New Mexican Green Chili Stew

This is Hatch country cooking at its most honest. Six green chilies (roasted Hatch New Mexico chilies if you can get them) are the soul of this stew, carrying that signature vegetal heat and smoky char that defines New Mexican food. Nothing fancy, just browned meat, potatoes, onion, garlic and chilies in a brothy simmer.

The meat is your call: beef round keeps it classic, pork shoulder trends deeper and silkier. Either way, brown hard in hot oil for real fond-building color, which is what gives the finished broth its dark savory backbone.

Keep the stew soupy, not thick. The directions are clear on this: add water as needed to keep it brothy, because proper New Mexican green chili is eaten with warm flour tortillas torn and dipped into the broth, not ladled like a thick stew.

Chef Tips

• Roast and peel fresh Hatch chilies yourself if available, or use frozen chopped Hatch from specialty markets; canned green chilies work in a pinch but lack the same depth.
• Use a starchy potato like Russet, it breaks down slightly into the broth and thickens it naturally.
• Season with salt in stages, adjusting at the end when the chili heat has fully developed.
• Serve with warm flour tortillas, lime wedges, and maybe a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Variations

• Add a can of white hominy in the last 10 minutes for a posole-style variation.
• Stir in a pound of sliced pork alongside the beef for a meatier mix.
• Top bowls with shredded Monterey Jack and diced onion for full Santa Fe treatment.