Description
Hearty Mexican chicken pozole verde brings robust flavors from roasted green chiles and tender chicken simmered in a zesty broth. Garnished with crisp radishes, cilantro, and lime, this comforting soup invites you to savor authentic regional cuisine with each spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined, and chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
Liquids, Spices, and Pantry Items:
- 8 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2 (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional, to taste)
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Toppings (optional):
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Shredded cabbage
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Sizzle onions, jalapeño, and poblano peppers in heated olive oil until the onions become translucent and peppers soften slightly.
- Incorporate garlic and tomatillos into the vegetable mixture, continuing to cook until aromatics release their fragrant essence.
- Transfer the cooked vegetable medley to a blender, combining with chicken broth and fresh cilantro to create a vibrant green purée.
- Pour the blended mixture back into the pot, enriching it with remaining chicken broth, oregano, cumin, coriander, bay leaf, and salt.
- Gently nestle whole chicken pieces into the liquid and bring to a gentle simmer, allowing the meat to cook slowly and absorb the complex flavors.
- Once chicken reaches tender perfection, carefully extract and shred the meat using two forks, then return it to the bubbling broth.
- Introduce hominy to the soup, letting it mingle and warm through, creating a hearty texture.
- Fine-tune the seasoning with additional chicken bouillon, salt, and black pepper to elevate the soup’s depth of flavor.
- Ladle the steaming pozole into serving bowls, artfully adorning with crisp radishes, creamy avocado, spicy jalapeños, zesty lime wedges, fresh cilantro, crunchy shredded cabbage, and crisp tortilla chips.
Notes
- Prep this vibrant Mexican soup when craving a hearty, spicy, and comforting meal packed with bold flavors and tender chicken.
- Tomatillos and poblano peppers create the signature verde (green) color and provide a tangy, slightly smoky base for the broth.
- Hominy adds traditional texture and authentic Mexican character, giving the soup a unique corn-like chewiness different from regular soup ingredients.
- For maximum flavor, blend the vegetable mixture thoroughly to create a smooth, rich green sauce that coats every bite of tender shredded chicken.
- Customize your pozole with an array of fresh garnishes like crisp radishes, creamy avocado, and zesty lime to enhance the soup’s complex taste profile.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, with flavors developing and intensifying over time, making it an excellent make-ahead meal option.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg