Description
Chicken Pozole Verde Soup is a flavorful Mexican green stew made with tender chicken, tomatillos, poblano peppers, and hominy, simmered in a rich and tangy broth. This comforting soup is perfect for a hearty meal and can be garnished with fresh toppings like radishes, avocado, and shredded cabbage.
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
Toppings (optional)
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced jalapeños
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Shredded cabbage
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the oil 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, sautéing while stirring often for 4 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the minced garlic and quartered tomatillos, cooking an additional 5 minutes until the peppers soften. Remove from heat.
- Blend the green sauce: Transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to a blender. Add about 1 cup of chicken broth and the fresh cilantro. Blend until completely smooth, adding more broth if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Combine and season the broth: Pour the blended mixture back into the pot and add the remaining chicken broth, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, bay leaf, and salt. Stir well to combine.
- Add and cook the chicken: Place the chicken thighs or breasts into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low. Cover partially 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 and adjust seasoning: Cook the soup uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes. Taste and add chicken bouillon if additional flavor depth is desired. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
- Serve with toppings: Ladle the pozole verde into bowls and garnish with optional toppings such as radishes, avocado, jalapeños, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, and tortilla chips.
Notes
- You can substitute two 15-ounce cans of hominy with one 28-ounce can.
- Always drain and rinse the hominy before adding it to the soup.
- Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse them under lukewarm water to remove their sticky residue.
- Store leftover chicken pozole verde in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- For a spicier soup, leave seeds in the jalapeño or add extra sliced jalapeños as a garnish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
