Make Restaurant-Worthy Chili Verde With One Simple Extra Step

Chili verde is a traditional Mexican dish typically made with either pork or chicken stewed in a green chili sauce. Most recipes start with green chiles, tomatillos, limes, cilantro and garlic. Now, green chiles are widely available in canned versions, and, in a pinch, these work fine. You can even buy canned chili verde sauce ready-made. However, we asked decorated chef and restaurateur Marc Marrone if he had any tips for making a restaurant-quality chili verde to bring our cooking to the next level, and he recommends against this. "In place of canned chili verde, roast fresh tomatillos and puree them with chilies and garlic for a fresh, homemade sauce," Marrone said.

This tip is great for a few reasons. One, roasting the tomatillos unlocks a sweet flavor by caramelizing the sugars in the small, savory fruit. Two, it leaves room for some customization to your tastes and preferences. And three, it's super simple and doesn't turn a one-step task into an eight-step task. Roast or broil your tomatillos in the oven until they get soft and charred, then plop in the blender with your favorite hot peppers (serranos for an extra kick, or jalapeños for something a little more mild) and some garlic. You can also roast your tomatillos on the stove top with a cast iron grill pan, or on the actual grill for some added smoky flavor. 

If you really want to lean into the smoky, roasted flavor of charring your tomatillos before putting them in your chili verde sauce, go ahead and throw all of your veggies on the roasting pan too. The garlic, onions, poblanos, and any other peppers being used in your sauce will also develop great flavors once they're charred. You can also stop the process once everything is blended and use the sauce as a salsa verde because the ingredients are almost identical. A good salsa verde adds a symphony of flavors to any dish it's paired with whether it's a simple dip for chips, a topping for tacos, or a stewing sauce for delicious and tender chicken or pork.

Another way to ensure you've got the best pork chili verde is to pick the right cut of meat. Typically, pork shoulder works well because it has a high-fat content that renders beautifully in a recipe that calls for a long and slow roasting time. Pork loin is another great option for chili verde. Once you've made your chili verde, serve alongside homemade corn tortillas, some bright and herby green rice, and a spread of accouterments like cilantro, onions, avocado, crema, Cotija cheese, and curtido. Then, round out the meal and wash it all down with a funky tomatillo and tequila cocktail.