This Pork Green Chile is packed with roasted chiles and succulent pork to create an easy and warming stew. Try it smothered over breakfast burritos or eat it as a stew with warm tortillas. This Colorado-style pork green chile recipe makes a lot, so cut the recipe in half or prepare it as-is to stock your freezer.

this pork green chile recipe served in a decorative orange bowl over a beige cloth napkin

This Stew is Perfect for Chilly Weather!

I moved to Colorado in 1998, and I’ll never forget the first time someone asked me if I knew how to make chile. Um, hello, I’m Mexican; of course I know how to make all kinds of chile dishes!

Then they said, “No, green chile!” I was confused. “Yes, I know how to make salsa verde, salsa casera, chile verde con carne y papas, and green enchilada sauce.” “Which green chile are you talking about?” Then, they said, “No, pork green chile, Colorado-style. It’s thick like a gravy or stew made with spicy fire roasted long green Pueblo chile peppers from Pueblo, Colorado combined with chunks of pork tenderloin, tomato, and onion. We use it to ‘smother’ our dishes.” “Smother?” I was very confused.

Then I went to my first Mexican restaurant in Denver and ordered chile rellenos and the waitress asked me if I wanted them smothered. I kept hearing about this green chile and the term smothered and finally had to give it a try. To be completely honest, I was not a fan.

It took me years, but I have finally come to appreciate this unique thick green Colorado-style chile, and I have to admit it can be quite addictive.

This recipe was adapted from my cousins’ husband’s recipe, who is from Pueblo, Colorado. He makes a mean green chile, so I knew I had to ask him for his popular recipe. (Thank you Augi!)

Roaster filled with Green Chile from Pueblo

Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival (The Gazette)

What chile peppers are needed?

If you live in Colorado be sure to look for a farm stand or go to the Chile & Frijoles Festival to stock up on some fire-roasted chile. If you don’t live in Colorado, you can purchase online from this Pueblo chile farm or try making it with Hatch Chile peppers or readily available Anaheim or for a mild pepper try poblanos. Whatever you do, don’t use canned chiles. I guess technically, you can, but fresh is honestly best. 

How to roast chiles for green chile stew 

If you don’t have roasted chile in your freezer like I do, then you’ll need to do it yourself. Luckily for you, I have a video showing how to do just that from start to finish. 

fresh and roasted Chile peppers on a blue and white plate

What is Colorado-Style Pork Green Chile?

Green chile stew is a simple, yet flavorful dish, comprised of seared chunks of pork, onions, garlic, chicken broth, and roasted green chile. It’s brothy, yet filling, and a great meal to make on busy weeknights or lazy weekends alike.

This stew has the distinct flavor of green chiles, but it isn’t necessarily very spicy unless it has been made with dynamite chiles from Pueblo or extra hot chiles from Hatch. 

chopped raw pork, roasted canned tomatoes, roasted green chile, onion, garlic

I invite you to make a big pot of this spicy pork green chile stew. I especially love it while camping. You can make a big batch of it and freeze it, and reheat it on your campfire or Coleman stove. Something about this pork green chile lingering through the Colorado mountain air is a beautiful thing.

Pork Green Chile in a black cast iron pot packed with peeled, roasted chiles and succulent pork to create an easy and warming stew

I especially love this chile smothered over eggs or a breakfast burrito in the morning. Yes, I said smothered. After all, I’m a Coloradan now!

a bowl of green chile pork stew in a white bowl with a breakfast burrito on a white plate

How To Make 

  1. Cook the Pork: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chopped pork, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the meat is browned (but not cooked through).
  2. Sauté the Veggies: Add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the Liquids and Spices: Add the chicken broth, salt, coriander, oregano, tomatoes, and chile. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Make the Slurry: In a separate dish, combine water and cornstarch to make a slurry, and continue to stir. Add a little of the cornstarch mixture at a time to the stew. The stew will thicken as it cools.
  5. Serve: Once the stew has thickened, it’s ready to serve! Serve as a stew or smother it over eggs, burritoschile rellenos, or make loaded nacho fries. Enjoy!

Pork Green Chile smothered over fried egg with a side of two corn tortillas and cup of coffee

Storing and Reheating

  • Store this pork green chile recipe in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Freeze any cooked and cooled leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container or plastic bag for up to 3 months.
  • Reheat from frozen by letting it thaw in the fridge or on the counter, and then warm the chilled pork green chile on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through and bubbling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use beef instead of pork?

Absolutely! Try this Chile Verde Con Carne y Papas recipe

What type of green chile peppers are needed?

You can use your favorite variety, such as Pueblo, Hatch, Anaheim, poblanos, or a mix. 

What is the difference between Hatch and Pueblo chiles?

Named “Mirasol” for its upward-reaching (rather than downward-hanging) fruit that grows “facing the sun,” the Pueblo chile is typically meatier than the long and slender Hatch chile. It’s also more pungent due to the higher levels of the chemical capsaicin, which determines a chile pepper’s heat index. 

Can I make this pork green chile dish in the slow cooker?

Yes! But you’ll need to cook the pork and veggies in a separate skillet before transferring them to the crock pot to ensure the meat is safely cooked through. I like to make this stew and then transfer it to a slow cooker to simmer all day on low.

More Pork Recipes To Try

Are you planning to make some pork green chile stew this fall? Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to tag me (@muybuenocooking) if you post pics of your tasty creations to Instagram!

Pork green chile served in an authentic bowl

Pork Green Chile (Colorado Style)

4.88 (25 ratings)
This pork green chile uses plenty of roasted and peeled chiles and succulent pork to create an easy and warming stew. Try this pork green chile smothered over breakfast burritos or just eat it as a stew with warm tortillas.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 pounds pork tenderloin or butt, diced
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 10 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 quarts chicken broth, fresh or packaged
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 30 to 35 Pueblo, Hatch, or Anaheim chile peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped
  • 2 ½ cups cold water
  • 1 cup cornstarch

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a large skillet or casserole. Place the pork and cook for about 10 minutes, until pork is browned. Add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender about 5 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, salt, coriander, oregano, tomatoes, and chile. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile in a separate dish combine water and cornstarch and continue to stir. Add a little of the cornstarch mixture at a time to the stew. The stew will thicken as it cools.
  • This recipe can also be transferred to a slow cooker for all day simmering on low.

Notes

  • Feel free to cut the recipe in half. This recipe freezes wonderfully for a low-stress dinner after work.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Use your favorite variety of chile peppers, such as Pueblo, Hatch, Anaheim, poblanos, or a mix. 
  • Serve as a stew or smother it over eggs, burritos, or chile rellenos.
Calories: 302kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 118mg, Sodium: 798mg, Potassium: 1051mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 677IU, Vitamin C: 107mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 3mg

Photography by Jenna Sparks
Originally published: August 2013.