumin, earthy warmth and a little smoky note.
- Dried oregano, herbal backbone that ties ingredients together.
- Bay leaves, subtle woodsy aroma that simmers into the sauce.
- Kosher salt, essential for balancing and bringing flavors forward.
- Black pepper, straightforward bite and peppery warmth.
- Fresh cilantro, herbaceous finish if you like that fresh kick.
- Cornstarch slurry, thickens the sauce for clingy, spoonable goodness.
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning, optional)
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed or minced
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds tomatillos, husked and quartered (about 8 to 10 medium)
- 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (use more if you like heat)
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, mild or hot, drained
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- 1 to 2 bay leaves
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (stir in at end, optional)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, optional for thickening
How to Make this
1. If you want deeper flavor, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and brown pork shoulder cubes in batches until nicely seared on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch; transfer browned pork to the slow cooker. If you skip browning, just put the raw pork in the slow cooker.
2. Roast the poblano peppers over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened on all sides, then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes; peel, seed and chop the poblanos when cool enough to handle.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the husked and quartered tomatillos, roasted poblano, jalapeno (seeded if you want less heat), the drained diced green chiles, roughly chopped onion, garlic, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, lime juice, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper; puree until fairly smooth but a little texture is fine.
4. Pour the green sauce over the pork in the slow cooker, add the bay leaves and stir to coat the meat evenly. If you browned the pork in a skillet, deglaze the pan with a splash of the chicken broth and add those browned bits to the slow cooker for extra flavor.
5. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until pork is fork tender and shreddable.
6. Remove the bay leaves and use two forks to shred the pork right in the slow cooker, or lift pieces out and shred then return to the sauce; stir to combine so the meat soaks up the sauce.
7. If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry, stir it into the hot chili verde and let it cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
8. Stir in chopped fresh cilantro at the end, taste and adjust salt, pepper and lime juice if needed.
9. Serve the pork chili verde with warm tortillas, rice, chopped onions, extra cilantro, avocado or tortilla chips. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and freeze great for up to 3 months.
Equipment Needed
1. Slow cooker (4 to 6 quart)
2. Large skillet or sauté pan (for browning pork, optional)
3. Blender or food processor (for the green sauce)
4. Baking sheet or broiler pan and a pair of tongs (to roast poblano peppers)
5. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
8. Two forks or meat shredding claws (to shred the pork)
9. Small bowl and whisk or fork (to mix cornstarch slurry)
FAQ
Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pork shoulder: use 3 to 4 pounds boneless pork butt or 3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs if you want a leaner, faster cooking option. Chicken will shred easier and soak up the verde flavor, but cook time may be a bit shorter.
- Tomatillos: swap with an equal weight of canned green tomatillos or a mix of green salsa verde plus a little lime juice. Fresh gives brighter flavor, canned works fine in a pinch.
- Poblano peppers: substitute roasted green bell peppers for mildness, or use roasted Anaheim peppers for a similar heat level. If you like more kick, add an extra jalapeno instead.
- Cilantro: use chopped fresh parsley or a squeeze more lime juice and some extra green onion for a fresher herb note if you’re not a cilantro fan. Parsley won’t taste the same but keeps the dish bright.
Pro Tips
1) Don’t skip searing the pork if you can help it. Even a quick brown adds way more depth than just slow cooking, and when you deglaze the pan with a little broth you grab all those browned bits. Those bits make the sauce taste like you cooked it all day.
2) Roast the poblanos and tomatillos until theyre nicely charred but not burned. Too black and bitter, too pale and they wont have that smoky complexity. Steam the roasted peppers in a covered bowl for 10 minutes before peeling, it makes the skin come off simple and keeps moisture in.
3) Pulse the blender instead of pureeing to death if you want a bit of texture. If you prefer silky sauce, strain half the purée through a fine mesh then mix it back in. Also taste for salt and lime after cooking, because slow cooking can mute acidity and youll likely need more brightness at the end.
4) For thickening and leftovers: cornstarch slurry works fast but cornstarch can thin out after refrigeration. If you want better reheating texture, shred the pork while hot and let it sit in the sauce a few minutes so the meat soaks it up. Add extra lime, cilantro, or a splash of reserved cooking liquid when reheating to refresh the flavor.
Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde Recipe
I made Chile Verde Tacos that turn plain pork into outrageously saucy, tangy green chili magic you need to see.
8
servings
646
kcal
Equipment: 1. Slow cooker (4 to 6 quart)
2. Large skillet or sauté pan (for browning pork, optional)
3. Blender or food processor (for the green sauce)
4. Baking sheet or broiler pan and a pair of tongs (to roast poblano peppers)
5. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife
6. Measuring cups and spoons
7. Large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
8. Two forks or meat shredding claws (to shred the pork)
9. Small bowl and whisk or fork (to mix cornstarch slurry)
Ingredients
-
3 to 4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes
-
1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning, optional)
-
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
-
4 garlic cloves, smashed or minced
-
1 1/2 to 2 pounds tomatillos, husked and quartered (about 8 to 10 medium)
-
2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, chopped
-
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (use more if you like heat)
-
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, mild or hot, drained
-
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
-
2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh)
-
1 teaspoon ground cumin
-
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
-
1 to 2 bay leaves
-
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
-
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (stir in at end, optional)
-
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, optional for thickening
Directions
- If you want deeper flavor, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high and brown pork shoulder cubes in batches until nicely seared on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch; transfer browned pork to the slow cooker. If you skip browning, just put the raw pork in the slow cooker.
- Roast the poblano peppers over a gas flame or under the broiler until blackened on all sides, then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes; peel, seed and chop the poblanos when cool enough to handle.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the husked and quartered tomatillos, roasted poblano, jalapeno (seeded if you want less heat), the drained diced green chiles, roughly chopped onion, garlic, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, lime juice, cumin, Mexican oregano, salt and pepper; puree until fairly smooth but a little texture is fine.
- Pour the green sauce over the pork in the slow cooker, add the bay leaves and stir to coat the meat evenly. If you browned the pork in a skillet, deglaze the pan with a splash of the chicken broth and add those browned bits to the slow cooker for extra flavor.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until pork is fork tender and shreddable.
- Remove the bay leaves and use two forks to shred the pork right in the slow cooker, or lift pieces out and shred then return to the sauce; stir to combine so the meat soaks up the sauce.
- If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry, stir it into the hot chili verde and let it cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in chopped fresh cilantro at the end, taste and adjust salt, pepper and lime juice if needed.
- Serve the pork chili verde with warm tortillas, rice, chopped onions, extra cilantro, avocado or tortilla chips. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and freeze great for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 397g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 646kcal
- Fat: 51.4g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 10.3g
- Monounsaturated: 23.1g
- Cholesterol: 159mg
- Sodium: 634mg
- Potassium: 1125mg
- Carbohydrates: 12.1g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Sugar: 5g
- Protein: 37.3g
- Vitamin A: 800IU
- Vitamin C: 34.5mg
- Calcium: 42mg
- Iron: 3mg