Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde Recipe

I just made pork slow cooked in a bright tomatillo and green chili sauce that begs to be piled into Chile Verde Tacos and hits with such tangy, punchy flavor you’ll want seconds before the first bite’s gone.

I’m obsessed with this slow cooker pork chili verde because it tastes like loud green heat and tender pork you can shred with a fork. I love the way the tomatillos sing bright and slightly tart against big hunks of pork shoulder.

And the sauce clings to tortillas like it owns them. I make it when I want Chile Verde Tacos or when I just need a bowl of Chili Verde Crockpot Easy comfort that actually hits.

No fake frills, just green chiles, garlic, and cilantro doing exactly what they should. Messy, loud, and impossible not to eat right now.

Ingredients

• Pork shoulder: meaty, tender protein that makes the chili hearty and stick-to-your-ribs good.
• Kosher salt: wakes up the whole pot, brings out pork and tomatillo taste.
• Black pepper: a little kick, keeps the stew from tasting flat.
• Vegetable or olive oil: for browning, adds a toasty note if you want it.
• Yellow onion: sweet-savory base, gives soft texture and cozy flavor.
• Garlic: punchy aroma, makes the chili smell like home.
• Tomatillos: tart green backbone, brightens the whole sauce beautifully.
• Poblanos or Anaheims: smoky, mild heat and a soft, roasted vegetable vibe.
• Jalapeños: fresh heat; seed them if you don’t want too much spice.
• Cilantro: fresh, herby zip that you’ll either love or skip.
• Chicken broth: thins and seasons the sauce, keeps everything simmering happily.
• Ground cumin: warm, earthy note that screams “Mexican-ish” in a good way.
• Dried oregano: subtle herbal depth, ties the spices together simply.
• Bay leaf: background herbiness, kinda invisible but it matters.
• Fresh lime juice: bright citrus pop that cuts the richness nicely.
• Sugar or honey: balances the tomatillo tartness if it’s too sharp.
• Warm tortillas: comforting scoop for the chili, always a welcome side.
• Cooked rice: plain, steady base that soaks up all the saucy goodness.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 to 3 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil (for browning, optional)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 1/2 to 2 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed (about 8 to 10 medium)
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled and roughly chopped (or 3 mild Anaheim chiles)
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded for less heat, chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed, roughly chopped
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 1 tsp sugar or honey, optional to balance acidity
• Warm tortillas or cooked rice for serving, optional

How to Make this

1. Pat the pork dry, season with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then if you like, heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high and brown the chunks in batches about 2 minutes per side to get nice color and extra flavor; transfer pork to the slow cooker.

2. Roughly chop the onion and smash the garlic; add both to the slow cooker with the pork.

3. Husk, rinse and quarter the tomatillos; add them to a blender or food processor with the roasted, peeled poblano peppers, 1 to 2 jalapeños (seeded if you want less heat), and 1 cup of the cilantro; puree until mostly smooth but a little chunky.

4. Pour the tomatillo pepper puree over the pork in the slow cooker, then add 2 cups low sodium chicken broth, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, and 1 bay leaf.

5. Stir everything gently to combine, taste for salt and add a bit more if needed; cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours until the pork is fork tender and shreddable.

6. When the pork is done, remove the bay leaf and use two forks to shred bigger pieces right in the cooker, or lift pork out to shred and return it to the sauce so it soaks up the juices.

7. Stir in 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, the remaining cilantro if you like it fresher, and 1 tsp sugar or honey if the sauce tastes too tangy; adjust salt and pepper to taste.

8. If you want a thicker sauce, remove about 1 cup of sauce, simmer it in a small pan until reduced and slightly thickened, then stir it back in; alternatively mash a few cooked tomatillo bits with a spoon to thicken a bit.

9. Serve the chili verde hot with warm tortillas or cooked rice, and offer extra cilantro, lime wedges, chopped onion, or sliced radishes for topping.

10. Leftovers keep very well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months; reheating slowly on low in a pot or in the slow cooker brings back the best flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker or crockpot
2. Heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless) for browning
3. Blender or food processor (for the tomatillo puree)
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef knife
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Tongs and/or a slotted spoon for transferring pork
7. Two forks for shredding (or meat claws)
8. Small saucepan (to reduce a cup of sauce if you want it thicker)

FAQ

Slow Cooker Pork Chili Verde Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Pork shoulder → boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks. Cook time may be a bit shorter, and the chili will be lighter, not as fatty. Season well because chicken needs more salt to pop.
• Tomatillos → 1 can (about 14 oz) green tomatillos or 2 cups canned diced tomatoes with a splash of lime. Saves time and still gives tang, but taste will be slightly less bright, so add a little extra lime if needed.
• Poblano peppers → 2 green bell peppers plus 1 small can diced green chiles. You lose some smokiness, but you keep volume and mild heat control, and it’s easier if poblanos aren’t available.
• Chicken broth → vegetable broth or water plus 1 tsp chicken bouillon. Vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian friendly if using tofu or beans, water plus bouillon keeps flavor without extra salt if you need to control sodium.

Pro Tips

1. Brown the pork if you can, even quick and messy searing adds way more flavor than skipping it. Don’t crowd the pan though, do it in batches so the pieces actually color up instead of steaming.

2. Taste the tomatillo sauce before you add it to the pork. Tomatillos can be wildly different—some are super tangy—so add sugar, more cilantro, or another jalapeño little by little until it feels balanced to you.

3. If you want a thicker, clingier sauce, pull out a cup before shredding and simmer it down on the stove until it’s syrupy, then stir it back in. Or just mash a few cooked tomatillos in the cooker with a spoon, works fine and saves a pan.

4. Let it rest a bit after cooking and before serving, the flavors calm down and meld while it cools. Reheating slowly the next day will often taste even better, so plan for leftovers if you can.