Pioneer Woman Chili Verde

Pioneer Woman chili verde turns spicy breakfast sausage, poblano peppers and salsa verde into a thick, smoky green chili in 40 minutes. It's an easy weeknight comfort food dinner for tailgate parties, cozy winter Sundays or feeding a hungry crowd, and it's all made in one pot.

Brown the sausage until it's deeply golden and break it into small crumbles, because that browning is where most of the flavor comes from. Pour the fat off too, or the chili turns greasy instead of rich.

Spicy breakfast sausage stands in for the usual slow-cooked pork, so the sage and pepper in it season the whole pot in minutes. A squeeze of lime at the very end then wakes up the green sauces and keeps the chili from tasting heavy.

Pioneer Woman Chili Verde

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Course: DinnerCuisine: American, MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

631

kcal

Crumbled sausage and soft peppers simmer in tangy green sauce until the pot turns thick and spoonable. A last squeeze of lime brightens it, and cold radishes and sour cream cool each hot bite.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
  

• 2 tbsp. salted butter
  

• 1 large onion, diced
  

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
  

• 2 large poblano peppers, diced
  

• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
  

• 2 lb. bulk spicy breakfast sausage
  

• 2 15-ounce cans green enchilada sauce
  

• 1 16-ounce jar salsa verde
  

• 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
  

• 1 lime, halved
  

• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
  

• Sour cream, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and hot sauce, for serving
  

Directions

• Soften the vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, poblanos and jalapeño, then cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
• Brown the sausage: Add the 2 pounds of spicy breakfast sausage and cook for 8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Once it's browned, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
• Add the green sauces: Pour in 2 cans green enchilada sauce, the jar of salsa verde and the can of diced green chiles. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil.
• Simmer the chili: Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce thickens a little and the flavors come together as it bubbles.
• Finish with lime: Squeeze in the juice of the halved lime and stir. Then season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
• Top and serve: Ladle the chili into bowls while it's hot. Top with sour cream, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro and a few dashes of hot sauce.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, OXO wooden spoon set, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use ground pork or turkey instead of breakfast sausage?

You can, but plain ground meat has far less seasoning than spicy breakfast sausage. Add a pinch of dried sage, a little extra black pepper and some red pepper flakes to make up for it.

How do I store leftover chili verde?

Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.

Can I make chili verde ahead of time?

Yes, and the flavor often improves after a night in the fridge. Make it through the simmering step, then add the lime juice and the fresh toppings when you reheat and serve.

Can I make this in a slow cooker instead of a Dutch oven?

Brown the vegetables and sausage in a skillet first, since that browning builds the flavor. Then move everything to the slow cooker with the sauces and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

How do I keep the chili from being too salty or too greasy?

Pour off the sausage fat before adding the sauces, because it's the main cause of a greasy pot. The canned sauces already carry a lot of salt, so taste before you add any more.