Description
A traditional Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde Soup featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful green sauce made with tomatillos, poblano and jalapeño peppers, and aromatic spices. Garnished with fresh toppings like radishes, avocado, and lime wedges, this hearty soup is perfect for a comforting 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, optional
- Ground black pepper to taste
Toppings (Optional)
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Shredded cabbage
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the oil: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Sauté vegetables: Add the chopped onions, jalapeños, and poblano peppers and sauté, stirring often, for 4 minutes until onions become translucent.
- Add garlic and tomatillos: Stir in minced garlic and quartered tomatillos and continue sautéing for 5 minutes until peppers soften. Remove the pot from heat.
- Blend the sauce: Transfer the sautéed mixture into a blender. Add about 1 cup of cold chicken broth and the fresh cilantro. Blend until completely smooth. Add more broth if needed for consistency.
- Combine in pot: Return the blended green sauce to the pot and add the remaining chicken broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well to combine.
- Add chicken and cook: Place the chicken thighs or breasts in the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and mix in the drained and rinsed hominy.
- Simmer with hominy: Cook the soup uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Adjust flavor: Taste the soup and stir in chicken bouillon if desired to deepen the flavor. Simmer for another 5 minutes and season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the pozole verde into bowls and garnish with your choice of thinly 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, but be sure to drain and rinse it before using.
- After removing the husks from the tomatillos, rinse them with lukewarm water to remove their natural stickiness.
- Store leftover chicken pozole verde in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Adjust the heat level by using more or fewer jalapeños and poblanos depending on your preference.
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for more flavor and tenderness or chicken breast for a leaner option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
