This Green Pork Chili Stew is pure comfort in a bowl; tender chunks of pork simmered in a smoky, tangy tomatillo and poblano sauce until melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It’s hearty, full of flavour, and perfect for a cosy dinner at home.
Stews like this are the kind of food that feel like they’ve been cooking all day, but the recipe itself is straightforward. The combination of roasted tomatillos, fresh cilantro, and lime creates a bright green sauce that balances beautifully with the richness of pork shoulder. Add in a little Worcestershire for depth and you’ve got a dish that’s as satisfying as it is flavour-packed.
Other Warming Meals
- Pumpkin Rigatoni with Prosciutto & Sage
- Italian Beef Sandwiches in the Slow-Cooker
- chicken and Biscuits
- Dutch Baby Pancake
- Roasted Potatoes
The key to this recipe is patience, letting the pork slowly braise until tender while the flavours of the sauce meld together. It’s the kind of dish that tastes even better the next day, making it a great make-ahead meal for gatherings or weeknight leftovers.
I love serving this stew with warm tortillas or fluffy rice to soak up the sauce. Garnishes like radishes, chopped onion, or pickled jalapeños add a fresh, zippy crunch that makes the whole dish pop. Whether you’re cooking for family or hosting friends, this Green Pork Chili Stew is one of those dishes everyone comes back to the pot for seconds.
My Green Pork Chili Stew is bound to become a go-to comfort dish, flavourful, hearty, and the perfect balance of tangy, smoky, and savoury.
More Tasty Mains
- No Yeast 3 Ingredient Pizza Dough
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Ramen Noodle Sheet Pan Dinner
- Lobster Pasta With Tomato Sauce
- Marry Me One Pot Shrimp
Watch me make Green Pork Chili Stew on my TV show “Taste Buds with Stephanie” and for goodness ‘ s sake! Vent the blender top!
Green Pork Chili Stew Ingredients
As with all of my recipes, I like to keep ingredients accessible while still packing in big flavour. Here’s a closer look at a few of the key players in this green pork chili stew:
- Tomatillos: These little green gems are essential for that bright, tangy flavour base. Roasting them first brings out their sweetness.
- Poblano Pepper: Mild and smoky, poblanos give the stew depth without overwhelming heat.
- Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt): Perfect for braising, this cut becomes wonderfully tender after slow simmering.
- Fresh Cilantro and Lime Juice: These fresh ingredients brighten the sauce and balance the richness of the pork.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds an unexpected savoury note that deepens the stew’s flavour.
How to Make Green Pork Chili Stew
- Preheat the broiler and cut tomatillos into large chunks.
- Place tomatillos and the poblano pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5–10 minutes until skins are blistered and charred in spots.
- Transfer the poblano to a sealed zip-top bag to steam for 10 minutes, then peel, seed, and discard skin.
- Blend the roasted tomatillos, peeled poblano, 1 tsp salt, chicken broth, cilantro, lime juice, and Worcestershire until smooth (or use an immersion blender).
- Season pork with remaining salt and black pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high, sauté pork in batches with oil until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes.
- Add chopped onion and sauté 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Pour the blended tomatillo mixture into the Dutch oven, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is fork-tender.
- Uncover and cook for 30 minutes more, or until the stew thickens slightly.
- Serve hot with rice, tortillas, or cornbread. Garnish with radishes, cilantro, onion, and pickled jalapeños.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! In fact, the flavours deepen after a day in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if needed.
Yes! Add a jalapeño or serrano pepper to the roasting tray with the tomatillos for an extra kick.
Pork shoulder works best because of its marbling, but you could substitute pork loin or even chicken thighs if you prefer. Just note that leaner cuts won’t be quite as tender.
A Few Possible Variations on Green Pork Chili Stew
This stew is super versatile! Try swapping pork for chicken thighs, turkey, or even chunks of beef. For a vegetarian twist, replace the meat with beans or roasted vegetables and use vegetable broth. You can also stir in hominy or corn kernels for added texture.
How Do You Like Your Green Pork Chili Stew?
This Green Pork Chili Stew is hearty enough on its own, but sides like warm tortillas, cornbread, or rice make it even better. Don’t skip the garnishes; radishes, onions, and pickled jalapeños really make the flavours pop. If you’re hosting, serve with a crisp Mexican lager or a margarita for the perfect pairing.
Storing Leftover Green Pork Chili Stew
Let leftovers cool before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove with a splash of broth or water until warmed through.
Have you loved my Green Pork Chili Stew recipe? Let me know with a comment and review so I can create more recipes you’ll love!
Green Pork Chili Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 medium sized tomatillos husks removed
- 1 large Poblano pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice juice of one lime
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 medium garlic cloves chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 zucchini grated
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast Boston butt, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat broiler. Cut tomatillos into large chunks
- Broil Poblano pepper and tomatillos on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet 5 inches from heat 5-10 minutes until peppers and tomatillos skin looks blistered with some spots of black or brown.
- Remove from oven and turn heat down to 350
- Place Poblano pepper in a zip-top plastic bag; seal and let stand 10 minutes to loosen skin. Rub skin off Poblano pepper, remove and discard seeds.
- Place tomatillos, Poblano pepper, 1 tsp salt, broth, cilantro, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce and
- process mixture in a blender ( see note) until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed (or use a handheld immersion blender, if desired).
- Sprinkle pork with remaining 1 tsp salt and black pepper. Sauté pork, in batches, in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high, stirring often, 6 minutes or until browned on all sides.
- Add chopped onion and zucchini and sauté 4 minutes
- Add garlic and sauté one minute more
- Add blended tomatillo mixture to Dutch oven, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven. Bring to a light simmer; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2 hours or until pork is fork-tender. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes more or until liquid is slightly thickened and meat is tender
- Serve with rice or tortilla chips, flour tortillas, or cornbread.
- Garnish with radishes, chopped cilantro and onion and pickled jalapeno.
Notes
- Allow the mixture to cool slightly before blending.
- Work in small batches—never fill the blender more than halfway.
- Remove the center cap from the blender lid (if it has one) and cover it with a folded kitchen towel to let steam escape.
- Start blending on the lowest speed and gradually increase
