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A terracota bowl containing a pork based green chile and tomato stew with a spoon in the bowl.

Colorado Green Chili

Grace Stewart
The Colorado Green Chili appears often on lists that name the most iconic foods in Colorado.  The Green Chili is often used as a topping for another dish (a burrito for example).  Try out this recipe for Colorado Green Chili – you will not be disappointed!
3 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people
Calories 228 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb pork tenderloin cut into bite sized pieces; remove any silver skin and fat attached to the tenderloin
  • 3 4 oz cans green chilis I used Hatch Green Chilis - there is a mild or hot version - pick your favorite or combine however you like – do not drain)
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup chicken broth can sub water or chicken stock
  • 1 lg onion diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ts chicken bouillon granules you can also use a chicken bouillon cube
  • 1 ts salt to taste
  • ½ ts pepper to taste
  • 1 ts green chile powder

Optional

  • 1 ts corn starch if thicker chili is desired; can also use some fine ground corn meal

Instructions
 

  • Add olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven on medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and diced onion, and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
    Diced onion, minced garlic and olive oil in a Dutch oven.
  • Now add the pork tenderloin (which has been cut into bite sized pieces) and cook until it is no longer pink, around 5 minutes.  
    Pieces of pork tenderloin cooked until no longer pink along with diced onion and garlic in a Dutch oven.
  • Time to add your green chilis (not drained), tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, green chile powder, and chicken bouillon.  Mix well and bring to the boil on medium-high heat.
    Chicken broth, green chiles, diced Chicken broth, green chiles, diced tomatoes and onion, and pork tenderloin in a Dutch oven. Seasonings including chicken bouillon, salt and pepper, and green chile powder have been added to the top of the other ingredients.
  • Turn down to med low heat, cover and cook at a simmer for 30 minutes. At this time, check to see whether the chile is too thin or if it's how you want it to be. If it's too think you can take the cover off and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes, for a total of 45 minutes. If it looks good to you, cover and simmer another 15 minutes.
    Colorado Green Chili which is pork tenderloin pieces, diced tomatoes and green chilis in a Dutch oven, with a blue spoon with wooden handle resting in the Dutch oven.
  • If at the end of this time the chili is too thin for your liking, you can add a small amount of corn starch (which has been mixed with some cold water) to thicken.  Allow to come to the boil for a few minutes to thicken.

Notes

Here is a pro tip from a reader:  Instead of using cornstarch for thickening, you can add a handful of fine ground cornmeal and you get the flavor of corn and it's more authentic!  Thank you Cat for your pro tip!
That’s it!  Smother your burrito with this green chili, or serve over rice as we did.  Either way, this green chili is delicious, easy to make, and quite a frugal meal as well.  Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 25gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 722mgPotassium: 682mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 124IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Chili
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