Kickin' Green Chili is the homemade version of Sam's No. 3 green chili from Denver, Colorado. Lightly thickened with a satisfying kick!
“Holy cow! This was amazing! …. Next time, I will be doubling this and getting some in the freezer because I can think of so many ways to use this recipe.”
Say hello to your new favorite chili recipe of all time — Kickin’ Green Chili!
This irresistible, Colorado-style green chili recipe was inspired by a visit to Sam’s No. 3, a near century-old diner located in the heart of downtown Denver, Colorado. Sam’s is famous for their massive menu including spicy green chili — which they sell over 60 gallons of each day!
For those of us who don’t call The Rockies home, I adapted their famous green chili recipe from diner-sized (aka 5 quarts) to a more manageable, soup-pot-sized recipe that’s gluten free and easily made in your kitchen.
You are going to LOVE THIS CHILI!!
Kickin’ Colorado Green Chili
We head west to Colorado a couple times a year and a cup of gluten free Colorado Green Chili is always on my must-eat list while we’re there. The first time I ever had it was at Sam’s No. 3, many years ago.
Green Chili is more brothy / stew-like than it’s red chili cousin, and is made with roasted green chiles, pork, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. You can of course get it by the cup or bowl, but green chili is also commonly draped over burritos, home fries and eggs, or french fries.
Translation: she’s versatile!
Seeing as how we don’t get a ton of fresh green chiles here in Iowa, I adapted Sam’s Green Chili recipe to be easily made, with readily available products, in under an hour.
While I am not calling this green chili recipe authentic, it is exceptionally delicious. Slightly velvety in texture, tomato forward, packed with melt in your mouth pork pieces, plus a little kick from the addition of both green chiles and jalapeños.
It will immediately become a cool and cold-weather favorite!
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Pin ItMain Ingredients Needed
- Pork shoulder: is a marbled cut of pork so it becomes extremely tender and doesn’t dry out while simmering in the chili. Look for sliced pork shoulder at the store which is easier to cut into bite-sized pieces then a whole shoulder roast.
- Canned green chiles: add that signature green chile flavor to the chili without having to source, roast, peel, then process green chiles. Use spicy or mild depending on your preferences. I like Hatch brand.
- Diced tomatoes and green chiles: aka Rotel. Rotel doesn’t disclose whether or not their product is gluten free, so I use Hatch brand, which is GF. If you don’t need to eat GF, Rotel is fine. Again, choose mild or hot.
- Jalapenos: provide a delicious flavor and warmth to the chili. I generally use 2 larger-sized jalapenos (the smaller the jalapeno the more spicy it is).
- Chicken stock or broth: forms the base of the chili.
- Seasonings: dried oregano, mustard powder, salt and pepper season the green chili. Seems like an odd combo but trust me, it works!
What to Serve with Green Chili
While Green Chili differs in many ways from red / tomato-based chili — it’s the same in that it loves to be served with toppings and sides. Here are some ideas:
- Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Red or green Tabasco Sauce
- Fresh or pickled jalapenos
- Dollop of sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortillas
- Cooked white rice
- Easy Pinto Beans Recipe
- Gluten Free Cornbread
- Gluten Free Flatbread
Green Chili is also great to serve on top of other dishes like breakfast burritos, french fries with lots of melted cheese on top, egg and home fry potato skillets, and baked potatoes.
Freezer Friendly Green Chili
Not only does this green chili reheat extremely well, but it’s perfect for freezing, too!
- To freeze: cool the green chili down to room temperature then scoop into a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag and freeze flat.
- To reheat: thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or place the frozen Ziplock bag full of soup in a large dish and fill with warm water. Pour the thawed chili into a soup pot then reheat over medium heat, or microwave individual-sized bowls until hot.
#1 Tip for Success
If you’ve never made green chili before then I have just one tip to keep in mind while make this recipe:
- Trust me.
That’s it, that’s the tip. Just trust me! You might be scratching your head while making this green chili recipe wondering how and if it’s going to turn out. Just get to the end and I promise you’ll fall in love!
Serve with Gluten Free Cornbread
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prep then saute the pork shoulder
Start with sliced pork shoulder, which is so much easier to slice than a whole shoulder roast.
Recipe Tip
If you can’t find sliced pork shoulder at your grocery store, take a whole pork shoulder roast to the meat counter then ask them to slice it into 1″ thick slices for you.
Cut the pork slices into small, 1″x1″ cubes to ensure they become melt-in-your-mouth-tender after simmering in the chili for just 30 minutes.
Next heat extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over heat that’s a touch below high. Once the oil is hot add the pork pieces then spread them into an even layer and let them sit undisturbed until seared on the bottoms, 1-2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper then stir the pork and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Recipe Tip
The pork will release some liquid after searing, seasoning, and stirring. That’s ok! Keep the heat between medium-high and high to cook the liquid off and ensure the pork is sizzling vs boiling.
Step 2: Add the aromatics and seasonings
Turn the heat down to medium then add chopped onion and minced jalapeno, plus salt, pepper, dried oregano flakes, and dry mustard powder. Stir to combine then saute for 5 minutes.
Add pressed or minced garlic then saute for 1 more minute.
Step 3: Add the broth, tomatoes, and chiles
Next, slowly stream in chicken broth while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot, then add canned green chiles, and canned diced tomatoes and green chiles.
Turn the heat up to high to bring the chili to a simmer then place a lid on top, turn the heat down to low, and simmer covered for 20 minutes stirring every now and again.
Remove the lid then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, adjusting the temperature as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, and scraping off any fat that rises to the top of the chili.
Step 4: Make the flour roux
When the chili has ~3 minutes left to simmer, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then sprinkle in gluten free flour (or AP flour if not GF).
Whisk to combine then cook while whisking for 1 minute.
Slowly pour the flour roux into the simmering chili while whisking to avoid lumps.
Once all the roux has been whisked into the chili, simmer for 5 more minutes then turn off the heat and let the chili sit and thicken for 10 minutes.
Voila! Honest to goodness the best easy version of Green Chili you will ever have — so good!!
Serve with any and all toppings — I’m partial to crushed tortilla chips and shredded Monterey Jack cheese — then dig in. I hope you love each and every spoonful of this mouthwatering meal. Enjoy!
More Irresistible Chili Recipes
- Easy Turkey Chili
- Signature Spicy, Smoky, Sweet Chili
- Crock Pot Sweet Potato and Quinoa Turkey Chili
- CrockPot White Chicken Chili
- Fiesta Pork, Bean and Green Chili Chili
- Taco Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs sliced pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat then cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 – 2 jalapenos, depending on how spicy you want it, seeds and ribs removed then minced
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon mustard powder
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2, 10 oz cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
- 4 oz can green chiles
- 1/4 cup butter, or vegan butter
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- Toppings: shredded Monterey Jack cheese, crushed tortilla chips, red or green Tabasco sauce, fresh or pickled jalapenos
Directions
- Place a large Dutch oven or soup pot over heat that's a touch below high. Add the oil then, once its very hot, add the pork and spread it out into an ever layer in the bottom of the pot. Let the pork sit undisturbed until seared on the bottoms, 1-2 minutes, then season with salt and pepper, stir, and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip: Some liquid will be released from the pork after searing — keep the temperature between medium-high and high to ensure the liquid eventually cooks off and the pork continues to sear/saute vs boil.
- Turn the heat down to medium then add the onions, jalapenos, and seasonings (salt through mustard powder) to the pot. Stir to combine then saute until the onions are tender, 5 minutes. Add the garlic then saute until it’s extremely fragrant, 1 minute.
- Slowly add the chicken stock or broth while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the canned tomatoes and chiles, and canned green chiles then stir to combine. Turn the heat up to high to bring the chili to a boil then turn the heat down to low, place a lid on top, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid then turn the heat up slightly to maintain a gentle simmer then simmer the chili uncovered for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping off any fat that rises to the top.
- When the chili has 3 minutes left to simmer, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour then whisk to combine and cook while whisking for 1 minute.
- Slowly stream the butter/flour mixture into the chili while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once the flour mixture has been incorporated, simmer for another 5 minutes then turn off the heat and let the chili sit and thicken for 10 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving with optional toppings.
Notes
- To freeze: cool the green chili down to room temperature then scoop into a gallon-size Ziplock freezer bag and freeze flat.
- To reheat: thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or place the frozen Ziplock bag full of soup in a large dish and fill with warm water. Pour the thawed chili into a soup pot then reheat over medium heat, or microwave individual-sized bowls until hot.
- Adapted from Sam’s No. 3 via Food Network.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
It’s funny how everyone seems to be so ready for fall already and it’s still August! I blame the brutal summer because I’m definitely ready for fall too!
I went to the Iowa State Fair this weekend for the first time. It was fun to experience :)
This chili looks really good! Can’t wait to try it when the leaves start changing colors :)
We celebrated my 2nd son’s (I have three boys and one baby girl) 4th birthday this weekend, so lots of grilling and good cooking going on! Since Fall is my favorite season, like, EVER, I simply cannot wait for the milder weather and a good excuse to go crazy with soups, stews, chowders, and bisques! As always, love your blog!
I’ve been itching to make soup…but feel like I can’t until at least September. Maybe I’m wrong!
Hmmm, this is an interesting take on chili, but i like it. I was interested to see that there was no use of Chili Powder at all. I’ll have to give this a shot, but I can tell you that I’m not going to call it chili at first. I’ll just have to let them get used to the idea that Chili does not have to be the traditional.
This weekend we went to Besh’s August (New Orleans) and it was truly a delightful experience. From the moment we walked in the door we felt like we were king and queen. We started with a duck dumpling in a curry broth with mixed local veggies. I had the lamb belly on a bed of ratatouille and mixed veggies (can you say crispy squash blossoms? So good.) She had the Breaded “trout Pontchartrain” jumbo lump crab, wild mushrooms, and sauce hollandaise, both were out of this world!
I am SO ready for the return of fall! I just love everything about it. The smells, the food, the colors, the sports, everything!
I am ready for fall – my favorite season. My husband has already reminded me twice this weekend that it will soon be pumpkin bread season! We always look forward to Pork and Pumpkin Chilil, we found the recipe a few years back in an issue of Food Network Magazine — it is our favorite chili!! I would recommend checking it out sometime!
We were in a fall food mood yesterday too! We made homemade chicken and wild rice soup and chicken alfredo… none of which were as healthy as your soup!
I tried your Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese over the weekend and it was d-licious! Adding this one to the list as well :)
Hi, I was wondering if I could use ground beef or stew meat instead. My hubby is more of a beef person than a pork person lol!
@Bill Baker, you could probably mix some cornstarch and water to add to chili instead of flour and butter. I’m not sure, but I do it all the time to thicken up my soups, stews, gravies, etc.
Did the pork get tender? Seems you would need to cook it longer. I agree with the post above by Laura…all day in the slow cooker would be amazing (maybe use a little less chicken broth), then thicker at the end right before eating. I have a bunch of anaheim chiles in my garden that will be ready in a week or two. Think this would be a perfect recipe to use them in.
Super tender! Since you cut the pieces real small (bite sized) and cook them low and slow they get real nice and melty. Also – fresh peppers would be great. Click on the “Food Network” link under the recipe for quantities/instructions for including!
this looks sooo good! you think it could be done in a slow cooker? im thinking you could put it on low all day, then right before serving, stir in the butter/flour mixture? what do you think?
I bet it could! Let me know if you try it out – I’d love to recreate!
What does the flour and butter do that just four alone wouldn’t do?
Just sat fat conscious.
Thanks for sharing this recipe with nice pictures and commentary.
Can’t wait to make it.
The flour and butter combine to make a roux which thickens the soup. If you just added flour by itself it would taste like raw flour. That said, you could leave the roux out and the chili would be thinner, but still taste great! Also (sorry) this makes a HUGE pot of chili, so each serving contains 1 teaspoon or less of butter.
You can make an (unorthodox) roux using oil such as golden olive and flour to reduce the saturated fat in this recipe. Alternatively, if you mix cornstarch or arrowroot in a little cold water and then pour it in during the last stages, making sure that the temperature of the chilli has reduced from boiling point that should also thicken it pretty well without the roux. Another option is to add some blended cooked beans or bean flour
I went to the Chicago White Sox game on Friday and Sunday. The weather was perfect and they won both games so it turned out to be a great weekend.
As far as your chili, I would love to try it. It looks delicious.