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The best green chile stew is loaded with bite-sized chunks of pork that are seasoned with onion and plenty of garlic. The pork is simmered in a green chile sauce until tender enough to almost fall apart when you bite it.
New Mexico Green Chile Stew
This is the ultimate comfort food.
Filled with that irresistible pork, potatoes, and roasted green chile, this stew is what I dream of when the weather starts cooling off each fall. And before any other native New Mexican can correct me, I am well aware of the ridiculousness of actually claiming the BEST NM Green Chile Stew, because technically, I do love them all.
That said, this is my family’s best green chile stew, and we love it more than all the others. Made with chunks of tender pork and potatoes, spicy hot green chile, and a savory broth that you’ll be dipping your tortillas into and scraping the bowl clean, this is it for me.
Green Chile Stew
Over the years, I’ve made Green Chile Stew with many different kinds of meat: pork, ground beef, steak, and chicken. However, this Green Chile Stew is hands-down our favorite.
Not that I won’t happily try YOUR green chile stew recipe if you send it to me! I don’t discriminate between green chile recipes. We love adding green chile to our enchiladas, burritos, tacos, soups, and scrambled egg skillets. If the dish includes green chile, my boys will dive straight into it.
I am a transplanted New Mexican now living in Oregon. This recipe is exactly what I remembered getting at a restaurant in downtown ABQ. So delicious! 👍
Green Chile Pork Stew
I’ve had so many requests for a slow-cooker version of this recipe, I finally played with it the other day. And I’m oh so happy to tell you that it worked beautifully.
You don’t even need to brown the meat! Just toss every ingredient into the crock-pot all at once and cover it with the lid. Simmer on HIGH for 6 hours. When the potatoes are fork-tender and the pork is tender enough to pull apart, it’s ready to eat!
This is my kind of recipe for sure, and it is easy as can be whether you make it on the stove or in the crock-pot! This native New Mexican happily eats her green chile with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Packed with so much flavor and hearty chunks of potatoes and pork, this is a simple winter meal that our entire family enjoys. There is more flavor from all of the chile in this recipe than there is actual heat.
My boys all began eating this green chile stew when they were barely on solid foods. We’re big fans of starting the green chile addiction early in life around here.
Chili vs Chile
Is it chili or chile? In the end, it doesn’t really matter, as it’s all going to be delicious. Depending on where you live or happen to be at this moment, both words can be used to refer to a type of pepper, usually a hot one.
However, in New Mexico, chili typically is used when referring to a type of dish, like this steak chili or creamy chicken chili. And chile is used when referring to dishes that contain a good amount of chile peppers in the recipe.
Dishes made with green or red chile peppers are often named with chile in the recipe name. Foods like this Green Chile Stew are made with loads of green chile peppers, meat, and potatoes or beans. This is a stew, not a traditional chili recipe, so we call it a green chile stew, to recognize the chile in the recipe.
Pork Green Chile Recipe
If you’re new to cooking with chile or leery of the heat, I recommend starting with a mild green chile. In some grocery stores, you may be lucky enough to find frozen chile in the freezer section of the grocery store.
If frozen isn’t available, you should be able to find canned green chile in different levels of heat in most grocery stores. You can substitute salsa verde for the green chile sauce if you’re unable to find green enchilada sauce in your store.
Several years ago, I tried making this with sweet potatoes and my family went crazy over it. My favorite version is still the traditional stew made with white potatoes, but it is really great both ways. However you make it, this soup is fantastic.
Crock-Pot Green Chile Stew
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Green Chile Stew Recipe
To make the stew on the stovetop: Combine the pork, flour, pepper, and garlic powder in a gallon-size Ziploc bag and shake well to coat. Saute the garlic and onion with a bit of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and then add the flour-coated pork.
Cook the pork until browned, and then add the green chile, green chile sauce, stock, and salt. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Then, add the potatoes and simmer again, until the potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 15 minutes.
It gets even easier when you make the stew in a slow-cooker: Combine the pork, flour, pepper and garlic powder in a gallon-size Ziploc bag. Shake to coat thoroughly and then add the dusted pork to the crock-pot. Add the potatoes, chiles, green chile sauce, stock, and salt. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 6 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the pork can be pulled apart.
Green Chile Recipes
Do you like green chile? Do you like chicken pot pie? Do flaky buttery cheesy biscuits make you grin? If so, this spicy chicken pot pie casserole is going to make you very happy.
Crispy-edged green chile chicken burritos full of cheesy goodness are an easy-to-assemble mealtime hit, full of green chile flavor. Green chile waffles with cheddar and bacon are the latest cheesy waffle deliciousness to hit our table. If you’ve been hanging out with me here for long, you likely know just how big my weakness is for savory waffles.
Green chile carnitas are the perfect combination of two of my favorite savory things. It’s tough to find a combo that beats pork and green chile in my mind. Carnitas are cooked until melt in your mouth tender; then roasted at high temperature until the edges caramelize.
New Mexico Recipes
For some more New Mexico favorites that you might like to try these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Calabacitas, and New Mexico Posole. These recipes are classic. And if you haven’t tried it yet, Carne en su Jugo (a.k.a. Meat in its Juices) is another dinner that my family really enjoys.
Cheesy green chile and bacon biscuits are a terrific addition to any meal and this easy drop biscuit recipe comes together in just minutes! Flaky pie crust filled with fluffy, creamy eggs, spicy green chile, and cheese adds up to a delicious green chile quiche for any day of the week.
Green chile guacamole is spicy with green chile, tangy with lime, and kept fresh with cilantro and spices. This guacamole is a favorite snack on game day or any day of the week.
The Best Green Chile Stew
Ingredients
- 1-2 pounds pork stew meat or pork shoulder chopped into ½” pieces
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion chopped into 1/2 “ pieces
- 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 7 ounces chopped green chile about 3/4 cup worth (frozen works fine)
- 28 ounces green chile enchilada sauce about 3½ cups worth
- 3 cups chicken stock or water, plus 1 tablespoon chicken base
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- 4 cups diced potatoes about 2 large potatoes
Instructions
- Combine the pork, flour, pepper and garlic powder in a gallon size Ziploc bag. Shake to coat thoroughly and then set aside.
- In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the fresh garlic and onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add the dusted pork and cook until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add the chiles, enchilada sauce, stock and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and raise heat to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally posted 1/4/2012 – recipe notes and photos updated 9/29/25}
I accidentally purchased beef tips and wondering what this would taste like with beef. I know with pork it’s absolutely delicious.
I’m thinking that would work fine. You may or may not need the same cooking time, so I’d just keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
Made this before the last cold spell blew in!!
I made it with beef stew meet and it was so yummy. I didn’t have any pork in the house. My husband ate it for lunch everyday. Next week I will make it with pork. Thanks you
This turned out so great!!!! The only small change I made was that I cut the chicken stock to 2 cups, and added 1 cup of an amber beer. I used the beer to deglaze the pan after browning the pork and it was amazing!!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Absolutely delicious!! I doubled the recipe using both green enchilada sauce and green salsa! I will definitely make it again!!
I’m glad it was a hit, Debbie.
Do you know how to convert this to insta pot? We love, love, love this recipe.
Chris Ann – I have not tried to convert this to insta pot but I don’t see why you couldn’t.
I think I know. I don’t know what kinda instapot you have but first you brown the meat you’re using with the 1/2 onion and 3 cloves garlic then you just add the rest of the ingredients and set your thing to stew. If you don’t have that, put your instapot cooker on for 32 minutes and then wait.
I made mine more Mexican style than you did. I used all of the Mexican spices, Hatch green chilies roasted and peeled and Cilantro. I have served it with Homemade Mexican Cornbread or Homemade Flour Tortillas. But we all loved it year round….
Donna – That sounds delicious.
So good! I been making this recipe regularly. Slight tweaks – I like to brown the meat first and then I pull them out. I then use the juices to cook the vegetables. I have also tried ground pork and even ground turkey.
I’m glad you like stew, Nathan!
Question: I have some leftover Boston butt that I want to use. If I use this in your stew recipe in crockpot, how long would you recommend cooking it to get flavor and potatoes done?
Terra – since your pork is already thoroughly cooked you won’t get quite as much flavor imparted, but it will still be delicious. I would suggest 4-5 hours in the slow cooker. But check your potatoes and adjust the time accordingly as you cook.
This old New Mexico boy found some hatch green chiles at a San Deigo market that were already roasted. I just peeled them, and diced them, but used bone-in pork chops that were on sale, chopped them up into 1/2 inch pieces and followed the recipe from there, but added the pork chop bones for more flavor. You wouldn’t believe how delicious it is! All for less than $20 Thank you Mary.
Roccco – Not living in the southwest anymore I do miss how easy hatch chiles can be to find down there. Your stew sounds delicious.
Saw this while looking for recipes. Lucky me! I am no stranger to chiles and roasting my own. Fun once or twice but I use pre chopped now. The flavor in the end product is……wow! I think one reason for this was using the salsa verde. Made my own once but again…..Ha! With the success of this recipe and will be cruising through more of yours! Will let you know which ones I try. Thx so much!
A fellow chile lover, welcome to my cooking blog. Look around and stay a while, I would love to hear what else you try, Jeff.
Can’t wait to try it. Do you have a brand recommendation on the green Chile sauce/salsa?
Also, would love to double and freeze- have you ever tried freezing it?
Thanks!
Mona – Not necessarily any favorites when it comes to Green chile. I would just use what is in your local store. As for freezing it should freeze just fine for you. Enjoy!
I’m getting all my ingredients together and I was wondering can left overs be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze the leftovers, Debbie.
Did the crockpot method with 16oz Herdez chili verde and 12 oz (almost whole can) of green chili enchilada sauce. I also threw in the whole onion instead of half. Chefs kiss.
A fellow Green Chile lover! I am so happy you enjoyed this stew, Rachel.
This is my favorite recipe!!! I smoke a pork loin first and then vacuum seal it overnight. The next day I follow the recipe and put it in the Instapot. The Smokey flavor from the pork loin makes this recipe out of this world!
That sounds amazing, Julie.
Great recipe, glad to not see cumin or tomatoes in this. Luckily I live in Albuquerque and was able to find green chile enchilada sauce from a local restaurant on the shelve without cumin. Never tried it before and liked it better than more broth or just water. I omitted the black pepper. Not necessary and alters the flavor. I cheat with white pepper when the green chiles are not hot enough. That’s rare though. Pork is best, but beef works great too. Thanks for a pretty authentic recipe.
Looks delicious. How about an Instant Pot version?
I have not tested it in the Instant Pot but I am sure you could, Sigrid.
Delicious! I made 2 small changes – I used frozen fresh roasted Hatch chilis instead of canned and I added some Hatch green chili powder.
I prepared 2 batches in a crock pot and it filled right to the top. Really liked the corn starch option for those who are gluten free.
The consistancy is perfect. I used pork tenderloin which was very tender and very lean. I will continue to use that in the future.
Finally, a green chili stew that reminds me of my days living in New Mexico.
I love that a fellow former New Mexico resident like me loves this Green Chile Stew. It really does taste like home. Thank you for making my day, Laura.
I have enjoyed every recipe I’ve tried so far. I do believe the Green Chile Stew will be next.
Good choice, Tom. I think you will enjoy it a great deal.
Sounds great, I’m making this tomorrow. Of course I’ve made it before in my head but I love experimenting and making things even better. I need lots of color in my food(I’m Panamanian) so I add carrots and Mexican squash to mine plus shredded cabbage as a topping when I serve
Those are fantastic additions, Brunilda.
This Steve was ready to make and the whole family loves it
That is awesome to hear, Joyce.