Pozole Verde is a vibrant, deeply flavorful Mexican soup made with tender chicken, hominy, and a tangy tomatillo-and-green-chile broth. It’s the green cousin of the more famous red pozole, and it’s every bit as comforting and festive. This version uses chicken for a lighter, quicker meal that still delivers the rich, complex taste of a long-simmered stew.
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or a mix of thighs and breasts
- 2 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) white hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 lb (450 g) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1 jalapeño (seeded for less heat, if desired)
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, divided (about 1 cup / 30 g leaves and stems)
- 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (like canola or vegetable)
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- For garnish: shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and/or crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Char the vegetables. Preheat your oven’s broiler with a rack about 4 inches from the heat. Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers, and jalapeño on a baking sheet. Broil for 5–7 minutes, turning once, until the skins are blistered and charred in spots. Remove from the oven, transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 10 minutes. Set the tomatillos aside.
- Start the chicken. While the vegetables cool, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pot and sear for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden (it doesn’t need to cook through). Pour in the chicken broth, scrape up any browned bits, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Make the green sauce. Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove their skins and stems (and seeds if you want less heat). In a blender, combine the charred tomatillos, peeled peppers, quartered onion, garlic, cilantro (reserve a few leaves for garnish), oregano, cumin, and 1 cup (240 ml) of the simmering broth from the pot. Blend until completely smooth.
- Add the sauce and hominy. Pour the green sauce into the pot with the chicken and broth. Add the drained hominy. Stir well. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
- Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding bones and any fat. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Taste and add salt if needed (the broth should be well-seasoned). Simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Serve. Ladle the pozole into bowls and top with your chosen garnishes—shredded cabbage, radishes, avocado, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese are all classic. Serve hot.
Tips
- Don’t skip the charring. The blistered skins give the broth a smoky depth that’s essential to pozole verde. If you don’t have a broiler, you can char the vegetables on a dry skillet over high heat, turning frequently.
- Adjust the heat. Jalapeños vary in spiciness. For a milder soup, remove the seeds and ribs. For more heat, leave them in or add a serrano pepper.
- Use bone-in chicken for flavor. The bones add richness to the broth. If you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, reduce the simmering time to 15–20 minutes to avoid overcooking.
- Make it ahead. Pozole actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld. Refrigerate overnight and reheat gently.
Serving Suggestions
Serve pozole verde as a main course with warm corn tortillas or tostadas on the side. Set out small bowls of garnishes so everyone can customize their bowl—shredded cabbage adds crunch, radishes add a peppery bite, and avocado adds creaminess. A squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens everything up. For a heartier meal, offer a side of Mexican rice or refried beans.
Variations
- Pork pozole verde: Replace the chicken with 2 lb (900 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch chunks. Brown the pork in the pot before adding the broth, then simmer until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Shred or leave in chunks.
- Vegetarian pozole: Omit the chicken and use vegetable broth. Add extra hominy and maybe some zucchini or mushrooms for heartiness. Simmer the sauce directly in the broth for 20 minutes.
- Add greens: Stir in 2 cups (60 g) chopped spinach or Swiss chard during the last 5 minutes of cooking for extra color and nutrients.
- Make it red: If you prefer red pozole, substitute dried guajillo chiles (soaked and blended) for the tomatillos and poblanos.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover pozole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors will continue to develop. To reheat, warm it in a pot over medium heat until bubbling, or microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between. If the soup has thickened too much, add a splash of chicken broth or water. You can also freeze pozole for up to 3 months—thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use canned tomatillos? Yes, you can substitute one 28-oz (794 g) can of tomatillos, drained. They won’t have the charred flavor, so you can sauté them in a dry skillet for a few minutes to add some smokiness.
What is hominy? Hominy is dried corn kernels that have been treated with an alkaline solution (like limewater) to remove the hull and germ. It’s what gives pozole its distinctive chewy texture. You can find it canned in most grocery stores.
Can I make this in a slow cooker? Absolutely. After charring the vegetables, place them in the slow cooker with the chicken, broth, and seasonings. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours. Shred the chicken and stir in the hominy during the last 30 minutes.
Why is my broth bitter? Bitterness usually comes from over-charring the tomatillos or leaving the seeds in the jalapeño. Make sure to remove the blackened bits and the seeds if you’re sensitive to bitterness.
Is pozole gluten-free? Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as you use a gluten-free chicken broth. Check the label on your broth and hominy to be sure.
Can I use chicken breasts only? Yes, but reduce the initial simmering time to 15 minutes, and be careful not to overcook them. Shred and return to the pot as directed.
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