Description
A hearty and flavorful Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde Soup featuring tender chicken, hominy, and a vibrant green sauce made from tomatillos and poblano peppers. This comforting soup is perfect for gatherings and can be topped with fresh radishes, avocado, jalapeños, and more.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered
- 8 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast
- 2 (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, optional
- Ground black pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Shredded cabbage
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Prepare the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, jalapeños, and poblano peppers, sautéing while stirring often for 4 minutes until the onions become translucent.
- Add garlic and tomatillos: Stir in the minced garlic and quartered tomatillos, sauté for an additional 5 minutes until the peppers and tomatillos soften. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Blend the green sauce: Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender, add about 1 cup of cold chicken broth and the fresh cilantro. Blend until completely smooth, adding more broth if needed for desired consistency.
- Combine and simmer: Pour the blended green sauce back into the pot. Add the remaining chicken broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well to combine.
- Cook the chicken: Add the chicken thighs or breasts to the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
- Add hominy and finish cooking: Stir in the drained and rinsed hominy. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium heat. Taste and add chicken bouillon if needed, simmer an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the pozole into bowls and garnish with your choice of thinly sliced radishes, avocado slices, jalapeños, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, and tortilla chips.
Notes
- You can use two 15-ounce cans or one 28-ounce can of hominy, but be sure to drain and rinse it before adding.
- After removing the husks from the tomatillos, rinse them under lukewarm water to remove their natural stickiness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- This recipe works well with either chicken thighs for more flavor or chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- If you prefer more heat, leave some seeds in the jalapeño or add additional sliced jalapeños as a topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
