Pozole comes in several varieties, and this version made with chicken and tomatillos is one of my favorites. The tomatillos give it a bright, fresh taste and the garnishes are key!

What makes a pozole is the hominy. Hominy is made from dried kernels of corn that are treated with an alkali to dissolve the hulls of the kernel and to keep the germ (the part that makes the corn seed sprout) from sprouting during storage, then rinsed and dried. It’s what’s used to make grits (coarsely ground) and corn flour (super finely-ground).

It’s an easy recipe to put together and it’s simply delicious! Try it for a lunch or even a first course at dinner. You can’t got wrong. It’s pretty darn foolproof.

Chicken Pozole Verde

A light Mexican soup with a rich, bright taste

5 from 3 votes

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Course Appetizer, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine Latin America

Ingredients

16 or so fresh tomatillos outer skin removed, halved
4 cloves garlic peeled
8 jalapeno peppers cored and seeded, halved lengthwise
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
8 fresh oregano leaves
30 oz canned hominy drained
64 oz chicken broth
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 chicken breasts skinned and deboned if needed

Instructions

Cut the raw chicken into 2-3" chunks.
In a large soup-size pot, pour in the chicken broth, add the cut chicken, and bring it to a boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Stir occasionally. Take the pot off the heat.
Remove the chicken from the broth and set it on a large surface, such as a cookie sheet with a rim (to catch the juices). Set the pot of broth aside, off the heat.
Using a couple forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized shreds. Set aside.
Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do the blending process of the fresh vegetables in stages.
Cut the tomatillos in half and toss them in a blender. Add the garlic, jalapenos, cilantro and oregano. Blend until completely smooth.
Pour the vegetable puree into a large skillet or wide saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer on medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Turn the heat off the puree and add it to the pot of broth. Add the drained hominy, shredded chicken and any juices from the shredding process.
Bring it all to a simmer and continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, so all the flavors meld.
Serve hot, offering garnishes such as sliced radish, tortilla chips (whole or strips), chopped scallions or white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for squeezing.