My Green Chile Stew, made with New Mexican roasted Hatch green chile, pork tenderloin, potatoes and corn, is the ultimate spicy and healthy comfort food!
Have I ever told you how I went to college in New Mexico? Yep, I earned a BS in Chemical Engineering at UNM. I grew up a California girl and have been an Oregon girl my entire adult life, but I have this funny 4 year period of time smack dab in the middle where I followed my high school sweetheart out to New Mexico. Well, that love story didn’t quite end as originally planned, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing because everything that happened in my life got me to the exact point I’m at now, and despite the occasional depression over insignificant first world issues, I really have no room to complain.
Here’s the funny part about my time in New Mexico – I refused to give in to the green chile obsession. It irritated me to know end how much green chile there was everywhere! Was I fine that avocado was on everything in California? You bet I was. But green chile? Those people were crazy. It took me years before I was even willing to try the stuff. What a silly girl I was! Now I’m the one who’s obsessed.
And don’t think that now that I’m in Oregon I use any other kind of green chile other than the kind grown in Hatch, New Mexico. No way, no how! I order it up and have it shipped directly to my door! Green chile stew is one of those meals that I remember eating and making me feel so good. Sick with a head cold? Green chile stew. Hung over from a late night? Green chile stew. Its kind of the cure all meal. I couldn’t remember how to make it so I asked my dear New Mexico native friends and they gave me a starting point. I knew I wanted potatoes and corn. There are a lot of recipes out there that tell you to add tomatoes. You know I love tomatoes, but I feel they have no place in this stew. Also, I went with pork tenderloin and can tell you it is the perfect choice. Super tender, no fat, and crisps up perfectly when you cook it in bacon grease like I did. Enjoy!!!
- 2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease
- 1 to 1.5 pound pork tenderloin roast, cut into small cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, minced
- 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2-3 cups roasted green chile (stems, skin, seeds removed), chopped
- 1 1/2 cups corn
- Over high heat, heat oil or bacon grease in heavy bottom pot or dutch oven. Once hot, add half of the tenderloin and allow to cook for a couple minutes until it starts to brown. Use tongs to flip. Once you achieve a nice crispy outside, remove meat and transfer to a clean bowl. Add remaining tenderloin to pot, cook until lightly brown, then transfer to bowl with other cooked meat.
- Using the same pot you cooked the meat, add the onion and carrot. Stir and allow to cook until it starts to brown, about 5-10 minutes. Transfer browned tenderloin along with any resting juices from the bowl back to the pot with the onion and carrot.
- Add potatoes, salt, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Allow to cook for 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
- Add green chile and corn and cook for another 10-15 minutes until heated through. If you're concerned about the spice, start with a small amount of green chile and continue to add until you reach the amount that works best for you.
- Refrigerate or freeze any leftover soup and to reheat, allow frozen soup to fully thaw and then heat on stove until piping hot. Enjoy!
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