Like apple pie is to New England, so is green chile signature to the American southwest. And, like apple pie, the belly-warming, sensory-awakening dish comes in all kinds of variations. Colorado’s chile verde is unlike the Tex-Mex beans and corn tradition many think of first when thinking “chili”. It’s green, for starters. This brings us to the meat of the difference: the ingredients, including the meat. While Texas-style chili is typically defined by beef, beans, and cumin, traditional chile verde stews pork or chicken in a green sauce made from green chiles, tomatillos, limes, cilantro, and garlic. Authentic preparation tends to incorporate a good amount of time and care, such as roasting or broiling the tomatillos to unlock their sweetness.
Throughout Colorado, residents will tell you that the state’s chile verde is in a category all its own. Just across the border in New Mexico, the dish is delicious but different. The reason for the distinction is all about the chiles. New Mexico Hatch chiles and Colorado Pueblo peppers may be part of the same plant family, Capisicum annum, but their flavor profiles are quite unique. “Hatch” is an umbrella term for numerous varieties of chiles grown in the Hatch Valley, with notable differences between green and red. Colorado prizes the robust, subtly sweet Mosco chile famously grown in Pueblo.
Whatever style suits you best, Denver will set you up. Chile verde is available in all varieties throughout the metro area and beyond. As one who lives just an hour north of Denver, I know firsthand how the Mile High City loves green chile. The passion is reflected on menus from food trucks to upscale dining establishments. While you can’t really go wrong, several stand out with irresistible allure.
El Taco de Mexico
Browse any Green Chile “Best of” list, and chances are El Taco de Mexico will be sitting at the top. It may not seem exceptional at first glance with its stucco facade, small space, and lack of liquor license. But this modest taqueria is a longtime local favorite and 2020 recipient of a James Beard Classics Award for its authentic Mexican cooking…