Green Chile Pork Carnitas – Juicy, Crispy, and Full of Southwest Flavor

These Green Chile Pork Carnitas take classic Mexican-style carnitas and give them a bold Southwestern twist. Slow-cooked pork is simmered with roasted green chiles, garlic, and spices until fall-apart tender, then crisped to perfection. Perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, or meal prep, this recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort.

🥘 What Are Green Chile Pork Carnitas?

Traditional carnitas are made by slow-cooking pork until tender, then frying it to get crispy edges. In this version, we add roasted green chiles for a smoky, slightly spicy New Mexico-style flavor that takes these carnitas to the next level.

🛒 Ingredients for Green Chile Pork Carnitas

• 3 lbs pork shoulder (pork butt), cut into large chunks

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups roasted green chiles (Hatch or Anaheim), chopped

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• 1 cup chicken broth

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• Optional: juice of 1 lime

👨‍🍳 How to Make Green Chile Pork Carnitas

Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork chunks on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Step 2: Sauté onion until soft, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

Step 3: Stir in green chiles, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Step 4: Return pork to the pot and add chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

Step 5: Cover and simmer on low heat for 2½–3 hours, until pork is fork-tender.

Step 6: Shred pork, then spread it on a baking sheet. Broil 5–7 minutes until edges are crispy.

Step 7: Finish with lime juice and serve hot.

🌟 Tips for the Best Green Chile Carnitas

• Use Hatch green chiles for true Southwestern flavor.

• Pork shoulder = best texture and juiciness.

• Don’t skip the broiling step—it adds that signature crispiness.

• Save the cooking juices and drizzle over meat before serving.

🌮 How to Serve Green Chile Pork Carnitas

• In tacos with onions & cilantro

• In burritos or quesadillas

• Over rice bowls

• On nachos