Go Back

Chicken Pozole Verde Soup

A warming and delightful Mexican soup featuring tender shredded chicken, hominy, and a bright, herb-forward tomatillo broth.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

For the Soup Base
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 large jalapeño pepper (seeded, deveined and chopped)
  • 2 medium poblano peppers (seeded and chopped)
  • 6 cloves garlic (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 whole bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
For the Protein
  • 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast
For Serving
  • 2 cans hominy (15-ounces each, drained and rinsed)
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
  • to taste ground black pepper
  • as needed thinly sliced radishes
  • as needed sliced avocado
  • as needed sliced jalapeños
  • as needed lime wedges
  • as needed fresh cilantro
  • as needed shredded cabbage
  • as needed tortilla chips

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeños, and poblano peppers and sauté, stirring often for 3-4 minutes or until the onions start to become translucent.
  2. Stir in the garlic and tomatillos and sauté, stirring regularly for about 4-5 minutes or until the peppers have softened. Remove from heat.
  3. Transfer the onion mixture into a blender, add about a cup of chicken broth, and the fresh cilantro. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, adding more broth as needed.
Cooking
  1. Return the blended mixture to the pot or Dutch oven. Add the remaining broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, bay leaf, and salt. Stir to combine.
  2. Add the chicken and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and simmer for about 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a plate or cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the hominy.
  4. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium heat. Taste the soup and add chicken bouillon if the soup lacks depth of flavor. Simmer for about 5 minutes and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.
Serving
  1. Serve in soup bowls garnished with your favorite toppings: thinly sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, sliced avocado, lime wedges, sliced jalapeños, and tortilla chips.

Notes

Cool the soup before storing in airtight containers for up to 4 days, or freeze in meal-sized portions for up to 3 months. Reheat gently to prevent the chicken from drying.