Living in Colorado, I’m a big fan of green chile recipes, which are on so many restaurant menus around here. And this homemade green chile stew has earned a permanent spot in my rotation, especially when I discovered I could freeze it ahead and then move it straight from the freezer to the slow cooker.
This green chile stew is made with just a few simple ingredients (most of which I almost always have on hand), comforting, flavorful, and dependable in the best way. It’s the kind of hands-off meal prep idea I rely on when life is full, but I still want something warm and homemade on the table. And my kids enjoy it just as much as I do, especially when I add a side of homemade cornbread muffins.
Recipe Highlights
Quick and foolproof: With a prep time of just 15 minutes, all I have to do is dice the veggies, combine the ingredients, and set it to slow cook. The only hard part is having to smell the delicious aromas wafting through my kitchen all day as I wait.
Simple ingredients: Who said delicious recipes had to be complicated? This green chili stew is made with just a handful of simple real-food ingredients, including salt and pepper.
Great for meal prep: One of my favorite healthy crockpot chicken recipes, this stew stores, freezes, and reheats well. So, I often make it ahead to store for later.
Flavorful and nutritious: The salsa verde, veggies, and warm spices infuse the stew with bold, savory flavor, vitamins, minerals, energy-supplying carbohydrates and dietary fiber. And the chicken adds high-quality protein with minimal saturated fat.
Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
This isn’t the full ingredient list, just a few of my notes about the main components:
- Chicken: I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs since they’re more tender than breasts and they infuse the stew with great flavor. I’ve also made this green chile stew with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or a combination of breasts and thighs. If I’m prepping some of my other healthy chicken recipes at the same time, I follow this method to make perfect chicken breasts and then just fold shredded chicken into the stew before serving.
- Salsa verde: Trader Joe’s, Late July, and Herdez brands are my favorite brands of salsa verde. I stick with these fairly mild options to keep my stew family-friendly, but spicy green salsa tastes great, too.
- Chopped green chiles: I typically use canned mild green chiles or roasted green chiles in this recipe. For a sweeter taste, I find Anaheim peppers work well, too. For more spice, I sometimes use hot green chiles. When I can find them in my local grocery stores, I substitute Hatch green chile peppers instead. A type of New Mexican green chile, Hatch green chili peppers have a unique, earthy, smoky taste that adds incredible depth and a bolder southwest flavor to the stew. These are what’s used in green chile stews that are referred to as New Mexico green chile stew.
- White potatoes: I use small red potatoes, but Russet potatoes also work well. If using large potatoes, dice them into smaller pieces before combining the ingredients to ensure they cook through completely.
- Chicken broth: I typically use leftover bone broth, but store-bought low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock is also great.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Make This A Freezer-To-Slow Cooker Meal
To transform this recipe into a slow cooker meal that can be made straight from the freezer, combine all the ingredients except the chicken broth in a large, zip-top bag or another freezer-safe container. Then, label the bag, and store it flat in the freezer.
To cook, transfer the contents of the bag to a slow cooker along with 1 ½ cups of chicken broth. Place the lid on top and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the stew is thick. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and enjoy. For a stronger savory taste, try stirring in some garlic powder or Mexican oregano as well.
Just Add Toppings
I have yet to meet a high-protein crockpot meal that didn’t benefit from a judicious application of fresh and tasty toppings, so don’t be shy here. For this slow cooker stew, I suggest the following toppers:
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Diced tomatoes
- Fresh lime wedges
- Pickled or sliced fresh jalapeños (especially for those who like a little more spice)
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese (a great way to add calcium)
- Warm tortillas (corn tortillas, grain-free tortillas, or flour tortillas) for dipping
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Made this one last night and it turned out so good! I had 15 minutes to get it in the crock pot before work, so I left the chicken whole and then shredded it once I got home. For the little amount of effort, this was a major win! I will definitely be making it again soon!” ~ Sarah P.
How To Store In The Fridge And Reheat
This green chile stores well and even gets more flavorful the next day, making it ideal for a meal prep session. I store portions in individual airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, for longer storage, I place the stew in freezer safe silicone cubes or freezer bags and freeze it for up to 6 months.
To serve, I reheat servings in a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat until heated through or in the microwave. From frozen, I thaw the stew overnight in the fridge, then heat it in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat, adding a bit more broth if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is typically fairly mild in the heat department, offering more warm flavor than spice. For more spice, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or diced jalapeños to the stew as it cooks.
Yes, beef broth works well in green chile stew and adds a deeper, richer flavor. That said, chicken broth is more traditional and keeps the stew lighter.
Yes, this green chile stew can be made in the Instant Pot. Use the sauté function to saute the chicken first. Then add the remaining ingredients. Cook on high pressure for 20-25 minutes, followed by a natural release of the pressure.
The texture of green chile stew is typically somewhere in between a brothy soup and a thick stew. It’s definitely heartier than a soup but not as thick as a chili. The broth should be rich and flavorful, with tender meat and potatoes in every bite that help naturally thicken the stew as they cook. For a thicker consistency, try lightly mashing some of the potatoes before serving.
Yes, with a few tweaks, this recipe can be turned into a green chile pork or beef stew, too. I recommend using pork shoulder or beef stew meat, searing it in olive oil or vegetable oil over medium-high heat before adding it to the slow cooker.
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Chicken And Green Chile Stew Recipe
This hearty green chile stew is a warm, savory, nutritious comfort food that’s quick to prep and fuss-free, making it an easy, meal prep-friendly, Southwestern-inspired meal that’s perfect for cold weather and busy days.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces*
- 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde (such as Trader Joe’s, Late July, or Herdez)
- 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ lbs. red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- Optional toppings: avocado, jalapeños, warm tortillas, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheese
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- In a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, combine all ingredients and stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook until potatoes are very tender and the stew is thick, on the High heat setting for 4 hours or on Low heat setting for 8 hours.
- Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Served with desired toppings.
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Notes
* I like to use a mix of chicken breasts and thighs, but may also use 2 pounds of only chicken breasts or only chicken thighs
To make this a freezer-to-slow cooker meal:
1. Combine all ingredients except chicken broth in a large zip-top bag (or another freezer-safe container). Label the bag and lay it flat in your freezer. Note: Wait to add the broth until it’s time to cook, so don’t freeze the broth in the bag with the other ingredients.
2. On the day of cooking, place the frozen contents of the bag into the slow cooker with 1½ cups chicken broth. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or until potatoes are very tender and the stew is thick.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe or ~ 1 ⅔ cups
- Calories: 313
- Fat: 8 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 895 mg
- Carbohydrate: 28 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg
Dietary
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
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Excellent recipe! Ours was spicy but we are New Mexicans and like our green chile and salsa verde with a kick. I used thighs and in place of potatoes, I added pinto beans that I made earlier in the week. I’ll definitely make this again. Here’s a tip for leftovers–scoop your leftovers out with a slotted spoon, draining off most of the liquid, and add to scrambled eggs for an AMAZING breakfast burrito. Your welcome 😉
Oooh Amy, thank you for that tip for the leftovers! Making breakfast burritos asap!