Description
Chicken Pozole Verde Soup is a flavorful and hearty Mexican green pozole made with tender shredded chicken, tomatillos, poblano and jalapeño peppers, hominy, and a blend of aromatic spices. This comforting soup is perfect for family dinners and is served with fresh toppings like radishes, avocado, jalapeños, lime, and cilantro for a vibrant, delicious meal.
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 onions, seeded jalapeños, and seeded poblano peppers. Sauté while stirring often for 4 minutes or until the onions start to become translucent.
- Add garlic and tomatillos: Stir in the minced garlic and quartered tomatillos. Continue sautéing, stirring regularly, for about 5 minutes or until the peppers have softened. Remove the pot from heat.
- Blend green mixture: Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender. Add about 1 cup of cold chicken broth and the fresh cilantro leaves and stems. Blend until completely smooth. Add more broth if needed to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Combine and season: Return the blended green sauce back to the pot. Add the remaining 7 cups of chicken broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Cook chicken: Add the chicken thighs or breasts to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Shred chicken and add hominy: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the drained and rinsed hominy.
- Simmer soup: Cook uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes. Taste and add chicken bouillon if the soup lacks depth or richness. Then simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the pozole verde into bowls and garnish with your favorite toppings such as sliced radishes, avocado, jalapeños, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, and tortilla chips before serving.
Notes
- You can use two 15-ounce cans or one 28-ounce can of hominy; just make sure to drain and rinse it before adding.
- Husk and rinse tomatillos carefully; they will be sticky after removing the husk, which is normal and can be cleaned with lukewarm water.
- This soup stores well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Adjust the heat level by including or omitting jalapeño seeds and selecting milder or spicier chiles.
- Chicken thighs provide more flavor and tenderness but chicken breasts can be used for a leaner soup.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, reduce some liquid before serving or simmer uncovered longer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 400 ml)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
