Cheesy Pork and Tomatillo Skillet
Appetizer, Main Dish • Pork
Serving size: 4 servings
Cook time: 35 mins
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Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 large poblano chile, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- 3 medium tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, coarsely chopped
- 2 4-oz. cans diced green chiles
- 8 oz. pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated
- Cilantro leaves with tender stems and tortilla chips (for serving)
Directions
- 1. Place 1 lb. ground pork in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. ground cumin, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika. Using your hands, gently mix to incorporate.
- 2. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook pork mixture, undisturbed, until browned and beginning to crisp underneath, about 3 minutes. Break up meat into ½" pieces with a wooden spoon and continue to cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving fat behind; set aside.
- 3. Add 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, and 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, to same skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is slightly softened and garlic is starting to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 large poblano chile, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced, and 3 medium tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, coarsely chopped; cook, stirring occasionally, until poblano is golden in spots, about 1 minute. Add two 4-oz. cans diced green chiles and 1 cup water and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until almost all liquid is evaporated and tomatillos are mostly softened, 7–9 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 4. Heat broiler. Add reserved pork mixture to skillet and stir to combine. Top evenly with 8 oz. pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated. Broil until cheese is melted and starting to blister in spots, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- 5. Top with cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with tortilla chips.
