Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde is an easy crock pot dinner with just 10 minutes of prep. Try making this for dinner!
With just a little prep work in the morning, this Mexican Stew Recipe is perfect for weeknights when you need dinner to be ready when you get home. When planning your dinners for the week, check out my other Slow Cooker Recipes like my Slow Cooker Ultimate Pot Roast and Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken for more main course ideas to help get dinner on the table quick after a long day.
Table of contents
- Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde Recipe
- Chef’s Note: Pork Posole vs Chile Verde
- Ingredients
- Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- How to Make
- Recipe Card
- Can This Be Made Ahead?
- Nutritional Facts
- Recipe Tips and Tricks
- How to Store
- Serving Ideas
- Instant Pot Pork Chile Verd
- Frequent Questions
- Variations
- Relate Recipes
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde Recipe
This delicious slow cooker recipe is an easy, quick way to make a traditional Mexican dish of diced pork shoulder braised with green enchilada sauce and green chiles. Instead of the oven, this version simmers low and slow in your crock pot all day until it falls apart tender. With the chunks of carrots and tomatoes, it’s hearty enough to be served like a stew or over rice, but if you can also easily shred the pork to use it in tacos, burritos, and more.
To give it extra flavor, I seared the seasoned pork shoulder on the stovetop until it was perfectly browned. The browned pork is slow-cooked with diced tomatoes, green chiles, enchilada sauce, carrots, onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano. The result is a hearty Pork Chile Verde filled with warm Southwestern flavors that I just know you and your family will love.
Chef’s Note: Pork Posole vs Chile Verde
Chile Verde has a flavor similar to Pork Posole, or Pozole Verde, which is a classic pork stew with hominy. To combine both tasty dishes, I just add a can of white hominy, drained and rinsed, to my Pork Chile Verde in the last hour of slow cooking. The soft, pillowy corn kernels soak up the flavor and make it into a more filling dish. I serve it with traditional Posole toppings like cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, avocado and diced white onion.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Pork Shoulder: This is a budget-friendly option that can be bought in bulk and can easily feed a crowd.
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil: Use your favorite oil to sear the pork shoulder like canola oil, avocado oil, olive oil, or even tallow.
- 4 ounces Diced Green Chilies: A can of diced chilies brings out more of that roasted chile flavor in the enchilada sauce.
- 10 ounces Green Enchilada Sauce: Green enchilada sauce is made of roasted green chiles, tomatillos and jalapenos, along with spices, for a tangy, spicy flavor profile.
- Vegetables: I’m using 4 Carrots and 1 diced white Onion. You can use red onion or yellow onion if you prefer.
- Seasonings: Garlic, cumin, and oregano are the perfect south-of-the-border seasoning combo for an authentic Mexican flavor.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Searing Pan: You’ll need a Dutch oven, cast iron pan, or other heavy-bottomed pot to sear the pork and brown it on all sides.
- Slow Cooker: You’ll need a standard sized slow cooker, 6-8 quarts, to cook the stew after the meat is seared.
- Sharp Knife: You’ll want a good, Sharp Knife to cut the pork into pieces.
How to Make
Time needed: 5 hours and 10 minutes.
- Season the Pork
Generously season the pork shoulder chunks with salt and pepper.
- Sear the Pork
Heat cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork and sear until well browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- (Optional: Cut Pork Shoulder)
It’s not required but after searing, you can cut the pork shoulder into smaller pieces. Either way, it will be tender enough to cut without much effort once cooked.
- Add All Ingredients to Slow Cooker
Transfer the pork roast to your slow cooker, making sure to include all the delicious browned bits and juices. Add diced tomatoes, green chiles, green enchilada sauce, carrots, onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano to the slow cooker. Stir well.
- Slow Cook
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours.
- Serve
Once the cooking time is complete, give it a stir and serve with warm tortillas and fresh cilantro garnish.
Recipe Card


Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 pounds pork shoulder , cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes , undrained
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 10 ounces green enchilada sauce
- 4 carrots , cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Season pork with salt and pepper and add to a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat with vegetable oil.
- Cook until seared on all sides until well browned, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the seared pork pieces to your slow cooker, along with the juices and as many browned bits.
- Add in the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, stir well to combine and cover.
- Cook, on low heat for 5-6 hours or until pork is fork tender.
Nutrition
Can This Be Made Ahead?
This dish is the ultimate make-ahead dish. Since it takes at least 5 hours to cook, you can prep it the morning before serving, or even the night before and let it cook even longer and get even more tender. Just be sure to place the temperature on low.
Nutritional Facts
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Brown meat before slow cooking: Make sure you sear the pork on all sides before you add it to the slow cooker, this will give it more flavor and texture.
- Cut your carrots into large chunks: If you want vegetables to maintain structure in the slow cooker cut them large enough to make sure they don’t become mush or add them later in the cooking process.
- Don’t add too much liquid: We do not add any broth to this recipe as any additional liquid would make the recipe too soupy and make the gravy too thin.
How to Store
- Store: Don’t leave out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. This recipe will stay for up to 5 days in the refrigerator if covered and sealed in an airtight container. You can reheat it either on the stovetop or microwave.
- Reheat: To reheat your Pork Chile Verde leftovers, put them in a microwave-safe dish and cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel to avoid splattering. Then heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Alternatively, transfer the leftovers to a saucepan add a splash of water or broth to prevent sticking, and heat over medium-high heat until warmed.
- Freeze: This meal is easily freezable. Simply add the chile verde to a freezer-safe storage bag or container. It’ll be good for up to 3 months.
Serving Ideas
- Drinks: This would be great with your favorite lager and a lime wedge. A classic margarita would pair very nicely with this too.
- Side Dishes: Serve with Spicy Mexican Cornbread, Spanish Rice (Mexican Rice) and/or tortilla chips and Restaurant Style Salsa for a yummy meal. Or for a more Tex-Mex fusion Roasted Carrot Fries with Tajin or seasoned with garlic and chili powder.
- Desserts: You have to try my Cinnamon Apple Enchiladas. Served with ice cream, they are filling and delicious! Or you can impress the crowd with homemade Mexican Caramel Flan.
Instant Pot Pork Chile Verde
Using an Instant Pot can significantly reduce cooking time! Start by using the sauté function to sear the pork directly in the Instant Pot, or you can do it on the stovetop on a cast iron skillet. Once seared, add all the remaining ingredients. Secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before performing a quick release.
Frequent Questions
You can use salsa verde (green salsa) as a substitute. It offers a similar tangy flavor profile.
Yes, pork butt is a good alternative to pork shoulder since both cuts become tender and flavorful when slow-cooked.
There’s no need to add any liquid to the pot because once it’s covered the pork will create its own water and steam.
Variations
- Meat: You can substitute with boneless pork shoulder or boneless pork loin but I would recommend browning it for a few minutes on each side before placing it into the slow cooker for 6-8 hours. Shred when ready to serve.
- Veggies and Beans: To bulk up the dish, add filling ingredients like hominy, corn, or canned beans, to make it more like a chili than a classic shredded pork filling dish. You could also swap out the carrots for sweet potatoes or Yukon potatoes for a heartier stew.
- Garnish: Add your favorite toppings, like avocado, radishes, or diced-up white onion to your shredded pork. You can even create a toppings bar for your family or guests to customize their own.
- Chicken or Beef: You can swap in chicken thighs in place of the pork, or use a chuck roast if you prefer beef.
Relate Recipes
More Mexican Inspired Slow Cooker Favorites

Photos used in previous versions of this post.




Looks & sounds delicious. Only problem I found with recipe is it’s for a slow cooker & in the directions it says use a Dutch oven. I’m using a slow cooker & I’m hoping it turns out good.
Hi Pauline! This is a typo and I appreciate you bringing this to our attention! Fixing the recipe.
This was my first recipe from Dinner then Dessert, and it was fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and it was delicious! The pork is so tender-I generally dislike pork but this recipe has made me reconsider.
Great! Thanks Jennifer!
My family loved this! I had made this not knowing what to expect and it turned out great! My husband and his family loved it when I made it for the first time. We had it over rice as well and it hit the spot.
Great! Thank you Amanda
I’m making this today with a 6 lb boneless pork shoulder roast that I am cutting into 1” cubes. The recipe calls for 5-6 hours but in the above area where you talk about the meat you say 6-8 hours. Which amount of time should I do?
I bet this makes your home smell AMAZING!! Love that you use canned enchilada sauce, so quick and easy!
It really does!
This is such a hearty, flavorful meal! Your slow cooker cooking tips are a big help too!
Glad you found them helpful, Marlynn. Thanks for the 5 stars.
This looks so delicious. I am trying your recipe with chicken for sure. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome! Enjoy!!
We had this for dinner last night and it was fantastic! So full of flavor and delicious!
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it, Jessica.
So easy to make in the slow cooker, and so flavorful! Love the spicy chiles!
So easy!!
I have a question. At the beginning of the recipe it says it is a crockpot recipe but when I read the instructions you say to put it in a dutch oven to brown and then add other ingredients and cook on low. A dutch oven is used on stove top and in oven. So my question is which way should it be cooked? Thanks.
This is a slow cooker recipe though you’ll want to brown the meat before placing it into the slow cooker to lock in the juices. If you have an aluminum insert for your slow cooker, it can all be done in that but I wasn’t sure what most people had in their kitchen and wanted to be safe and explain myself. Hope this helps clear up any confusion.
This sounds so good have to try this one also. Have been making a lot of your recipes. Thanks for the recipes.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes so much, Ilene.
Hi. This looks great. I have a center cut boneless pork roast in the freezer. Can I use that in the recipe? Thank you.
Sure 🙂