Chicken Pozole Verde
This Pozole Verde with Chicken is a cozy, hearty Mexican stew made with tender chicken, hominy, and a homemade salsa verde that’s simmered until rich, comforting, and full of fresh flavor.
While my family usually prefers Pozole Rojo, this Pozole Verde recipe was just as flavorful and comforting. This recipe uses a whole chicken, which provides some immune-boosting benefits from the bones and creates a deeply flavorful broth. It’s also great for a divided household where some prefer white meat and others prefer dark meat—I explain below how to keep the meat separated.
Ingredients Needed for Pozole Verde
Most of the ingredients needed to make this pozole verde are used in the sauce. Here’s what you’ll need for the salsa verde:
- Tomatillos – Peel and wash them well to remove the waxy residue before roasting.
- Poblano peppers – Wash well, roast them, then remove the seeds and peel off the outer skin.
- Jalapeño peppers – Roast them whole and remove the stem. Alternatively, you can use serrano peppers for a spicier broth.
- White onion – Just a quarter of the onion for the sauce.
- Garlic – A few garlic cloves.
- Pumpkin seeds – These give the broth a nice nutty flavor. Be sure to toast them first.
- Cilantro – Gives the salsa its green color and fresh flavor.
- Salt – You can also use chicken bouillon instead of salt.
The next set of ingredients is for the chicken and aromatics. At the end, we’ll also add canned white hominy.
- Whole chicken – I spatchcocked the chicken and seasoned the skin with salt and pepper. Alternatively, you can use bone-in chicken pieces.
- Bay leaves – Used as aromatics while boiling the chicken; they provide an earthy flavor.
- White onion – Use half of the onion and leave it intact.
- Garlic cloves – Use a handful of garlic cloves to flavor the broth.
How to Make
To prepare the whole chicken, spatchcock it by cutting alongside the backbone and removing it. Flip the chicken over and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten it.
Season the skin with salt and pepper. In a large soup pot, add oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear for about 5 minutes.
Flip the chicken over, add the backbone to the pot, and pour in enough water to fully cover the chicken (about 8 cups as a guide). Add the onion, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow the chicken and aromatics to simmer for about 40 minutes, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface.
Wash all the salsa verde ingredients and place the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeños, and onion on a large baking sheet. Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, flipping everything halfway through.
Place the poblanos in a bag to steam for a few minutes. Remove the stems, seeds, and outer skin using the back of a butter knife.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet, then add them to a blender along with the tomatillos, peeled poblanos, jalapeños (with or without seeds), onion, fresh garlic, cilantro, and salt. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and blend until a smooth sauce forms. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Remove the chicken from the pot and allow it to cool slightly before shredding. I chose to keep the dark meat on the bone and shred only the breast meat, which makes it easier to serve guests who prefer either white or dark meat.
Add the salsa verde to the pot along with the shredded chicken (or chicken pieces) and the hominy, drained and rinsed. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to heat everything through. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
How to Serve and Store
While the soup is simmering, prepare the toppings. Some traditional options include:
- Shredded cabbage
- Shredded lettuce
- Radishes
- Diced white onion
- Chopped cilantro
Serve the chicken pozole verde with a squeeze of fresh lime, your favorite toppings, and hot sauce if you like extra heat. Tostadas or tortilla chips pair perfectly with pozole.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like using Souper Cubes to portion out servings for easy grab-and-go lunches or dinners.
More Mexican Soups
Chicken Pozole Verde
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Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
Broth Ingredients
- 3 pound Whole Chicken or bone in chicken pieces
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 8 cups Water or more to fully cover the chicken
- ½ White Onion
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 50 ounces Hominy rinsed and drained
Salsa Verde Ingredients
- 1 pound Tomatillos peeled and washed
- 2 Poblano Peppers washed
- 1 Jalapeno pepper washed, or substitute a serrano pepper
- ¼ White onion
- 2 Garlic cloves
- ¼ cup Pumpkin seeds
- Cilantro (leaves and stems) a small handful
- 2 teaspoon Salt or chicken bouillon
Toppings: Diced onion, cilantro, radishes, sliced cabbage or lettuce, and lime wedges.
Instructions
- To prepare the whole chicken, spatchcock it by cutting alongside the backbone and removing it. Flip the chicken over and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten it.
- Season the skin with salt and pepper. In a large soup pot, add oil and heat over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down and sear for about 5 minutes.
- Flip the chicken over, add the backbone to the pot, and pour in enough water to fully cover the chicken (about 8 cups as a guide). Add the onion, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow the chicken and aromatics to simmer for about 40 minutes, skimming off any impurities that rise to the surface.
- Wash all the salsa verde ingredients and place the tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeños, and onion on a large baking sheet. Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, flipping everything halfway through.
- Place the poblanos in a bag to steam for a few minutes. Remove the stems, seeds, and outer skin using the back of a butter knife.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet, then add them to a blender along with the tomatillos, peeled poblanos, jalapeños (with or without seeds), onion, fresh garlic, cilantro, and salt. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and blend until a smooth sauce forms. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and allow it to cool slightly before shredding. I chose to keep the dark meat on the bone and shred only the breast meat, which makes it easier to serve guests who prefer either white or dark meat.
- Add the salsa verde to the pot along with the shredded chicken (or chicken pieces) and the hominy, drained and rinsed. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to heat everything through. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and depends on ingredients and amounts used. Thai Caliente makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
