Description
Chicken Pozole Verde is a traditional Mexican green hominy soup made with tender chicken, tomatillos, poblano and jalapeño peppers, flavored with fresh cilantro and aromatic spices. This comforting and hearty soup is perfect for family meals and can be customized with various fresh toppings for added texture and flavor.
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-ounces) cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, or more to taste – optional
- Ground black pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Shredded cabbage
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat and sauté vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, jalapeño, and poblano peppers and sauté, stirring often, for 4 minutes or until the onions become translucent.
- Add garlic and tomatillos: Stir in the minced garlic and quartered tomatillos. Continue sautéing for about 5 minutes until the peppers have softened, then remove the pot from heat.
- Blend green sauce: Transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to a blender. Add about 1 cup of chicken broth and fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems. Blend until completely smooth, adding additional broth if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Combine ingredients and season: Return the blended green sauce to the pot. Add the remaining chicken broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Cook chicken: Add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts to the pot and bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Shred chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Add hominy and simmer: Stir in the drained and rinsed hominy. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste the soup and add chicken bouillon if desired to deepen the flavor. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes and adjust seasoning with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the pozole into bowls and garnish with your choice of toppings such as sliced radishes, avocado, 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; just be sure to drain and rinse it before use.
- Husk and rinse the tomatillos thoroughly to remove their sticky coating, which is normal and easily washed away with lukewarm water.
- Store leftover chicken pozole verde in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days for best freshness.
- For a spicier soup, do not remove the seeds and veins from the jalapeño and poblano peppers.
- This soup freezes well; cool completely before freezing in portions for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 400 ml)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
