Growing up in Oxnard, CA we had the absolute BEST Mexican food available to us. One of my favorite dishes was always Chili Verde. Now, I’m not saying that my recipe can compete with the years and years of traditional style Mexican cooking that has been passed down from generation to generation BUT it’s still pretty damn good in its own right.
I love and prefer to roast all my veggies first. It just gives it a nice smokier, richer, deeper flavor to the peppers and really gives a beautiful charred sweet bite to the tomatillos. All the veggies become smoother which lends itself to a really silky sauce.
I also prefer to use my Instant Pot for this recipe. It not only cuts down on cooking time by HOURS but it makes large tough pieces of meat just melt into your mouth. It’s one of the greatest kitchen inventions ever!!! But you can totally use a Dutch Oven or heavy bottom large pan. Follow the directions as noted but add 2 hours of simmering time.
- 4.5-5 lbs pork shoulder (or 3.5-4lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- 3 poblano peppers halved and deseeded
- 3 anaheim peppers – halved and deseeded
- 6 tomatillos – hulled and halved
- 1 jalapeño – halved and deseeded
- 1 large yellow onion – quartered
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- handful cilantro leaves
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 C chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp granulated garlic
- 1 Tbsp granulated onion
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Preheat oven to high broil. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place all peppers and tomatillos skin side up, whole unpeeled garlic bulb and quartered onion on it. Broil for about 10 min or until peppers become charred and black. Set peppers into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Peel garlic cloves and add to a blender with the onions, tomatillos with all their juices, cilantro, chicken stock, lime juice, granulated onion and garlic. Peel charred skin off the peppers and add to the blender. Blend until well combined. Set aside.
- Trim pork of most of it’s fat and cut into 2 inch cubes. Or leave chicken as is. Generously salt and pepper meat all over.
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add 1 tbsp at a time and brown meat on all sides. Do in a couple batches. Set all aside.
- Pour chicken stock in the pot and scrape all brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the meat and green sauce.
- Set Instant Pot to 25 min and let natural release for 10 min.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with sour cream, cilantro and avacado. Sop it all up with a warm, chewy flour tortilla.