Chili Verde is a style of chili traditionally made with white beans, tomatillos, onions, garlic, jalapeno, or serrano peppers. Verde (the color green) lets you know the sauce is not tomato-based; instead, it uses the ingredients I’ve mentioned along with a lot of bold spices.

You could also add your choice of protein, like ground chicken, pork, or turkey, to this dish. Today, I’m using braised pork in my Chili Verde. This is my Homemade Mexican Chili Verde.

Mexican chocolate, as seen below, is used as a spice in traditional chili recipes. This chocolate adds depth of flavor to this dish.

The tomatillo, which is not related to the tomato, instead belongs to the gooseberry family and comes in its natural wrapping.

I have a great tip for removing corn kernels from their cob, and that’s to use a bundt pan. This way, the corn won’t fly off in every direction.

Using the leftover Chili Verde to create a pie was a perfect idea. Garnished with a few slices of avocado, my Chili Verde Pie turned out to be a home run.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours 50 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 5 minutes
Yields: 6 to 8 servings (pot of Chili Verde)
Equipment: 2 (6-quart) Dutch oven pots, 1 (10-cup) food processor, 1 rimmed baking sheet pan, large mixing bowl, medium-sized mixing bowl, chef’s knife, indoor grill pan, bundt pan, pastry brush, non-stick cooking spray, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, kitchen twine

Ingredients For The Braised Pork Loin:
1 (3-pound) pork loin, tied
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of Canola oil (used for grilling corn)
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1 tablespoon of ground chipotle powder
1 tablespoon of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
3 cups of chicken stock, unsalted
3 cups of orange juice, no pulp
6 sprigs of cilantro
2  fresh bay leaves, substitute dried ones
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and halved
1 whole jalapeno

Ingredients for the Chili Verde:
1/2 cup of olive oil plus 7 tablespoons
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds
1 tablespoon of ground cumin
2 tablespoons of ground coriander
8 tomatillos, peeled, rinsed, and quartered
4 large Spanish white onions, 2 quartered, 1 diced, 1 roasted
1 whole bulb of garlic, roasted, divided
4 Poblano peppers, roasted
4 tablespoons of lime juice, appox 2 limes
3 1/4 cups of chicken stock, unsalted
3 cups of orange juice, no pulp
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (substitute serrano pepper)
1 cup of cilantro leaves plus 5 sprigs of cilantro (including their stems)
2 fresh bay leaves, substitute dried ones
2 1/2 tablespoons of Kosher salt
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of Mexican chocolate, freshly-grated
2 tablespoons of Agave nectar
2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1 lime
2 (15.5-ounce) cans of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups of shelled Edamame, optional
4 corn on the cob, grilled and kernels removed
1 cup of braised pork cooking liquid, reserve 1/2 a cup for *slurry
2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch

Garnishes and Toppings:
Crunchy tortilla strips
Cheddar cheese, freshly grated
Queso Fresco, crumbled
Red onion, finely diced
Lime wedges
Cilantro

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Start by spraying both sides of the corn tortillas with non-stick cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on top of each other, slicing them into strips. Divide the strips in half, giving you two equal portions. Arrange the tortilla strips into a single layer on each baking sheet. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the tortilla strips to cool for 15 minutes before placing them into a large resealable bag.

Adjust the oven temperature to 425°F.
Directions For Roasting The Vegetables:
To start, slice a whole garlic bulb in half crosswise. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper to taste. Wrap tightly with foil. Place the poblano peppers, the halved onion, and the foil-wrapped garlic bulb on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 1/2 cup of olive oil over the poblanos and onion halves. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

In the meantime, seed and dice 1 green bell pepper, dice the onion, quarter the tomatillos, and seed and mince the 2 jalapeno peppers. Place the vegetables on a large platter and set aside. Shuck corn and remove the silk. Set aside.

Transfer the Poblano peppers to a large mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and steam for 15 minutes. Next, carefully unwrap the roasted garlic, allowing it to cool along with the onion halves.

Take 1/2 the roasted garlic bulb, and squeeze the bulb until the roasted garlic slides out from the skins. Dice the roasted garlic, and transfer it to the plate containing the diced green bell pepper and onion.

Moving forward, using your hands, peel the skin off the Poblano peppers. Cut the tops off, then remove and discard the seeds. Into the food processor, fitted with the metal blade, add the roasted poblanos, the remaining half of the roasted garlic cloves, lime juice, and both the roasted onion halves. Next, add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 cup of chicken stock. Pulse until the mixture comes together in a thick consistency. Refer to the picture above. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.

This beautifully roasted poblano-garlic flavored purée is going to bring this chili up to a level of perfection.

Heat the indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush each one of the corn with Canola oil. Arrange the cobs on the grill pan, turning them every 2 minutes or until they begin to char, around 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Using a bundt pan, remove the kernels. Set aside.

Adjust the oven temperature to 350° F.
Instructions For Braising The Pork Loin:
Start by adding the spices to a large mixing bowl for the pork loin. Add ground cumin, coriander, dried Chipotle powder, brown sugar, Kosher salt, garlic powder, and fresh ground black pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and mix to form a paste. Cover the pork loin with the spice rub, and transfer it to a large plate. Set aside.

In the bottom of a large Dutch oven, add the quartered onions, 3 cups of chicken broth, orange juice, 5 tied sprigs of cilantro, 2 bay leaves, and 1 whole jalapeno. Arrange the spice-rubbed pork loin on top. You want to make sure the liquid comes up the sides of the pork without covering the meat. If needed, adjust the liquid by adding water.

Over medium-high heat, bring up to a boil, reduce the heat, and allow the liquid in the pot to be at a simmer. Place the lid on, transfer to the oven, and cook for 5 hours.

Halfway into the cooking process, flip the pork loin and continue cooking. After the pork has finished braising, transfer the pot to the top of the stove. Carefully remove the pork loin to a cutting board. Discard the string. Cut the pork into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In another Dutch oven, over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. To the oil, add 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon of ground cumin, and 2 tablespoons of ground coriander, stir to combine. Stirring frequently, cook for 1 minute, allowing the spices to *bloom or until you smell their aroma.

To the pot, add the diced green bell peppers, onions, minced jalapenos, and roasted garlic, and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft. Add the freshly grated Mexican chocolate, lime juice, and Agave nectar and stir to combine. Finish by adding the poblano purée and tomatillos, again stir to combine.

Now it’s time for the liquid. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the onions, bay leaves, and jalapeno. They’ve done their work-reserve 1/2 cup of the braising liquid in a small bowl and set aside. I’ll explain in a minute. The rest of the liquid is going into the chili.

At this point, add the corn, Cannelini beans, and Edamame (optional) to the pot.

To the pot containing the vegetables, add the shredded pork and all the braising liquid. You want the liquid to come up to about 2 inches from the top. If needed, add a little chicken stock. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.

The liquid will reduce and the chili will thicken some, but not enough. Here’s what I do. After 45 minutes, taste for seasoning. Add Kosher salt and pepper if needed. In the bowl containing the reserved braising liquid, add the cornstarch, mix until smooth and paste-like.

Add the *slurry to the chili. Allow the chili to come back up to a bubble and cook for another 15 minutes.

Best served hot!

The best part is the toppings. I chose to make some crunchy tortilla strips, cheddar, Queso Fresco cheese, avocado slices, and lime wedges.

I’m wondering if you can #tastethelove that went into making this dish.

There you have it, my Homemade Mexican Chili Verde.

Leftover Chili Verde
Yields: 6 servings per pie (yields 2 pies)

How can you reinvent leftover Chili Verde into something a little different?  Dishes like this are always better the next day because the flavors marry together, which causes magical things to happen. I spent a lot of time making this dish, so I thought I’d turn my chili into Chili Verde Pies. I happen to have pie dough in the refrigerator. To get my recipe for Homemade Pie Crust, click the link below.

I took two of my pie dishes and placed 1 pie crust into the bottom of each pie plate. Then I brushed the bottom pie-crust dough with beaten egg whites. This helps to prevent that raw, mushy-like bottom dough taste. The egg whites form a barrier between the filling and the crust. Cool right?

Using a slotted spoon to separate as much of the liquid as possible, I filled both the pies with half the chili, sprinkled shredded cheddar, and the Queso Fresco on top of each pie. Placed the remaining two pie crusts on top of each pie, crimped the edges, brushed them with an egg wash, and cooked them according to the directions on the pie crust box.

There you have it, my Homemade Mexican Chili Verde Pie.

Notes:
1) *Bloom:  The process of cooking spices in oil, allowing them to release their essential oils.

2) *Slurry:   A thickening mixture that is made up of cold liquid with cornstarch. It’s used as a thickening agent.

3) The Homemade Chili Verde Nutritional Chart does not include garnishes or toppings.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/09/04/conquering-the-crust/