Welcome back to our Taste the Nation series, where we’re exploring the rich tapestry of American cuisine. Today, we are featuring the beautiful state of New Mexico, home to a dish that captures the essence of Southwestern flavor: Hatch Green Chile Pork Stew.

Tender pork, spicy Hatch chiles, and hearty potatoes are combined to create this iconic Southwestern dish. 

At the heart of this traditional green chile stew recipe, are the famous Hatch chiles. Grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico, these peppers are renowned for their distinctive taste and different levels of heat. This time of year, you can find them at most grocery stores. Sometimes they even have chile roasters out front where they will roast them for you for free.

They place the fresh chiles into the drum of the roaster and light a burner. The roaster drum tumbles the chiles past the open flame.

After roasting is complete, they cut the heat, but the drum keeps rotating. This ongoing motion helps dislodge the majority of seeds and skins from the chiles.

At this time of year, the air around our local grocery store is thick with the aroma of roasting chiles and the promise of comfort food.

I always give instructions with step-by-step photos in my posts, just in case some readers have questions. But if you are just here for the recipe, click the JUMP TO RECIPE tab under the title and it will take you directly there. You can also print the recipe card with full instructions, or you can click one of the SHARE BUTTONS and save it for later!

Let’s Gather Up The Ingredients

Organizing all of your ingredients ahead of time not only streamlines the cooking process but also ensures you have everything required to complete the dish successfully. You can find the exact amounts in the recipe card below.

• Pork Shoulder

• Hatch green chile peppers

• Vegetable oil

• Onion

• Garlic

• Chicken broth

• Fresh oregano– you can substitute dried oregano here as well.

• Kosher salt

• Black pepper

• Cumin

• Diced fire-roasted tomatoes

• Yukon gold potatoes– you could also substitute russet potatoes or red potatoes if that’s what you happen to have.

• Butter

• Flour

Now Let’s Get Cooking

We will kick things off by roasting the fresh green chiles over an open flame, a process that not only blisters the skin but also imparts a smoky depth of flavor that is essential to the stew’s character. We did ours on the gas grill, but you could also put them under your oven broiler for a similar effect.

Char the spicy green chiles and then cover them with a dishcloth or plastic bag and allow them to steam for about 20 minutes. This will make it easy to remove the skins.

Dice the peppers and set aside. 

The foundation of our green chile stew is tender chunks of pork, typically cut from pork shoulder or pork butt. We start by searing the pork cubes in a large pot or Dutch oven with a bit of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. This crucial step creates a flavorful crust that will enrich the final dish. Don’t skip this part.

Season the cubed pork with salt and pepper.

Tips for success: Brown the meat in batches. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan or the meat will steam instead of brown. We have found that we can do about half of the pork at a time.

Drizzle vegetable oil in the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring the temperature up until the oil starts to shimmer. Add half of the pork in a single layer and leave it alone.

Resist the urge to move it around. We want to create a nice sear on each side of the meat. Once golden brown, flip the pieces over.

If the pieces don’t release easily when you try to flip them, leave them alone until they do.  Brown on the other side and then remove to a plate and repeat the process with the rest of the pork, adding a little more oil if needed. 

Once the pork is nicely browned, we turn our attention to the aromatics. Diced onions and minced garlic cloves are added into the pot with the pork and sautéed until fragrant.

Add the chicken broth and spices then let simmer for about an hour. Next, add the tomatoes and the roasted, peeled, and chopped Hatch chiles.

As the ingredients simmer together over medium heat, something magical happens.

The pork slowly becomes fork-tender, absorbing the spicy, earthy flavors of the green chiles. This is where patience truly pays off – the longer the stew simmers, the more the flavors meld and intensify.

After an hour or so, we add the potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender.  

Mix the softened butter with the flour. Add to the stew and stir until it’s fully incorporated and the broth has thickened as much as you’d like. 

The result is a hearty, soul-warming bowl of green chile pork stew that showcases the best of New Mexican cuisine.

To serve, ladle the stew into bowls and garnish how you see fit. I like to keep mine simple with just a bit of chopped cilantro and a fresh squeeze of lime, but sometimes we like to add a dollop of sour cream to balance the heat.

Offer warm flour or corn tortillas on the side for dipping. For those who enjoy an extra kick, provide some additional chopped fresh chiles as a topping. A sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese, adds a creamy, tangy contrast that complements the stew beautifully.

Variations

• Use sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold. 

• Add a can of white beans instead of potatoes.

• Leave out both beans and potatoes and serve over fragrant Cilantro lime rice instead.

• If you can’t find New Mexico chiles, you could use poblano peppers in a pinch.

• This is totally untraditional, but for a change, I like to add a bit of heavy cream and a can of corn for a more chowder-like vibe.

How to Make in a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot

To make Hatch Green Chile Pork Stew in a slow cooker, you will first need to brown the meat, sauté the onions and garlic, and THEN transfer to the crock-pot. Add the remaining ingredients except for the potatoes. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. Add the potatoes during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. If you have an Instant Pot, you can brown everything directly in there. Follow the same slow cooker instructions.

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This Hatch Green Chile Stew is more than just a meal; it’s a labor of love that reflects the rich heritage and bold flavors of New Mexico. It’s a dish that varies from kitchen to kitchen, with each cook adding their own touch to this great recipe.

As you savor each spoonful, you aren’t just tasting a stew – you are experiencing the history, the land, and the passion of New Mexico. It’s a testament to how a few simple ingredients, when treated with care, can create something truly extraordinary.

Whether you’re a native New Mexican or a curious food enthusiast, I encourage you to try your hand at this traditional Hatch Green Chile Stew. It’s a delicious way to experience the unique flavors of the Southwest and appreciate the culinary treasures that make our nation’s food culture so diverse and exciting.

Join us next time as we continue our journey, tasting the nation one dish at a time!

More recipes to love

If you are enjoying my Taste the Nation series, explore more of the iconic recipes I have recreated from around the United States.

• Montana

• Alabama

• California

• Connecticut

• Rhode Island

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