History

Green chile follows the Front Range's Mexican-American cooking north from New Mexico and southern Colorado, thickened with pork and roasted green chiles rather than served thin. In Fort Collins it functions less as a dish than as infrastructure: Big City Burrito smothers its potato burritos in it, Illegal Pete's ladles it across the bar menu, and Lucky Joe's keeps a green chili pot going for the Old Town Square crowd. Every autumn, roadside roasters tumble fresh chile in propane drums and the whole city smells faintly of char.

Common allergens: May contain gluten as a thickener

Make it at home

Yield Serves 6Hands-on 45 minTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 700g pork shoulder, diced small
  • 500g roasted green chiles (Pueblo or Hatch), peeled and chopped
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Brown the pork in batches in a heavy pot, then set aside.
  2. Soften the onion in the same fat, add garlic and cumin, then stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes.
  3. Return the pork with the chiles and stock; simmer uncovered about 90 minutes until the pork is tender and the sauce coats a spoon.
  4. Season and rest 10 minutes; serve as a bowl or ladle over a burrito.

Tip from the editors. Roast fresh chiles until blistered and steam them in a covered bowl before peeling; tinned chiles make a flat, sweet stew.

Where to eat colorado green chile

Colorado green chile in Fort Collins

Big City Burrito ★ 4.3

Mexican$midtownDaily 07:00-20:00

Big City Burrito wraps its famous potato burrito on South College Avenue in Fort Collins from 07:00, the original counter of a homegrown institution.

Try: The original potato burrito

Tip: The potato burrito smothered in green chile is the order that made the name; breakfast burritos run from opening.

510 South College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Illegal Pete's ★ 4.1

Mexican$old-townMon-Wed 10:30-22:00; Thu 10:30-23:00; Fri 10:30-00:00; Sat 09:00-00:00; Sun 09:00-21:00Until Fri-Sat 00:00

Illegal Pete's builds mission-size burritos with a full bar on Walnut Street in Fort Collins, the Colorado indie chain that pays a living wage.

Try: Burritos with queso

Tip: Weekend breakfast burritos run 09:00-13:00; Friday and Saturday the line serves until midnight with margaritas alongside.

320 Walnut Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon ★ 4.1

Gastropub$old-townDaily 11:00-02:00Until Daily 02:00

Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon puts an Irish pub in an old western saloon on Old Town Square in Fort Collins, open to 02:00 with green chili on the stove.

Try: Monday burger special and green chili

Tip: The Monday 4.99-dollar burger is the cheapest square-side dinner going; happy hour runs 15:00-19:00 on weekdays.

25 Old Town Square, Fort Collins, CO 80524

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