This award winning Hatch Pork Green Chili is one of my favorite soups to make!
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Pork Green Chili
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.
Looking for a vegetarian version? Check out our Vegetarian Hatch Green Chili!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork shoulder, diced and trimmed of fat
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ Tablespoon green chili powder (see note)
- 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 32 ounces chicken stock
- 28 ounces green enchilada sauce (heat and brand of choice) (one large can) (optional)
- 1 bottle beer (lager, pilsner, or other lighter beer of choice)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped (optional)
- 1-3 jalapenos seeded and finely diced
- 32 ounces diced Hatch green chiles heat level of choice, seeded and peeled (you can substitute the canned kind)
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 jalapenos, 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
- Rice
- Baked potatoes
- Cheese
- Sour cream
- Lime
- Tortillas
- Radishes
- Hot sauce
Kim, I am not vegan, but this looks very tasty. I would give it a try. Thank you for the recipe.
oh my goodness, this looks soooo yummy! I can’t wait to try it!
So yummy! Have been looking more vegetarian recipes!
This looks amazing! Thank you for the link as to where to find the powder, that always keeps me from trying a recipe. Pinning this for sure!!
Never heard of this green chili dish. With pork sounds delicious and adding to my recipe box.
That looks delicious!
This looks so good! It will definitely satisfy both my meat and chili craving!
Yum! This looks super delicious!
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!
I have developed a thing for green chili! This looks fantastic. I can’t wait to try it!
Looks so yummy!, im going to try this recipe tomorrow, my husband loveees pork.
This. Sounds. AMAZING! I’m going to have to try this recipe!
Looks and sounds fantastic! Love, Love, Love Chili!!! I’m going to try this! Thanks!
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.
Hi Debra, that sounds amazing! I am so glad you liked it! 🙂
Can I add diced potatoes? How would that affect the flavor?
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!
I made this using canned roasted hatch chilies. It was EXCELLENT.
I am so glad you liked it! 🙂
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.
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.
So glad you loved it, Michael! All of those ways of eating it sounds amazing!
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?
Absolutely! It will still taste great.
How many fresh hatch Chiles would you use I stead of canned? Also would you roast then first?
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!
Delicious recipe! Just a perfect amount of spice and flavor.
Wonderful! So glad you liked it!
This is a must recipe for fall!