Smoky, tangy, and packed with protein, this lighter chile verde uses charred tomatillos, roasted poblanos, and lean pork tenderloin for a high-protein, lower-fat option that's perfect for meal prep without sacrificing comfort or flavor. It's perfect to make on a Sunday and use in a variety of dishes throughout the week, because the longer it sits, the better it gets. Try using it in some tacos or Sheet Pan Nachos.
Traditional chile verde is one of my favorite comfort foods, but it's often made with pork shoulder and can be quite rich. This lighter version uses lean pork tenderloin simmered in a smoky roasted tomatillo sauce packed with poblano peppers, jalapeños, garlic, and onion. The result is all the bold flavor of classic chile verde with less fat.
What I love most about this recipe is its versatility. Serve it next to some rice and beans, make some tacos or enchiladas, pile it onto nachos, or build healthy burrito bowls throughout the week. It's a great meal prep recipe that tastes even better the next day.
If you love breakfast food, you can even try a Verde Eggs Benedict.
So, what is Chile Verde?
Chile verde, which translates to "green chili," is a classic Mexican dish made with pork simmered in a tangy green sauce of tomatillos and green chiles. Unlike red chile-based stews, chile verde gets its signature color and bright flavor from roasted tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, garlic, and onion.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork Tenderloin: This is my favorite cut to use for this dish. It turns out nice and tender with no funky fat chunks. I prefer to add them to the slow cooker while they are frozen. It turns out tender without getting overcooked, like it can when defrosted.
- Tomatillos: Tomatillos have a fresh, slightly citrusy flavor with a touch of tartness. When roasted, they become sweeter and develop a deeper, almost jammy flavor while still keeping a nice tang. Before using them, peel away the husks and give them a good rinse. The fruit underneath will feel a little sticky (completely normal).
- Poblano Peppers: Are a mild pepper with a rich roasted flavor. Classic for this dish.
- Jalapeños: Adjust the heat level to your preference. I used four and kept all the seeds to give my sauce a little kick. If you're not into spicy foods, you can use 1-2 jalapenos and remove the seeds and membranes after they are roasted to reduce the spice level. If you like more spice, consider adding a serrano pepper to the mix.
- Green Onions: Cilantro is classically used in this dish; I use green onions, but you can use cilantro instead.
- Mexican Oregano: Different from Mediterranean oregano and worth seeking out if you have a local Mexican store. It's not related to Greek or Italian oregano and is in the lemon verbena family, so it has more floral/citrusy flavors. If you can't find it, you can use regular oregano instead.
- Chili powder: I use this instead of the classic cumin. It adds more depth and flavor to make up for the lack of fat.
- Chicken Bouillon: Add depth and richness to the sauce, and it is classic in Mexican cooking.
- Lime Juice: Helps to brighten flavors in the sauce.
- Bay Leaves: Add some deep, earthy notes.
How to Make This Chile Verde (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Roast the Vegetables
One of the things that makes this so good is the charred vegetables. You can char them on a skillet or under the broiler. Take your time here, flipping and moving the veggies around as they begin to char. A little care and effort at this point will pay off with great rewards for the finished product.
I like to make sure the poblanos are charred up first so they can steam while the rest of the veggies get nice and dark.
Step 2: Peel the Poblano Peppers
Add the charred poblanos to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. This allows the peppers to steam, making it easy to remove the tough, papery skin from the flesh. Removing the papery skin and the seeds from the poblanos will prevent tough, bitter bites in the final sauce.
Step 3: Blend the Verde Sauce
Add all the verde ingredients to a blender and blend for a few seconds until just lightly chunky. Taste and adjust seasonings in the sauce as needed.
Step 4: Slow Cook the Pork
Then add to your slow cooker, nestle in the pork tenderloin seasoned with salt and pepper, and add the bay leaves.
Cover and cook for 6 hours on low.
Step 5: Chop the Tenderloin & Finish the Sauce
Once the tenderloin is done and tender, pull it out and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then shred or cut it into large bite-sized chunks and add it back to the sauce.
Then it's ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I highly recommend using frozen pork tenderloin. The result is a more tender, succulent result. Make sure you cook it on low heat, or it may get tough.
It's best to peel the poblanos after roasting. The skin is papery and tough, and won't fully blend, so you'll be left with chunks of skin in your sauce.
It depends. You can easily control the spice level by adding more or fewer jalapenos. If you don't like spice, use one jalapeno and remove the seed and membrane. If you like it spicier, you can replace one or two of the jalapenos with serrano peppers.
Yes! I recommend making this ahead. Just like soup and salad dressings, the flavors will meld and deepen when it's made in advance.
More Healthy Comfort Food Recipes
- Healthy Taco Bowls
- Chile Verde Sheet Pan Nachos
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Everything Bagel Pork Tenderloin
- Italian Chopped Salad
Recipe
Healthier Slow Cooker Chile Verde
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*Easily adjust serving size to your liking by clicking the number under servings or with the boxes below in the ingredients section.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds tomatillos husked and rinsed
- 3 poblano peppers
- 2 - 4 jalapeños I used 4 for more spice
- 1 large white onion quartered
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 cups water
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Pork
- 2 pork tenderloins about 2½ pounds total, preferably frozen, see note
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Char the Vegetables: Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeños, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan. Broil for 8-12 minutes, turning and removing them as needed, until the vegetables are softened and deeply charred in spots. Remove the stems from the jalapeños (and seeds for a milder sauce).Char the poblanos first so they can steam while everything else cooks.
- Steam and Peel the Poblanos: Transfer the charred poblano peppers to a heatproof bowl and immediately cover tightly with plastic wrap or a plate. Let the peppers steam for 10 minutes.Once cool enough to handle, use your fingers or the back of a knife to gently rub off and discard the loose, papery skin. Cut off the stems, slice the peppers open, and scrape out the seeds and membranes.
- Blend the Sauce: Add the charred vegetables, water, green onions, bouillon, oregano, chili powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper to the blender. Blend until mostly smooth, about 10 seconds, it's good to keep it a little chunky here.
- Slow Cook: Pour the sauce into a slow cooker and add the bay leaf. Season the pork tenderloins with salt and pepper and nestle them into the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or until the pork is tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
- Rest and Chop the Pork: Remove the pork from the slow cooker and let it rest for 10 minutes. Dice or shred the pork into large bite-sized pieces. (about 1-2 inches).
- Finish the Chile Verde: Return the pork to the slow cooker and stir into the sauce. Remove the bay leaf and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed.
- Serve: Serve hot with your favorite toppings, over rice, alongside beans, in tacos, burrito bowls, or over some sheet pan nachos.
Notes
- If using frozen pork tenderloin, cook for about 6 hours. If using defrosted cook for 4-5 hours or until it starts to shred nicely.
- Cooking on low heat is recommended for a tender result.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- For easy meal prep, freeze in individual portions so you can thaw only what you need.
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