Chili Verde Recipe

I love chili. Pretty much any chili. And this one is no exception. Cilantro, spices, pork tenderloin. Did I mention cilantro? It is an acquired taste, I think, but now that I have acquired the taste, I love cilantro. Anyway this chili hit the spot on a cold rainy night with homemade tortillas prepared by my sweetie.

Chili Verde

4-5 Small Tomatillos
2 Mild Peppers (I prefer Anaheims for this recipe, but all they had at the market this time was poblanos, so I used those instead with delicious results.)
2 Hot Peppers, Jalapeno or Serrano
A Few Handfuls of Fresh Cilantro
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Pork Tenderloin 1-1/2 lbs
1/2 Cup or so Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
4 tsp Canola Oil, Divided
1 Onion, Diced
1 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Mexican Oregano
2 Cups Broth (Veggie or Chicken)


Remove the papery skin from the tomatillos and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet along with the mild and hot peppers. Roast the tomatillos and peppers under the broiler or in a hot oven, turning often, until beginning to blacken and char on all sides, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, cut the pork into about 1/2 inch dice. Combine the flour, salt, onion and garlic powders in a shallow bowl. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Dredge the pork in the flour mixture and cook, in batches if necessary, until nicely browned, about 5-8 minutes per batch. Remove the pork to a plate or a bowl.

When the vegetables are charred, remove from the oven. Seal the mild peppers in a bag for about 10 minutes. Put the tomatillos in a food processor and process until smooth, then remove to a small bowl. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the skins, seeds and membranes, and place them in the food processor along with the cloves of garlic, hot peppers (remove seeds for a milder chili) and cilantro. Process to form a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sautee until just beginning to brown, then add in the cumin and oregano. Cook for about one minute. Add the pork, tomatillos, and cilantro puree. Stir to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the broth and simmer the chili for at least 45 minutes.