I’m sharing my Easy Chili Verde Recipe that showcases chunks of pork slow cooked in a vivid green sauce of tomatillos and green chilis, with a subtle twist that made me see this classic differently.

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I love a dish that surprises you. My slow cooker Pork Chili Verde starts with boneless pork shoulder and a heap of tomatillos, simmered until the pork just falls apart and the green sauce gets tangy and a little wild.

There’s a brightness that cuts through the richness, and every spoonful makes you wonder how simple ingredients got so deep. I screw up sometimes, like overcooking the meat, but this one forgives you, keeps getting better in the fridge.

Want a twist on weeknight dinner that feels like a find? Chile Verde Recipe Crockpot.

You’ll want to lick the bowl.

Why I Like this Recipe

– I love how the main part becomes unbelievably tender, it just melts in my mouth and feels like serious comfort food
– I love the bright tang that cuts through the richness so every bite tastes balanced and never too heavy
– I find it forgiving so I can tweak the spice and seasoning and still end up with something great
– I can keep it for later and it actually tastes even better the next day so it saves me time during the week

Ingredients

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Pork shoulder: Rich in protein and fats, it’s shreddable and gives a deep savory backbone.
Tomatillos: Tart and bright, low calorie, add acidity and body plus vitamin C and fiber.
Poblanos: Mildly smoky, add vegetal depth and gentle heat, great roasted for extra flavor.
Jalapeños: Bring sharper heat and bright flavor, contain capsaicin, may boost metabolism a bit.
Onion: Gives sweetness when cooked, adds fiber and savory balance to cut the tartness.
Garlic: Adds pungent savory umami, tiny calories, has antioxidants and smells amazing when roasted.
Cilantro and lime: Cilantro adds herbal freshness, lime brightens, together they cut richness and lift.
Cumin and oregano: Warm, earthy aromatics that add depth, mostly flavor not calories, very pantry friendly.

Ingredient Quantities

3 to 4 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

2 lb tomatillos, about 10 to 12 medium, husked rinsed and quartered

3 poblano peppers, seeded and roughly chopped

2 to 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded if you want less heat, roughly chopped

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed or minced

1 1/2 to 2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped plus more for serving

2 tbsp fresh lime juice, about 1 lime

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano

2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 bay leaves

2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil for searing, optional if you skip searing

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, optional for brightness

How to Make this

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1. If you want deeper flavor sear the pork: pat the 3 to 4 lb pork shoulder chunks dry, season with 1 tsp black pepper and about 1 to 2 tsp of the kosher salt, heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy skillet and brown the pork in batches until nicely caramelized on all sides. You can skip this step if you want faster cleanup.

2. Prep the veg: preheat broiler or a hot cast-iron pan; husk and rinse 2 lb tomatillos, quarter them, seed 3 poblanos and 2 to 3 jalapeños if you want less heat, roughly chop the poblanos and jalapeños, and roughly chop 1 large yellow onion. Toss tomatillos and peppers on a sheet pan and broil or roast until blistered and soft with some char, about 8 to 12 minutes.

3. Make the green sauce: in a blender or food processor add the roasted tomatillos, roasted poblanos and jalapeños, chopped onion, 6 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp black pepper and about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the low sodium chicken broth. Purée until mostly smooth; add more broth if too thick. Taste and add 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt now or wait till after cooking to fine tune.

4. Transfer pork to the slow cooker and pour the green sauce over the meat. Add the remaining chicken broth to reach about 1 1/2 to 2 cups total liquid in the pot (you used some in the blender), tuck in 1 to 2 bay leaves, and sprinkle the rest of the salt if you didn’t add it earlier.

5. Cook low and slow: cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is fork tender and easily shreds.

6. Finish the pork: remove the bay leaves, lift the pork out onto a cutting board, shred with two forks, then return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. If the sauce is too thin, remove pork and simmer the sauce on the stove to reduce for 5 to 10 minutes, then return pork.

7. Brighten and balance: stir in 1 tbsp apple cider or white vinegar if using, and adjust seasoning with more kosher salt, black pepper, or extra lime juice to taste. If you want fresher herb flavor, stir in a few tablespoons more chopped cilantro now.

8. Serve suggestions: ladle chili verde over rice, in warm tortillas, or with beans. Top with extra chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, diced onion, or crumbled queso fresco. Leftovers get even better the next day.

9. Storage and reheating tip: cool to room temp, refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low in a pot with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce, or in the microwave stirring occasionally.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker (6 to 8 quart crockpot), for the long, low braise
2. Heavy skillet or cast‑iron pan, for searing pork and optionally reducing sauce
3. Blender or food processor, to purée the roasted tomatillos and chiles
4. Rimmed sheet pan or baking tray, for broiling/roasting the tomatillos and peppers
5. Sharp chef’s knife, for cutting pork, peppers and onion
6. Sturdy cutting board, preferably large so you have room, dont crowd it
7. Measuring spoons and a 1 cup measure, for spices, lime juice and broth
8. Tongs, to handle hot pieces; plus two forks for shredding the pork
9. Ladle or large spoon, for serving and stirring in the cooker
10. Heatproof bowl or tray and kitchen towels, for resting and cooling ingredients before blending

FAQ

How long should I cook the pork in the slow cooker and how will I know it's done? Cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours. It's done when the pork easily shreds with two forks and the internal temp is around 195 to 205 F for the best shredding, but if it hits 185 to 190 F it's usually tender enough.

Do I have to sear the pork first? No, you don't have to, but searing adds a lot of browned flavor. If you sear, brown chunks 3 to 4 minutes per side in oil first. Skip searing for an easier cleanup and it'll still be tasty.

My chili verde is too thin, how do I thicken it? Take the pork out, mash a few tomatillos with a fork or use an immersion blender to reduce liquid, then return pork to pot. Or mix 1 to 2 tbsp cornstarch with cold water and stir in, cook 15 to 30 minutes on High until thicker.

How can I make it less spicy or hotter? To tame the heat remove seeds and membranes from jalapeños and poblanos, or use fewer jalapeños. To make it hotter keep seeds, add more jalapeños, or a pinch of cayenne or chopped serrano.

Can I make this ahead and how should I store leftovers? Yes. Chill in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months in airtight containers. Reheat gently on the stove or in a slow cooker on Low so the pork stays moist.

What's the easiest way to finish and serve it? Shred pork with two forks right in the pot or on a cutting board, stir in lime juice and cilantro, taste and adjust salt. Serve with warm tortillas, rice, chopped onions, extra cilantro and lime wedges. A dollop of sour cream cools things off if needed.

Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pork shoulder: swap with pork butt (same thing), bone-in shoulder, or boneless pork loin if you want leaner meat — with the loin shorten the cook time and add a bit more broth so it doesn’t dry out; or use skinless chicken thighs for a faster, milder option (cook less time).
Tomatillos: use canned salsa verde or jarred roasted tomatillos 1 for 1 for a big shortcut; green tomatoes work in a pinch but they’ll be less tangy, add extra lime to brighten.
Poblano / jalapeño peppers: replace poblanos with Anaheims or pasillas for similar mild flavor; swap jalapeños with serranos for more heat, or use canned diced green chiles if fresh peppers aren’t available.
Cilantro & lime: if you hate cilantro use flat-leaf parsley plus extra lime to get brightness; lemon juice can replace lime in a pinch, but use a little less so it doesn’t taste too sharp.

Pro Tips

– If you choose to sear the pork, dont crowd the pan or youll steam it. Brown in batches until you get good color, then scrape up the browned bits and add a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pan and dump that into the slow cooker. Those bits carry a lot of flavor and make the sauce taste deeper.

– Char the tomatillos and peppers until theyre blistered and a little blackened but not turned to mush. That slight smokiness cuts the bright green tang and makes the whole chili verde taste more complex. If you dont have a broiler try a screaming hot cast iron and keep the veggies moving so they char evenly.

– For best texture, pull the pork out before you reduce the sauce. Shred the meat, set it aside, then simmer the sauce on the stove until it coats a spoon. Return the pork to the thickened sauce so it absorbs flavor without getting soggy.

– Balance at the end, not the beginning. Add the vinegar or extra lime juice after cooking and then taste for salt. Flavors concentrate while it cooks so you might need less acid or salt than you think. Also, this gets better the next day, so if you can wait, do it.

Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde Recipe

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I'm sharing my Easy Chili Verde Recipe that showcases chunks of pork slow cooked in a vivid green sauce of tomatillos and green chilis, with a subtle twist that made me see this classic differently.

Servings

servings

Calories

773

kcal

Equipment: 1. Slow cooker (6 to 8 quart crockpot), for the long, low braise
2. Heavy skillet or cast‑iron pan, for searing pork and optionally reducing sauce
3. Blender or food processor, to purée the roasted tomatillos and chiles
4. Rimmed sheet pan or baking tray, for broiling/roasting the tomatillos and peppers
5. Sharp chef’s knife, for cutting pork, peppers and onion
6. Sturdy cutting board, preferably large so you have room, dont crowd it
7. Measuring spoons and a 1 cup measure, for spices, lime juice and broth
8. Tongs, to handle hot pieces; plus two forks for shredding the pork
9. Ladle or large spoon, for serving and stirring in the cooker
10. Heatproof bowl or tray and kitchen towels, for resting and cooling ingredients before blending

Ingredients

3 to 4 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
2 lb tomatillos, about 10 to 12 medium, husked rinsed and quartered
3 poblano peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
2 to 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded if you want less heat, roughly chopped
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
1 1/2 to 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped plus more for serving
2 tbsp fresh lime juice, about 1 lime
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 bay leaves
2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil for searing, optional if you skip searing
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, optional for brightness

Directions

If you want deeper flavor sear the pork: pat the 3 to 4 lb pork shoulder chunks dry, season with 1 tsp black pepper and about 1 to 2 tsp of the kosher salt, heat 2 tbsp oil in a heavy skillet and brown the pork in batches until nicely caramelized on all sides. You can skip this step if you want faster cleanup.
Prep the veg: preheat broiler or a hot cast-iron pan; husk and rinse 2 lb tomatillos, quarter them, seed 3 poblanos and 2 to 3 jalapeños if you want less heat, roughly chop the poblanos and jalapeños, and roughly chop 1 large yellow onion. Toss tomatillos and peppers on a sheet pan and broil or roast until blistered and soft with some char, about 8 to 12 minutes.
Make the green sauce: in a blender or food processor add the roasted tomatillos, roasted poblanos and jalapeños, chopped onion, 6 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp black pepper and about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the low sodium chicken broth. Purée until mostly smooth; add more broth if too thick. Taste and add 1 to 2 tsp kosher salt now or wait till after cooking to fine tune.
Transfer pork to the slow cooker and pour the green sauce over the meat. Add the remaining chicken broth to reach about 1 1/2 to 2 cups total liquid in the pot (you used some in the blender), tuck in 1 to 2 bay leaves, and sprinkle the rest of the salt if you didn’t add it earlier.
Cook low and slow: cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the pork is fork tender and easily shreds.
Finish the pork: remove the bay leaves, lift the pork out onto a cutting board, shred with two forks, then return the shredded pork to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. If the sauce is too thin, remove pork and simmer the sauce on the stove to reduce for 5 to 10 minutes, then return pork.
Brighten and balance: stir in 1 tbsp apple cider or white vinegar if using, and adjust seasoning with more kosher salt, black pepper, or extra lime juice to taste. If you want fresher herb flavor, stir in a few tablespoons more chopped cilantro now.
Serve suggestions: ladle chili verde over rice, in warm tortillas, or with beans. Top with extra chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, diced onion, or crumbled queso fresco. Leftovers get even better the next day.
Storage and reheating tip: cool to room temp, refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low in a pot with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce, or in the microwave stirring occasionally.

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.