Chicken Pozole Verde: A Flavorful Mexican Comfort Food Recipe

I’m excited to share my Pozole Verde Recipe that blends shredded chicken and tender white hominy in a bright green chile broth for an easy, gluten-free stew with bold, fresh flavor.

I thought I knew Mexican comfort food until I ladled a steaming bowl of this Pozole Verde Recipe. Tender chicken thighs and nutty white hominy float in a vivid green broth that somehow feels fresh and intense at the same time.

It’s flavors that sneak up on you, woodsy, bright, a little spicy, and somehow homespun in the best way, the kind of food that makes you stop talking and actually taste. I keep finding reasons to make it, I mess up measurements and still it turns out bold and oddly addicting, you’ll wanna know why.

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs supply protein, lots of flavor and collagen, keeps the broth rich and hearty.
• Hominy brings fiber and carbs, gives chewy bite and classic pozole texture.
• Tomatillos add bright tang, vitamin C and acidity that lifts the whole soup.
• Poblano peppers give smoky mild heat and earthy flavor, nice green color too.
• Serranos or jalapeños bring sharp heat and freshness, use less for milder kick.
• Fresh cilantro adds herby brightness, vitamin A and a peppery finish some love.
• Lime wedges give citrus tang and brightness, cuts richness and wakes up flavors.
• Avocado slices add creaminess, healthy fats and cooling balance against spicy broth.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 (15 ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound tomatillos (about 10 to 12), husked and rinsed
• 2 medium poblano chiles
• 2 to 3 serrano or jalapeño chiles
• 1 medium white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro (about 1 packed cup leaves)
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage or romaine, for garnish
• 6 radishes, sliced, for garnish
• 2 limes, for serving
• 1 avocado, sliced, for serving
• Extra chopped cilantro, for garnish
• Dried oregano for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

1. Prep and char the veggies: roast the poblano chiles over a gas flame or under the broiler until blistered, then put them in a bowl and cover to steam for 10 minutes; peel, seed and roughly chop. Roast or boil the tomatillos and the serrano/jalapeños until soft and slightly browned. Let cool.

2. Poach the chicken: in a large pot bring 6 cups low sodium chicken broth to a simmer with 1 bay leaf, 1/2 the onion (quartered), 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, 1/4 teaspoon cumin if using, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the chicken thighs or breasts and gently simmer 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken, reserve the broth, discard the onion pieces and bay leaf.

3. Make the green sauce: in a blender combine the roasted tomatillos, charred poblano, serranos (use fewer for less heat), the remaining 1/2 onion, the other 2 garlic cloves, the large bunch of cilantro (stems are fine), a splash of the hot reserved broth to help blend, and a pinch of salt. Blend until mostly smooth but still a little texture. Dont overblend into goo.

4. Brown the sauce for flavor: heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the pot you used for the chicken over medium heat, pour in the blended green sauce and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes until it smells bright and slightly darker. This step wakes up the flavors.

5. Build the pozole: add the reserved chicken broth back to the pot with the cooked green sauce, add the drained and rinsed hominy, the remaining bay leaf, the rest of the dried oregano, a pinch of black pepper, and adjust salt to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer.

6. Simmer to marry flavors: let the soup simmer uncovered 20 to 25 minutes so the hominy absorbs flavor and the broth mellows. Skim any foam that rises. If broth gets too thick add a bit more water or broth.

7. Shred the chicken: while the pozole simmers shred the cooked chicken with two forks or your hands, discard any little bits you dont want, then add the shredded chicken back into the pot and warm through 5 to 10 minutes.

8. Final adjustments: taste and add 1 to 2 teaspoons more kosher salt if needed, a squeeze of lime if you like brightness, and extra cilantro if you want it greener. If you prefer a thinner broth add more warm broth.

9. Serve family style: ladle pozole into bowls and top with shredded green cabbage or romaine, sliced radishes, avocado slices, extra chopped cilantro, lime wedges and a sprinkle of dried oregano. Offer extra serrano slices or hot sauce at the table for people who want more heat.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy-bottomed pot (6 to 8 qt) for poaching chicken and simmering the pozole
2. Blender (or strong food processor) to make the green tomatillo-poblano sauce
3. Sheet pan or cast-iron skillet for charring/roasting poblanos and tomatillos
4. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping onions, cilantro and garnishes
5. Tongs for turning chiles and handling hot veggies
6. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain and rinse hominy
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to brown and stir the sauce
8. Two forks (or meat claws) to shred the cooked chicken
9. Ladle for serving the soup into bowls
10. Citrus juicer or reamer (optional) for squeezing fresh lime over each bowl

FAQ

Chicken Pozole Verde: A Flavorful Mexican Comfort Food Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Swap the chicken for shredded rotisserie chicken (about 3 cups, one average bird) for a quick shortcut, or use 2 pounds pork shoulder cut in chunks and simmered until tender for a richer, more traditional feel.
• If you don’t have canned hominy, use about 3 cups cooked white beans like cannellini or great northern for a similar creamy bite, or 3 cups frozen corn if you want a sweeter, lighter texture.
• No tomatillos? Substitute one 16 ounce jar of salsa verde or about 1 pound green tomatoes, roasted or boiled, blended with the other salsa ingredients to get that green, tangy base.
• Not a cilantro person Use 1 packed cup fresh flat leaf parsley plus the juice and zest of 1 lime to keep the bright herb flavor without the cilantro taste.

Pro Tips

1) Char the chiles and tomatillos until they have some black spots, don’t be timid about it. The burnt bits give that deep, smoky flavor you want, and steaming them briefly after charring makes peeling way easier. Wear gloves when handling the poblanos or serranos unless you like burning fingers later.

2) Poach the chicken gently and take it out the second it’s cooked through, let it rest a few minutes before shredding so it stays moist. Save as much of the poaching liquid as you can, it’s gold for the broth, but skim off foam so the soup stays clear.

3) When you blend the verde sauce, do short pulses and leave a little texture, don’t puree it into baby food. Put a small splash of hot broth in the blender so it comes together easier, and vent the lid with a towel so steam can escape or stuff will blow up in your face.

4) Don’t skip browning the blended sauce, cook it till it smells sweeter and brighter, that step wakes everything up. If it’s too tart add a pinch of sugar, if it needs richness a tablespoon of butter or a drizzle of olive oil helps, but always finish adjusting salt and lime at the end.

5) Garnish is not optional, it balances the whole bowl. Crunchy cabbage, radish and a fresh squeeze of lime cut through the richness, and keep hot chiles or hot sauce on the side so folks can control the heat. Leftovers actually taste better next day, just thin with a little broth when reheating if it got too thick.