This authentic chile verde recipe is super easy and oh so tender! No need for all that braising and simmering as this easy chile verde recipe comes together under one hour and is full of flavor! Spicy and delicious, it’s the perfect beginner recipe for any level cook!
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Our authentic chile verde recipe is a family classic! Super easy to make with limited simmering, watch the magic happen when you have our authentic chile verde sauce simmer with the juicy pork shoulder!
Adapted from my Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe with Green Salsa, the green sauce uses healthy and economical ingredients for a quick sauce anyone can make! Nutritious and delicious!
In under an hour, you will now have the best authentic chile verde recipe perfect for that weeknight dinner that is way healthier than store bought green sauce!
This post will go over everything you need to know to create this authentic chile verde recipe.
Recipe difficulty: Easy, stress-free recipe with limited chopping and no standing around the stove!
Seriously one of the simplest authentic chile verde recipes done in 50 minutes! No need to have our pork shoulder simmer for hours with you watching the stove! This pork shoulder is melt-in-your-mouth good simmered in the green sauce! Make sure to read our tips below for getting the most authentic flavor without all those preservatives!
Sam’s Pro Tips for this Authentic Chile Verde Recipe
Tomatillos Release Water when Cooked
If you’ve seen our Easy Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe with Green Salsa, you know tomatillos are one of the main ingredients to our sauce!
When you’re adding the ingredients to the pot for the salsa, you may be thinking is this really all the water I need? Yes! Tomatillos release their juice when being cooked. The 1 cup of water is all you need to get the perfect consistency for your salsa.
7 tomatillos are used for this chili verde recipe easy saucy dish!
Cut the Stems of the Jalapenos and Tomatillos After its Boiled
To prevent your hands from burning from the peppers or having your nose run (like me), a trick is to cut the stems after the peppers are boiled.
If you think about it, to avoid crying with an onion, it’s advised to leave the root on when cutting. It’s the same concept with the jalapenos and the tomatillos!
Once you learn this trick, it’ll be no problem cooking with these ingredients for this authentic chile verde recipe!
Don’t Overcook the Meat!
So, the secret to getting the most flavor in our tender pork shoulder is to brown the meat without overcooking the pork!
Like my Habanero Herbed Spicy Pork Chops Recipe for an Easy Dinner, you DON’T want to cook until fully browned on both sides as the pork will be overcooked and hardened. As in hard as a rock!
When cooking your pork in the oil, you want to cook JUST until browned on both sides over medium heat. Season generously with salt and pepper for that tender flavor!
Have Space in the Pan to Cook this Authentic Chile Verde Recipe
For a nice, even browned look to the tasty pork shoulder, don’t overcrowd the pan in this authentic Mexican pork chili recipe! Super important!
If you need to cook the meat in batches or in two separate pans in the stove so that it doesn’t overcrowd will result in the best searing of the meat.
Otherwise, the liquid from the meat will form in the pan and it’ll simmer rather than brown!
Key Ingredients – Authentic Chile Verde Recipe
Below are some key and optional ingredients for this recipe:
Pork and Seasoning
- Pork shoulder: 2 pounds of pork shoulder will simmer in this easy chile verde recipe! The pork will be full of that green sauce flavor and be super tender!
- Oregano: Adding the oregano to the sauce seasons the sauce to perfection and pairs perfectly with the tomatillos! We love the earthy flavor oregano gives and seasons our Spiced Oregano Chicken Recipe with Tomatillos perfectly!
- Cumin: For a rich, aromatic taste to this easy chile verde recipe, ground cumin is a MUST! You don’t need a lot of this spice, but it totally enriches this dish!
- Lime juice: The juice of 1/2 a lime is used to simmer in the green sauce for some added zest and fresh flavor.
Chile Verde Sauce
- Tomatillos: This is what helps create your authentic chile verde recipe because of the tomatillos. In the stores, I have seen them called green tomatoes. Don’t get confused, tomatillos don’t taste like a tomato. These babies are the main ingredient to your salsa and is a common item in Mexican dishes.
- Jalapenos: I only used 2 big jalapenos in this chili verde recipe with green enchilada sauce. That was plenty to add spice to this favorite dish! We also didn’t remove the seeds when we blended the jalapenos with the other ingredients, which also increases the spice level.
- Onion and garlic: Both these ingredients will be used in the sauce and is a common ingredient in Mexican dishes! In our Best Mexican Style Rice Recipe from Grandma’s Kitchen, these are some of the main ingredients to flavor the rice!
- Cilantro: Herbs are delicate, so the cilantro doesn’t get boiled with the other ingredients for your green sauce. After everything for the salsa is boiled, it gets transferred to the blender with the cilantro.
Optional
- Garlic powder: You can add a pinch of garlic powder to the green sauce for a stronger garlic taste. Although it’s already blended in the sauce, the garlic powder will further season the meat in the sauce.
- Onion powder: Same with the onion powder! Use the onion powder to further season the meat and add to preference.
More Variations to this Authentic Chile Verde Recipe
There are a few ways you can variate this authentic chile verde recipe. Here’s how:
- Add chicken: Make this a chile verde recipe chicken dish by using chicken instead of pork for something leaner! Cut the chicken into chunks and adjust the cooking time as needed as chicken doesn’t need a lot of time to cook. Healthier and great for tacos!
- Can I make this in the slow cooker? Yes! If you would like to make this in the slow cooker, it is an option! After browning the meat and blending the salsa, you can have the meat simmer with the sauce on HIGH for one hour or LOW if you want to have this ready in the slow cooker hours beforehand.
- What can I pair with this dish? For a complete meal to this authentic chile verde recipe, pair this dish with our Best Mexican Style Rice Recipe from Grandma’s Kitchen or our 7-Minute Cilantro Cauliflower Lime Rice for a lighter alternative! Don’t forget dessert with our 4-Step Extremely Soft Cookie Butter Bars That is Way Too Easy | No-Bake!
Looking for some awesome printables that are totally FREE? Our favorite! Check out our FREE LIBRARY for our Grocery Checklist or our Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart to help you on your cooking journey!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What’s green salsa made of?
Green salsa is made with tomatillos, jalapenos, onion, garlic, cilantro, and salt.
Is green salsa more spicy?
The spice level of a salsa can be adjusted due to the amount of peppers put in such as jalapenos or habaneros.
How long does chili verde last in the refrigerator?
Chile verde can last 3-4 days in the refrigerator for optimal flavor.
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