Hatch Pork Green Chili

4.99 from 65 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Hatch Pork Green Chili is a savory pork stew featuring Hatch green chile peppers. A spicy soup from the southwest. Gluten free and keto low carb. Great for fall cold weather and game day food. Serve in a bowl or smothered on Mexican food.
The Hatch Pork Green Chili in a bowl with toppings

This award winning Hatch Pork Green Chili is one of my favorite soups to make! 

The Hatch Pork Green Chili in a bowl with toppings

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Something about the fall and football season makes me want to cook this Pork Hatch Green Chili every Sunday.  

But honestly, I also crave this chili on a regular basis, even in the summer.  The flavors are so fresh and bright that it works all year round.  

This chili is hearty and comforting without being too heavy.

And the flavor of roasted Hatch Green Chiles is the star!

This pork green chile recipe is one of the most popular recipes on this site, along with my Escabeche Mexican Pickled Vegetables.

Looking for a vegetarian version?  Check out our Vegetarian Hatch Green Chili!

Hatch Green Chili | Three Olives Branch

What is the difference between Hatch green chili and green chili?

Hatch peppers are grown in Hatch, New Mexico and named specifically for their flavor and heat that comes from their location.

Non-Hatch chiles are called Anaheim peppers, which are a variety of Hatch that was taken from Hatch and grown in Anaheim, California. But the main difference is not just that they were grown in different places – Hatch peppers are much hotter.

We are lucky enough to have fresh pepper stands throughout the state in the fall and the smell of the peppers roasting is intoxicating.  

I stock up on two or three bushels to make sure that I have enough for my Hatch Green Chili cravings plus some extra for various Mexican dishes throughout the rest of the year.

Two white bowls full of Hatch Pork Green Chili

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make Pork Hatch Green Chili:

  • Pork Shoulder
  • Yellow Onion
  • Green Chile Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Celery Salt
  • Oregano
  • Cumin
  • Chicken Stock (or broth)
  • Green Enchilada Sauce
  • Light Beer
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Jalapeno
  • Diced Green Chiles (heat level of choice)
A spoon of Hatch Pork Green Chili over the bowl

Instructions

Cut up the pork and brown it in your cast iron pot.

Remove the pork, add the onion and spices and cook.

Add everything else, including the pork, back in the pot and let it simmer at least one hour.

Longer simmering is best! I am for at least 3 hours.

If needed, use more stock to get the consistency you want as it continues to simmer.

Top view of a bowl of Hatch Pork Green Chili

Are Hatch green chile peppers hot?

They can be, yes! You can typically find various heat levels of the pepper, with the hottest available earliest in the season.

I love to use the fresh peppers, since I am lucky to have them in this area. If you do not see them in the produce section, I have found that frozen packs of roasted and diced green chiles are the closest substitution. Canned green chiles also work!

Be careful if you are purchasing any jarred chiles, as many of them are actually a sauce.

Easily control the heat level in this green chile recipe through the green chili powder, enchilada sauce, quantity of jalapenos, and the chile peppers themselves.  This recipe is set for a mild to mild-medium heat level.

Pork Hatch Green Chile | Three Olives Branch

Modifications and Substitutions

Want a version that focuses specifically on the peppers and nothing else? Try our Vegetarian Hatch Green Chili!

Use any cut of pork if needed. Pork shoulder is budget friendly with great flavor.

Skip the beer completely if desired.

Make it spicy by using hotter peppers and/or more jalapeno.

A spoon digging into a serving of Hatch Pork Green Chili

Serving and Storing

After just a few minutes of preparation, you can leave this Pork Hatch Green Chili on the stove for several hours to do its thing.  

The longer you let the chili cook, the better it will taste…if you are able to restrain yourself.  The smell is intoxicating!

It also freezes really well!  Just pack into mason jars and throw in the freezer for perfectly sized portions.

There are so many options for toppings and add-ins, you can please everyone with this recipe. Plus it is gluten free and keto low carb!

Some of my favorite toppings or items to serve with the chili includes sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, radish slices, tortillas, and baked potatoes.

Kim’s Tips

Fresh roasted peppers are best if you can get them.

There are also some great roasted varieties in the freezer section of the grocery store.

But canned and jarred will work just fine if that is what you have. The 505 Hatch chiles is my favorite brand to date.

I know it seems weird to include a canned enchilada sauce, and I have gotten some grief for it. But the roasted peppers still shine and the enchilada sauce helps the overall consistency and base flavor. If you want to skip it, go ahead. Or use more roasted peppers and blend some up to make a sauce like addition.

Hatch Pork Green Chili in a large pot

FAQs

Is it chili or chile?

Well, my stance is that chili is for the soup type dish regardless of what type of chili it is (such as red, Texas, or green in this case) and chile is reserved for the peppers themselves. 

Where did pork green chili originated?

Pork green chili is said to have originated in Mexico.
It is very popular in the southwest part of the United States, which leads us to our next question…

Is green chili a Colorado thing?

Yes! I live in Colorado and it is very common to find a from-scratch green chili at many restaurants, especially Mexican restaurants.
We have great access to Hatch chile peppers, and there is even a local “debate” between Pueblo chiles (from southern Colorado) and Hatch – which is a whole other article.
Even if we are using Hatch peppers, green chili is a staple in Colorado.

Close up serving of the soup

Pin image close up of Hatch Pork Green Chili with title at top

Shop

More Hatch Green Chile Recipes

The Hatch Pork Green Chili in a bowl with toppings

Hatch Pork Green Chili

Hatch Pork Green Chili is a savory pork stew featuring Hatch green chile peppers. A spicy soup from the southwest. Gluten free and keto low carb. Great for fall cold weather and game day food. Serve in a bowl or smothered on Mexican food.
4.99 from 65 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: Fall/Thanksgiving, Game Day, Gluten Free, Keto/Low Carb, Pork
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 321kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large pot (cast iron preferably), cook pork over medium heat until browned. Reserve two tablespoons of the fat. Drain the remaining fat and remove pork. Set aside.
    2 pounds pork shoulder, diced and trimmed of fat
  • Return the two tablespoons of pork drippings to the pot. Over medium heat, cook onion until translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
    1 cup white onion
  • Add all of the dried spices: garlic powder, green chili powder, celery salt, dried oregano, and cumin. Stir. Saute to toast herbs for approximately 3 minutes.
    2 teaspoons garlic powder, ½ Tablespoon green chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • Add the chicken stock, green enchilada sauce, beer, cilantro, jalapenos, and green chiles. Add the pork back in.
    32 ounces chicken stock, 28 ounces green enchilada sauce, 1 bottle beer, ½ cup fresh cilantro, 1-3 jalapeno peppers, 32 ounces diced Hatch green chiles
  • Cook, over medium low heat, for at least one hour, preferably three hours. Stir occasionally. If the chili becomes too thick, add some more stock a cup at a time. *You want the chili to thicken in this step. Continue cooking until the thickness is to your liking. You can turn up the heat a little if it is taking too long.
  • Finish off the chili with hot sauce for more of a kick as needed, or use as a mix-in. Serve with your favorite toppings or sides.

Notes

You can order green chile powder here.
My favorite beer to use is Corona. Dos Equis almost made it taste sweet to me.
Nothing beats fresh roasted Hatch peppers, but you can use the canned kind as well.
Use homemade vegetable stock for added flavor.  Learn how to make your own here!
Toppings and sides:
  • Rice
  • Baked potatoes
  • Cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Lime
  • Tortillas
  • Radishes
  • Hot sauce

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 2632mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1398IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 5mg
By on August 4th, 2021

About Kim

Kim has grown up with a passion for cooking good food! You can find her in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes, making dog treats, and eating Italian food!

More posts by this author.

57 thoughts on “Hatch Pork Green Chili”

  1. This sounds so great! I love green chili. I think I first had some when we lived in Lubbock, TX and fell in love with it. And sometimes we’d go to Albuquerque for a long weekend and it’s EVERYWHERE there, lol. I’ve pinned and will be sharing to my Facebook page tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. I have made this and added spicy sausage, bacon and pinto beans…..cooked it in a Dutch oven cook-off and then served it with fresh cilantro, chopped white onion and sour cream!! Excellent! Ran out of 3 gallons in no time.

    Reply
    • Hi Marsha,
      I would say it depends on the potatoes you use and when you add them. My favorite way to eat this is actually with a chopped up baked potato in the bottom of the bowl!
      If the potatoes cook in the sauce too long, they could fall apart. I would suggest adding raw potatoes in the last 30-60 minutes (depending on how large) or cook them separately and add when serving.

      I have never tried adding potatoes during cooking, but those are my thoughts!

      Reply
  3. 4 stars
    I have made this three times now and it is delicious. The only quibble I have is you don’t tell us when to put the pork back in . So I make it up. Also would recommend mixing the spices all together and then adding them all together after the onions have browned. That way they all cook evenly and can be better distributed.

    Reply
  4. 5 stars
    This was beyond the bomb. We love heat, so I used 3 serranos instead jalapenos and I went with a combo of medium and hot Hatch chilis. Like someone mentioned, cook it a day or two before and let the flavors meld. Also, if you can find it, use a Hatch enchilada sauce for even more kick. Delicious on its own, or try it on top of eggs, quesadillas, probably be great on top of waffles.

    Reply
  5. A beer in general will make this recipe non gluten free. Yes, you can use a GF beer, but can you make it w/o beer?

    Reply
    • Hi Laura,

      Yes, you would roast first. The weight is the same regardless of canned versus fresh (fresh is best!). The number of peppers is very difficult because they come in very different sizes. I would recommend weighing it out at the grocery store in their scales and go just a little over (since you will be removing stems and seeds before using). It is very flexible so it does not have to be exact weight!

      Reply
  6. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing green chili recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

    Reply
  7. 5 stars
    I love a good green chili recipe! Such a comfort dish, especially when the weather gets cold! I saved your recipe to try this weekend!

    Reply
  8. 5 stars
    Although I had to substitute for items I didn’t have, the recipe was great and made substitutions easy to figure out. It was delicious! Since I didn’t have enchilada sauce, I added 1/3 of a jar of Herdez roasted poblano salsa cremosa and it really added body and depth. Yum!

    Reply
  9. 5 stars
    This pork green chili is absolutely delicious and flavorful. This is definitely on my cook list. Thank you for sharing it.

    Reply
  10. 5 stars
    This looks very tasty! I have not made a hatch pork green chili in a long time! Thanks for the share – excited to give it a try!

    Reply
    • I have not, but that is a great idea! I use green chile sauces and flavors with beef all the time (enchiladas, burritos, etc) and they taste great together! A chuck roast would probably work just great, or even ground beef.

      Reply
    • Hi Amber!
      I have not done this, but I would suggest browning the pork as described in step 1 on the stove and then just add everything into the crock pot and cook on low.

      You could try skipping the browning but will lose a little of that flavor and the stew will retain a little more fat. Enjoy!

      Reply
  11. 5 stars
    Awesome! Another pork stew dish that everyone will gonna love and enjoy eating! This stew looks amazingly delicious and very tasty! A perfect for such cold weather!

    Reply
  12. 5 stars
    Crock potted the pork (because I’m lazy) so it was more of a shredded protein option but it was bomb. First time making green chili and this will be my go to recipe moving forward.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Peaches WIth Love Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Three Olives Branch