Description
This Chicken Pozole Verde recipe is a vibrant, hearty Mexican soup featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful green tomatillo broth with hominy, corn, and a perfect blend of spices. Topped with fresh cilantro, lime, avocado, radishes, and cabbage, it offers a delicious balance of tangy, savory, and crunchy textures, perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 pound tomatillos (husks removed)
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 jalapeño (halved and seeded)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chicken and Broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons salt (divided)
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
- 1 small white onion (finely diced)
- 6 garlic cloves (finely minced)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles (mild or hot)
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn (drained)
- 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white hominy (rinsed and drained)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Finishing Ingredients and Garnishes
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1 lime, plus more for serving)
- â…“ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for serving)
- Avocados (peeled, pitted, sliced, for serving)
- Radishes (thinly sliced, for serving)
- Green cabbage (thinly sliced, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 450°F (232°C) to prepare for roasting the fresh vegetables.
- Roast the vegetables: Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the tomatillos, cherry tomatoes, and jalapeño on the pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt. Toss until everything is well coated. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tomatillos and tomatoes are blistered. Remove from oven and let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth, about 30-60 seconds. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry and sprinkle evenly with ½ teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add chicken thighs and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove and set chicken aside on a clean plate.
- Cook the onions and garlic: Add remaining 1 tablespoon avocado oil to the same pot. Add diced onion and cook 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer until fragrant.
- Combine ingredients and simmer: Pour the blended tomatillo mixture into the pot along with chicken broth, diced green chiles, corn, hominy, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Add the seared chicken thighs back to the pot, making sure they are fully submerged. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Shred the chicken and serve: Use tongs to transfer chicken to a cutting board. Shred the meat using two forks, then return it to the pot. Stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro. Serve hot with additional cilantro, lime wedges, sliced avocado, radishes, and green cabbage on the side for garnish and added crunch.
Notes
- You can adjust the heat level of the recipe by choosing mild or hot green chiles according to your preference.
- For best flavor, roast the tomatillos and tomatoes until nicely blistered to bring out their natural sweetness and depth.
- Hominy is essential for traditional pozole; ensure it is rinsed and drained before adding to the soup.
- Leftover pozole makes excellent next-day meals as flavors continue to develop upon resting.
