Instant Pot Chili Verde
User Reviews
5
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4 - 6
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Calories
440 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
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Cuisine
South American, Mexican
Instant Pot Chili Verde
Description
Instant Pot Chili Verde begins by roasting tomatillos and a variety of peppers including jalapeño, poblano, Anaheim, and Serrano to develop smoky, complex flavors. After peeling and chopping the peppers, chicken thighs are browned in the Instant Pot to lock in juices and add depth through caramelization. The vegetables, aromatics, and seasonings such as garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, and cloves are combined with chicken stock, fish sauce, and soy sauce in the pot for pressure cooking.
The resulting chili verde has a thick, green sauce with a balance of mild heat and umami richness from fish and soy sauces, complemented by fresh cilantro. The pressure cooking method tenderizes the chicken thoroughly while melding the flavors. Blending the sauce can give the dish a smoother texture, though some chunkiness can remain.
This chili verde is suitable for sharing as a comforting dinner, served over rice or with tortillas. It is well-suited for cooks with an Instant Pot seeking a complex, flavorful Mexican-inspired stew without lengthy stovetop time.
Notes suggest roasting peppers to enhance aroma and flavor, using unsalted chicken stock for better control over seasoning, and recommend substitutions if fish sauce is unavailable. Blending the sauce with an immersion or standard blender is suggested for desired consistency. The recipe includes tips for browning chicken for flavor and managing spice levels by keeping or discarding seeds.
Ingredients
- 2.5 - 3.5 pounds (1440g) chicken thigh bone-in
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
- ~10 (1lb) tomatillos , halved
- 2 (114g) jalapeño , chopped
- 2 (280g) poblano pepper
- 1 (6.5g) Serrano pepper , chopped (optional)
- 2 (121g) Anaheim pepper optional, or 1 green bell pepper
- 6 (26g) garlic minced, cloves
- 1 (288g) onion , sliced
- 2 teaspoons (1.2g) oregano dried
- 2 teaspoons (6g) cumin seeds , ground
- 2 cloves
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce regular
- ½ cup (125ml) chicken stock unsalted
- 28 grams cilantro roughly chopped, leaves
Instructions
- Optional Flavor Boosting - Roast Tomatillos & Peppers: Set oven to "Broil" function, preheat for 5 minutes. Place the baking sheet with tomatillos & peppers on the top rack, broil for 5 - 8 minutes. Allow peppers to cool down, then peel away Poblano and Anaheim peppers' outer brown skins. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, remove stems & membranes, then roughly chop them up. *Pro Tip: Keep the seeds if you like a more spicy chili verde, or discard the seeds if you prefer a more mild chili verde.
- Brown Chicken in Instant Pot: Press "Saute" button to "Sauté More" to heat up Instant Pot. Wait until it says "HOT" on the screen (~8 mins). *Pro Tip: Make sure Instant Pot is as hot as it can be to induce a Maillard reaction. Add 1 tbsp olive oil (15ml) in Instant Pot's inner pot. Ensure the whole bottom is coated with olive oil. Pat dry chicken thighs with a paper towel, then lightly season one side with kosher salt. Place 6 chicken thighs in Instant Pot. Brown the first side of chicken for 3 minutes and 30 seconds, brown the other side for 3 minutes, then set aside. *Pro Tip: Normally, we don’t recommend overcrowding when browning chicken in Instant Pot, but it will work fine for this recipe. To save time, you don't have to brown all the chicken.
- Saute Onion and Garlic: Add in sliced onions, then saute for 3 minutes. Add in 2 tsp (1.2g) dried oregano, 2 tsp (6g) ground cumin seeds, 2 cloves, minced garlic, then saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour ½ cup (125ml) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot, then deglaze by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Give it a quick mix.
- Pressure Cook Chili Verde: Add in 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce and 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce. Add in chopped peppers and halved tomatillos, then give it a quick mix. Add in all the chicken. *Pro Tip: Make sure the chicken thighs are partially submerged in the cooking liquid. Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 7 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release. Open the lid carefully.
- Shred Chicken & Make Green Sauce: Set aside the chicken in a large mixing bowl, shred chicken with two forks, and discard the skins & bones. Find and discard the cloves in Instant Pot. Add in 28g roughly chopped cilantro leaves, then blend the green sauce with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. *Pro Tip: For reference, we added 4 - 5 large pinches of salt to further enhance & balance the flavors.
- Serve: Mix the shredded chicken thighs into the green sauce in Instant Pot. Taste the chile verde, then add more salt if necessary. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve & enjoy~
Notes
- Roasting tomatillos and peppers enhances flavor and aroma complexity in the chili verde.
- Fish sauce and soy sauce add layers of umami, elevating the dish beyond traditional recipes.
- Use unsalted chicken stock to better control the final seasoning balance.
- The Instant Pot reaches pressure in about 16 minutes before cooking begins.
- Blend the green sauce with an immersion or stand blender for a smoother texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 440 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 440kcal | 22% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 157mg | 52% |
| Sodium | 608mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 814mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 934IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 77mg | 86% |
| Calcium | 59mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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