Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
These pulled pork enchiladas with poblano cream sauce are the dinner I make when I want something that tastes like a Tex-Mex restaurant entree but doesn’t require restaurant skills. A pork shoulder cooks low and slow in the crockpot all day until it shreds with a fork.
The shredded pork gets rolled into tortillas, smothered in a creamy poblano sauce, topped with melted cheese, and baked until bubbly.
The Set-It-and-Forget-It Dinner
My husband and I worked at a popular Tex-Mex restaurant in college for two years. That set the bar pretty high for my home cooking.
I’ve spent years trying to recreate the menu items I used to eat for $4.50 — and the poblano cream enchiladas were always the white whale. This version isn’t an exact replica, but it’s close.
The roux-based poblano sauce is the key — it takes 15 minutes and it’s what separates this from every jarred-sauce enchilada recipe. The two-meals-from-one-pork-shoulder math is what makes it a regular.
The poblano cream sauce is what makes this recipe special. It’s a roux-based sauce — butter, flour, chicken broth, sour cream, and chopped fresh poblano pepper — that’s smooth, slightly tangy, and only mildly spicy.
Way better than canned enchilada sauce. The poblano pepper has just enough heat to feel like real Mexican enchiladas without being too spicy for kids.
And the pork shoulder gives you twice the food. Cook the full 3-pound shoulder on Sunday and you’ve got enough meat for these enchiladas tonight plus pulled pork sandwiches another night.
That’s how I run this recipe — it’s a two-meal investment for one slow cooker session.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Store leftover enchiladas covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 90 seconds or covered with foil in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes.
To make ahead: slow cook the pork the day before, refrigerate the shredded meat, make the sauce the day of, assemble and bake. Or assemble the whole dish 24 hours ahead and refrigerate — add 10 to 15 minutes to bake time.
Freezes unbaked for up to 2 months in a foil pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my poblano cream sauce break?
The sour cream was added while the sauce was still too hot. When full-boiling-temperature sauce meets sour cream, the fat separates and you get a grainy, broken mess instead of smooth sauce.
The fix: pull the saucepan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes before stirring in the sour cream. The carryover heat is enough to warm and incorporate the sour cream without breaking it.
Can I use a different cut of pork?
Pork shoulder or butt only. Pork loin is too lean and dries out over 10 hours.
Pork tenderloin cooks in 3 to 4 hours on low and turns to mush if left for 10. The fat marbling in pork shoulder is what keeps it moist during the long braise.
Can I use the whole poblano instead of just 1/3?
I wouldn’t on first make. One full poblano in this amount of sauce makes it noticeably spicy and turns the sauce greenish.
One third gives you the poblano flavor and mild heat. Make it once at 1/3, taste it, and add more next time if you want more kick.
What if I can’t find fresh poblano peppers?
Anaheim peppers are the closest substitute (slightly milder). A 4-ounce can of diced green chiles (drained) also works in a pinch and keeps it mild.
Green bell pepper is a last resort — add 1/4 teaspoon cumin and a pinch of cayenne to compensate for the lost chile flavor.
Should I use flour or corn tortillas?
Flour tortillas are easier to roll without cracking. Corn tortillas are more authentic and have a heartier flavor, but they need to be warmed first (microwave wrapped in damp paper towels for 30 seconds) or they’ll split when you try to roll them.
Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Yes. Use 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs, same braising liquid, reduce cook time to 6 hours on low.
Shred and use in the enchiladas the same way.
How spicy is this?
Mild to medium with 1/3 of a seeded poblano. Poblanos are a low-heat chile — most kids handle it fine.
For more heat, use more of the poblano or add a small pinch of cayenne to the sauce.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Slow Cooker Pork Roast — pulled pork in a soy, balsamic, and Coca Cola braise. Different flavor profile, same fall-apart tenderness.
Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos — four ingredient slow cooker chicken for a week of Mexican dinners.
Canned Tomato Salsa — restaurant style blender salsa made with canned whole peeled tomatoes. Pair with chips alongside these enchiladas.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder or pork butt
- 1 12- ounce can Coca-Cola
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon minced onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 fresh poblano pepper seeded and diced
- 8 to 10 medium tortillas
- 2 cups Monterey Jack or Colby Jack cheese
- 5 tablespoons green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly spray a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker and add pork shoulder.
- Whisk Coca-Cola, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, minced onion, salt, pepper, paprika, and ginger together. Pour over pork.
- Cover and cook on Low for 10 hours, until pork shreds easily.
- Remove pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Reserve about 2 cups plain shredded pork for enchiladas.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened and smooth.
- Remove sauce from heat and cool 5 minutes, then stir in sour cream and diced poblano until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish.
- Fill tortillas with reserved pork, roll tightly, and place seam-side-down in the baking dish.
- Pour poblano cream sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Optional: broil 2 to 3 minutes for a lightly browned top, watching closely. Rest 5 minutes and garnish with green onions.