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Instant Pot Chili Verde
5 from 68 votes

Instant Pot Chili Verde

Instant Pot Chili Verde combines chicken thighs with a blend of roasted tomatillos, jalapeño, poblano, Anaheim peppers, garlic, and onions, cooked under pressure for a richly layered, slightly spicy stew. The inclusion of fish sauce and soy sauce deepens the umami flavor, while the green herbs and spices give it a bright, savory character. It offers a hearty and comforting dish that can fit diverse meal occasions.

Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 4 - 6
Calories: 440 kcal
Course: Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: South American, Mexican

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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

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%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 - 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories 440

% 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.