Instant Pot Chile Verde is everything you dreamed of in classic chile verde in a fraction of the usual cooking time! If you’ve stayed away from making homemade chile verde because you don’t have 8 hours to tend the slow cooker, this recipe is for you! Tender fall-apart pork is the center of this Instant Pot Chile Verde recipe.

Don’t Forget Your Instant Pot

Instant Pot became the rage ten years ago. Once we tried it, we knew we’d be using it for years. Don’t forget how convenient it is! Although your Instant Pot doesn’t really cook in an “instant,” turn it on and let it cook your meal – and it will stay warm until you return.

Instant Pot Chile Verde ingredients

Chile Verde Ingredients

Pork loin, sirloin roast, or pork shoulder – take your pick! The Instant Pot makes even leaner cuts wonderfully fork tender. When using an Instant Pot for this recipe, we allow the pressure to release naturally, which helps create the tender, pull-apart texture that’s perfect for this recipe. 

Peppers, chiles, and tomatillos that are roasted in the oven or on a grill bring out more flavor. In a pinch, canned chiles and tomatillos may be used. 

Onion and garlic add depth, savory flavor, and aroma.

Sea salt, pepper, olive oil, and lime juice give the pork and chiles a flavor boost.  

Broth and flour create a rich sauce that bring together the meat and chiles.

Chile verde over rice
also tastes great with chips –
or on a tortilla!

Does this recipe work for special diets and picky eaters?

Chile verde is easy to customize, making it a great meal for families with different tastes and dietary needs. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free flour and serve chile verde over rice or tortilla chips. For a lighter meal, serve it over lettuce as a salad bowl or spoon it onto a warm tortilla for a heartier meal.

Instant Pot Chile Verde

Set out a variety of toppings and let everyone build their own bowl. Rice, shredded lettuce, tortillas, and tortilla chips make great bases, while cheese, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, salsa, crispy tortilla strips, and fresh lime wedges let everyone make it just the way they like it.

using fresh garlic? here’s an easy way to peel garlic cloves

Peeling garlic is a cinch if you know how. First, separate the cloves you need and cut off the hard end of each clove. Place the flat side of a chef’s knife over the garlic and press the knife with the heel of your hand to crush the clove. Lift the knife and easily peel away the papery skin. Chop garlic as needed. 

how to successfully roast chile verde veggies

Roasting peppers, chiles, and tomatillos create a rich, smoky flavor that’s hard to beat – and it’s simple! Cut vegetables in half lengthwise and place face down on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Remove seeds from chiles to reduce heat level. Place under the broiler on the second rack. Watch carefully for the skin to char. Remove from the oven, cool, and chop. Or place cut vegetables on the grill over high heat and cook, turning occasionally, until blistered and charred. 

Instant Pot Chile Verde
Build it aNY WAY YOU LIKE IT!

How to make fresh tortilla strips

Tortilla strips add a salty, crunchy dimension to your chile verde meal. Cut a few tortillas into ¼-inch strips. Heat ¼-inch of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, stir fry a handful of strips in batches until lightly browned. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while still warm. Tortilla strips can be cooked up to three days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Instant Pot Chile Verde is one of many Instant Pot recipes we love at ABK. Here are a few more: Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Instant Pot Tomato Soup, and Easy Instant Pot Turkey Breast.

Originally published March 2017, updated with new content and photos

Instant Pot Chile Verde

4 from 7 votes
Print Pin
Author: Si Foster
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Instant Pot Chile Verde has all the flavor of classic chile verde in a fraction of the cooking time! Tender fall-apart pork is the center of this Instant Pot Chile Verde recipe.

Ingredients 

  • 3-3.5 pounds pork loin, sirloin roast, or pork shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • juice of one lime
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 onion, white, yellow, or sweet, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 7 Anaheim peppers, (about 3 cups chopped) or 3 7-ounce cans green chiles
  • 1-2 jalapeños
  • 5-6 tomatillos, husked (a little larger than golf ball size)
  • 1 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable broth

Serve with:

  • tortilla chips, rice, tortillas, shredded lettuce, olives, cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocados, tomatoes, tortilla strips, lime wedges

Instructions

  • Position the oven rack in the second highest position and turn the oven to broil.
  • Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking oil or line with parchment paper. Wash the Anaheim peppers, jalapeños, and tomatillos. Slice each in half and remove stems. Remove the seeds from the jalapeño and Anaheim chiles. Discard the seeds for a milder chile verde or leave some in for more heat. Do not seed the tomatillos.
  • Place the Anaheim peppers, jalapeños, and tomatillos cut side down on the baking sheet. Broil for about 7-10 minutes or until browned. Remove and let cool.
  • Chop onion and garlic.
  • Chop the roasted veggies and set aside with the onion and garlic.
  • Place the Instant Pot on a sturdy surface away from cabinets, where steam can safely vent.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to the "sauté" mode and let it heat up.
  • When the Instant Pot is heated, pour the oil into the pot. Brown the meat in two batches, removing the first batch to a plate after browning. While the meat is cooking, season with salt and pepper.
  • After the second batch of meat is browned, add the first batch of browned meat back into the pan. Squeeze the lime juice over all of the meat and mix with a large spoon. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and continue cooking until all of the flour disappears and the meat is coated with flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes on high. Do not place the lid on the pot yet.
  • Dump all of the chopped peppers, onion, and garlic into the Instant Pot with the meat mixture. Pour in broth.
  • Make sure the pressure release valve is turned to the "seal" position and the sealing ring is properly placed inside of the lid. Place the lid on the pot and turn the lid to the "closed" position.
  • Push the "meat/stew" button or hit "manual" and use the "+" button to add 35 minutes to the timer. Release the button and the Instant Pot will automatically start.
  • After cooking and the timer goes off, let the chile verde sit in the Instant Pot for (at least) an additional 20 minutes, until the pressure has reduced and the pot has cooled down a bit. I like to let it sit for about 30 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure/steam. If you do not manually vent the pot, it will automatically turn to the "keep warm" mode for 10 hours.
  • Use a potato masher to break the meat into smaller pieces and incorporate into the sauce, if desired.
  • Serve with any of the following: tortilla chips, rice, tortillas, shredded lettuce, olives, cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocados, tomatoes, tortilla strips, lime wedges.

Notes

See post for broiling tips, garlic tips, and how to make tortilla strips! 
Choose any or all of these 3 time-saving tips: Skip roasting the peppers and simply chop and add to the pot. Brown the meat in one batch. Use canned chiles, jalapeños, and tomatillos – but fresh is always best if you have an extra 15 minutes!

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to leave a comment and rate this recipe! I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!