Green Chile Shredded Beef (Carne de Res con Chile Verde)

Comfort Food, Made Simple

If you grew up with the smell of bubbling chile verde (green chile shredded beef)on the stove, you already know this dish is special. Tender beef simmered with roasted poblanos, tomatillos, and garlic creates a bold, tangy flavor that’s perfect over rice or stuffed into tortillas. I’ll show you how to make this comforting Mexican classic in just a few easy steps.

History of Chile Verde

• Traditional Flavors: The use of tomatillos, serranos, and cilantro in sauces goes back generations in Central and Northern Mexico.
• Home-Style Cooking: Simmering beef in chile verde is a beloved method in many Mexican homes, offering rich flavor with minimal prep.
• Family Meals: Chile verde is often made in large batches for Sunday meals, holidays, or leftovers that taste even better the next day.

Why You’ll Love Green Chile Shredded Beef

• Big Flavor, Easy Steps: One pot, simple ingredients, rich results.
• Feeds a Crowd: Great for meal prep, parties, or family dinners.
• Versatile: Serve with rice, beans, or stuff into burritos and tortas.
• Alternative Cooking Methods: You can also use an Instapot or Slow Cooker.

Essential Ingredients

Delicious Sauce Going In!

Green Chile Shredded Beef (Carne de Res con Chile Verde)

Tender beef simmered in a vibrant green sauce made from tomatillos, serranos, roasted poblanos, and cilantro. This bold, comforting dish is perfect with rice or stuffed into tortillas for the ultimate Mexican-style meal.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Equipment

• Dutch Oven or Large pan
• Blender
• Tongs
• Chef Knife
• Cutting Board
• 1 Instapot or slow cooker, optional See Alternative Cooking Methods & Tips Section Below

Ingredients

  

Sauce:

• 1 lb milpero tomatillos (smaller than regular tomatillos) (smaller than normal tomatillos) husked and rinsed
• 2 serrano peppers
• 2 jalapeños
• 1 tomato
• ½ small onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 Small bunch cilantro Remove stems
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
• ¼ teaspoon cumin optional
• Garlic salt, to taste (optional – use after blending the sauce to adjust flavor)

Meat:

• 4 lbs chuck roast seared
• 3 poblano peppers roasted and chopped
• ½ small onion sautéed
• 3 garlic cloves sautéed
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp Ground pepper

Instructions

 

Charr the Vegetables

• Char the poblanos. Place them directly on a hot, dry pan or over an open flame until the skins are blistered and blackened on all sides.
  
• Transfer them to a glass container with a lid or a sealed zip-top bag and let them steam for about 20 minutes. This makes peeling the skins much easier later.
  
• 1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed well to remove sticky coating

  Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse them thoroughly to remove the sticky residue. Make sure there’s no film left. If not rinsed well, it can affect the flavor of the sauce.
  
• While the poblanos steam, char the tomatillos, serranos, jalapeños, tomato, ½ onion, and 4 unpeeled garlic cloves on a dry pan or griddle over medium-high heat.
  
• Turn often until everything is blistered and softened. The tomato should be soft, the chiles should look pale green and slightly blackened, and the garlic should be golden but not burnt.

  Notes: Be careful not to let the tomatillos pop. These smaller tomatillos can burst and lose too much juice, which can make the sauce taste bitter. Watch them closely and remove them from the pan once they start to soften and the skins are blistered.
  

Blend the Sauce

• In a blender, combine tomatillos, serranos, jalapeños, tomato, roasted onion, 4 roasted and peeled garlic cloves , 1 cup chicken broth, cilantro (without stems), bouillon, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Set sauce aside.
  

Prep Poblanos

• After 20 minutes of steaming poblano chiles, peel off the charred skin
  
• Remove seeds and stem
  
• Cut into small squares
  

Cut and Season the Beef:

• Cut the beef into medium-sized chunks, roughly 2–3 inches wide—just like stew meat.
  
• Season the beef evenly with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
  

Sear the Beef

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Sear the beef in batches until golden brown on all sides. (Searing in batches prevents overcrowding the pan and boiling the meat. Make sure pan not overcrowded.)
  
• Remove when golden brown and set aside.
  

Sauté Aromatics

• In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and sauté the remaining ½ small onion and 3 raw garlic cloves
  
• Stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  

Simmer in the Sauce.

• Return the seared beef to the pan.
  
• Pour the blended sauce over the top and stir to coat.
  
• Add bay leaves
  
• Stir
  
• Cover the pan and let it simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Using a slowcooker or instapot? See the Alternative Cooking Methods & Tips down below)
  

Add Poblanos and Finish Cooking.

• After an hour, add chopped roasted poblanos.
  
• Stir in poblanos. Cover and continue cooking for 1 hour or until the beef is fork-tender and shreddable.
  
• Ready Serve!
  

Serve and Enjoy.

• This dish pairs beautifully with Mexican red rice, refried beans, or warm tortillas.
  
• Note how easily the beef shreds.
  

Video

Notes

• Want it spicier? Add an extra serrano or leave the seeds in.
• This dish is even better the next day. Reheat with a splash of broth.
• Great for tacos, burritos, or over rice.

Keyword carne con chile verde, chuck roast, green chile verde, shredded beef, tomatillo beef

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How to Serve This Dish

This shredded beef in green chile sauce is rich, tender, and loaded with flavor, so keep the sides simple and classic. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• With Mexican red rice and refried beans – the perfect trio, just like your favorite taquería plate.
• With tortillas – flour or corn, warm and soft for scooping or building tacos.
• In burritos or tacos – stuff it into a flour tortilla with rice, beans, and cheese, or into soft tacos with onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
• As a rice bowl – pile it over a scoop of arroz rojo with toppings like avocado, salsa, and crema.
• Chile verde tortas – layer the shredded beef on bolillo rolls with refried beans, lettuce, and pickled jalapeños.
• Loaded nachos – sprinkle shredded beef over tortilla chips, melt some cheese on top, and finish with crema, guacamole, and salsa.

You can also freeze portions and reheat for tacos, burritos, or a quick dinner later in the week. However you serve it, don’t forget something to scoop up the sauce, it’s too good to leave behind.

Storage & Freezing

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Freeze portions for up to 2 months. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cut of beef?
Chuck roast is ideal, but brisket or beef stew meat also works well.

Is it spicy?
Serranos bring heat, but you can use fewer or substitute with more poblanos for a milder version.

Do I have to roast the poblanos?
Roasting adds great flavor, but you can skip this step for a quicker prep.

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• *Serve with a scoop of Mexican red rice and refried beans for the perfect combo*

Want More?

Want sides to pair with this dish? Check out these recipes:

Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo)

Bolillos (Crusty Mexican Rolls) – Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Mexican Bread