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Pork Tenderloin Chili Verde with Broiled Peppers
This pork tenderloin chili verde starts with fresh jalapeños and poblanos broiled until charred and fragrant, then simmers in a salsa verde broth with Java Momma's Roast Those Veggies and Street Corn Blend — bold, layered, and on the table in about 45 minutes.
Slow-Simmered Flavor, Weeknight Timeline
- Pork tenderloin means no all-day braise required — it sears fast, simmers tender in 15 minutes, and doesn't fight the green sauce for attention.
- Broiling the peppers takes eight minutes and adds the kind of smoky depth that usually takes hours to develop any other way.
- The garnishes aren't optional decoration — queso fresco, sliced radishes, and a lime wedge are what turn a good bowl into the bowl you're thinking about the next day.
The Java Momma Twist: Two spice blends go into this chile verde — Roast Those Veggies and Street Corn Blend — and they're not decoration. Roast Those Veggies brings a smoky, savory depth that rounds out the heat from the peppers. Street Corn Blend adds a subtle warmth and a hint of that toasted corn character that you can't quite name but immediately notice is missing when it's not there. Together they do the work of three or four individual spices without you having to measure any of them.
What You'll Need
For the Pork:
- 2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Pennsylvania Pepper
- 2–3 Tbsp olive oil
For the Chile Verde Sauce:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2–3 jalapeño peppers, halved and seeds removed
- 2 poblano peppers, halved and seeds removed
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilis
- 1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde
- 1 Tbsp Roast Those Veggies
- 1 Tbsp Street Corn Blend
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 oz fresh cilantro, chopped with stems
Optional Garnishes:
- Sliced radishes, crumbled queso fresco, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, warm corn tortillas or crispy tortilla strips
How To Make It
- Broil the peppers. Preheat your oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and arrange the jalapeños and poblanos cut side down. Broil for 8 minutes, flipping the peppers halfway through. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, peel any loose skins and roughly chop.
- Sear the pork. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the pork cubes with salt and Pennsylvania Pepper. Sear in batches — don't crowd the pan — a few minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté the onions. In the same skillet, cook the onions over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Build the sauce. Stir in the chopped roasted peppers, canned green chilis, salsa verde, Roast Those Veggies, and Street Corn Blend. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant — you'll smell when it's ready.
- Simmer everything together. Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the chopped cilantro. Add the seared pork back to the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has come together.
- Serve and garnish. Portion into bowls. Top with your garnishes of choice — radishes, queso fresco, avocado, cilantro, and a good squeeze of lime. Serve with warm corn tortillas or let the bowl speak for itself.
Swaps & Permission Slips
- Want it milder? Remove every seed and membrane from the jalapeños before broiling and reduce to one pepper. The poblanos add minimal heat — they're mostly there for depth and smokiness.
- Want more heat? Leave the seeds in one jalapeño before broiling, or add a serrano pepper to the mix. The broiling process mellows the heat slightly, so you have room to push it.
- No time to broil peppers? Use an additional can of diced green chilis in place of the fresh peppers. The flavor will be lighter but still solid — and it gets dinner on the table faster.
- Want to make it ahead? This chile verde is genuinely better the next day. Make the full recipe, refrigerate covered, and reheat over medium-low with a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened.
- Prefer pork shoulder? It works here — just extend the simmer time to 1.5–2 hours until the pork is fall-apart tender. The flavor payoff is worth it if you have the time.
This pork tenderloin chili verde with broiled peppers is the kind of recipe that makes a weeknight feel like you planned something — and the leftovers the next day are, without question, even better than the first bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between chile verde and chili verde?
They're the same dish — "chile verde" is the Spanish spelling and the more traditional usage, while "chili verde" is the common Americanized spelling. Both refer to a Mexican pork stew cooked in a green sauce made from tomatillos, green chilis, and roasted peppers. Either spelling will get you to the same bowl.
Can you use pork tenderloin instead of pork shoulder for chile verde?
Yes — and for a weeknight version, pork tenderloin is actually the better call. It's leaner, cooks significantly faster, and becomes tender in a 15-minute simmer rather than the 2–3 hour braise that pork shoulder requires. The tradeoff is that shoulder becomes more fall-apart shreddy with long cooking, while tenderloin stays in cubes — both are delicious, just different textures.
How do you broil peppers for chile verde?
Halve the peppers, remove the seeds, and place them cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet under the broiler for about 8 minutes, flipping once halfway through. You're looking for the skin to blister and char in spots — that's the roasted flavor developing. Let them cool before peeling off any loose skin and roughly chopping. Don't worry about getting every bit of skin off; a little char left on is fine.
What is salsa verde and can I make it from scratch?
Salsa verde is a green sauce made primarily from tomatillos, garlic, onion, cilantro, and green chilis. A good jar of store-bought salsa verde works perfectly in this recipe and saves significant prep time — look for one with tomatillos listed as the first ingredient. If you want to make it from scratch, roast tomatillos under the broiler the same way you do the peppers and blend with cilantro, garlic, and a little onion.
How do you serve pork chili verde?
In a bowl with warm corn tortillas on the side is the classic move — use the tortillas to scoop or just dip them in the broth. The garnishes matter more than they look: sliced radishes add crunch and a peppery bite, queso fresco adds creamy saltiness, avocado softens the heat, and lime brightens the whole bowl. It also works spooned over rice, stuffed into burritos, or layered into enchiladas with leftover broth as the sauce.
