Pozole verde with chicken is a rich, hearty stew. Herbs, peppers, and green chiles simmer with tender shredded chicken and hominy. Add fresh toppings and cozy up with a big bowl of this traditional Mexican dish that is ready in just one hour!

Once you learn how to make pozole verde, you have to try my easy Pozole Rojo recipe next! Another delicious dish to try are these Shrimp Enchiladas with Poblano Sauce.

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Why We Love This Pozole Verde Recipe:
What is Pozole?
What are the different types of pozole?
What is hominy?
Ingredients You Need:
Instructions to make Pozole Verde:
Alternatives and Variations:
Pro-Tips:
Storing and Reheating:
FAQ:
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
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Pozole verde de pollo is a comfort food with a light tangy flavor. Every time I make a large pot of pozole verde (green pozole), my kitchen fills up with the mouthwatering aroma of fragrant, earthy spices. Peppers, chiles, and herbs mingle to bring a delightful pop of fresh flavor to this chicken stew.

Why We Love This Pozole Verde Recipe:

Great for Special Occasions! When you are planning a gathering, serve this! It is easy to double or triple this pozole recipe and make a tasty meal fit to feed a crowd.

Quick and Easy! Stews can take hours but with a few shortcuts, (that don't compromise the quality or taste) green pozole is ready in under an hour.

Customizable! Serve with your favorite toppings so everyone's bowls are specific to their tastes. You can also use pork, chicken, or no meat if you want it vegetarian.

What is Pozole?

Pozole, often referenced as posole, is a traditional Mexican stew made with hominy and a protein like beef, pork, or chicken. It is usually served at celebrations and holidays.

Pozole verde de pollo is also a great recipe to serve when the temperatures are cold. It is a warm soup that you can add as many toppings to as you like.

Some people also add serrano peppers or jalapeno peppers to the brother to make it spicy and warm.

What are the different types of pozole?

Pozole Verde: A stew made with green chile broth (fresh tomatillos, cilantro, poblano pepper, and jalapenos). Some other green chiles and sometimes spinach are added to make a deep green colored broth.
Pozole Rojo (red pozole): A stew made with red chile broth (ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, or other fried chiles).
Pozole Blanco: A stew made without chiles. So the broth is clear, but full of flavors from the seasoning and spices, such as Mexican oregano.

What is hominy?

Pozole is the Spanish word for "hominy." They are dried fieldcorn kernels, soaked in lime juice to soften them. They look like puffy kernels of corn when they are boiled.

You can buy hominy pre-soaked in a can, which is what we used in this pozole verde recipe.

Ingredients You Need:

Water: Used as the cooking liquid.
Chicken bouillon seasoning: This is the base of the flavor in the broth.
Oregano: Use Mexican oregano if you can find it.
Chicken breast: I used boneless, skinless white meat but you can use whatever cut of chicken you prefer.
Hominy: Drain and rinse before using. Hominy is essential to this recipe because it helps thicken the stew, and provides a nice textural difference.

Verde Sauce for the Pozole verde recipe

Fresh Tomatillos: This adds a tart, bright pop of flavor. The husks should be removed.
Poblano peppers: This is a milder spice.
Jalapeno peppers: Provides a medium spice level.
Onion: I used yellow onions but white onions would work too. Remove the peel.
Garlic: For added flavor.
Fresh cilantro: Chop it up before adding.
Spinach: This optional ingredient is for color not flavor.
Seasoning: I used a blend of oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste.

Optional Toppings for Serving:

Finely shredded cabbage
Sliced radishes
Diced onions
Diced avocados
Sour cream
Lime wedges (for lime juice)
Tostadas or tortilla chips

Instructions to make Pozole Verde:

Cook Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating up, start on the chicken.

Use a large stock pot and add the water, chicken bouillon seasoning, oregano and chicken breast. Bring this to a simmer over medium high heat and cook the chicken for at least 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and remove the chicken from the pot (leaving the water in the pot), and set it aside in a bowl to cool down.

Roast Veggies for Verde Sauce for pozole verde

While the chicken is cooking, start on the salsa verde. Rinse the tomatillos, poblanos, and jalapenos really well to remove any debris. Place them on a baking sheet that is lined with aluminum foil (optional for easy clean up).

Place the peeled onion and garlic on the baking sheet as well. Set it in the preheated oven and roast them for 7 minutes, take the baking sheet out and use tongs to flip the peppers, onion, and garlic over.

Put it back in the oven and cook for another 7 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it aside for the vegetables to cool down.

Simmer Hominy

Open the two cans of hominy and pour them in a strainer to drain the liquid from the cans. Run cool water over the hominy to rinse it off thoroughly. Once it is rinsed well, add the hominy directly into the pot that the chicken cooked in.

Turn the heat on medium and allow the hominy to simmer while you prepare the sauce and the chicken.

Shred Chicken

Begin shredding the chicken by pulling it apart with your fingers, or by using two forks to shred it. Once the chicken is shredded, gently add it back into the stock pot with the pozole.

Use a wooden spoon to mix it up. Cover and let it simmer while you prepare the sauce.

Make Verde Sauce

Once the peppers have cooled down to touch, gently peel off the outer layer of the skin by pulling it off with your fingers. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers as well.

Then place the roasted peppers, tomatillos, onions, garlic, cilantro, spinach, oregano, and cumin into a blender.

Add about ½ cup of the liquid from the stock pot, directly into the blender. Then blend on high for 2 minutes.

Add Sauce & Simmer Pozole Verde

Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the pozole verde sauce directly into the stockpot with the chicken and hominy. This step is important to get a smooth soup without any extra seeds from the vegetables.

pozole verde sauce in a large pot with chicken and hominy

Use a spoon to mix the soup up really well. Then place a lid on the pot and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat. Use a mesh spoon or wooden spoon to remove any foam that has floated to the top of the soup.

Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Finally, serve in a bowl with your favorite toppings, and ENJOY!

Alternatives and Variations:

Broth: You can use chicken stock or vegetable broth instead of water and chicken bouillons.
Chicken: You can use dark meat instead of chicken breasts. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs have lots of flavor.
Meat: Instead of chicken, you can make pozole verde with pork shoulder.
Dry Hominy: I used canned hominy for this chicken pozole verde recipe because it is easily accessible and cuts down prep time. However, if you have time and can find it, dry hominy has great flavor and even better texture.
Spicy: For more heat, add habanero peppers or serrano chiles.

Pro-Tips:

Remember to thoroughly rinse the hominy before cooking.
Let the hominy simmer by itself before adding chicken and sauce. This enhances the flavor.
If you want your stew to be thicker, blend hominy with some of the chicken broth.

Storing and Reheating:

Allow pozole verde to cool before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. it will last up to 5 days.

To freeze, cool it in the fridge in an airtight container then transfer it to the freezer. Store frozen pozole for up to 3 months. Defrost it by placing it in the fridge overnight.

When you want to reheat, warm it up on the stove over medium heat or microwave individual servings.

bowl of stew with assorted toppings on a separate plate

FAQ:

Is homemade pozole healthy?

Pozole verde is a well-balanced meal that is packed with vegetables and lean meat. Hominy is loaded with protein. Also, peppers are an excellent source of vitamins A and C.

Can pozole verde be made ahead?

Yes! Cook, cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight. When you are ready to serve it, reheat it on the stove until it is thoroughly warmed.

Where can I find hominy?

You can find hominy with canned vegetables or in the Hispanic foods section of the grocery store.

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