Chicken Pozole Verde
Pozole verde is a comforting Mexican soup made with chicken, hominy, & a flavorful salsa made with jalapeño, poblano, serrano, and tomatillos.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 4 lb spatchcocked whole chicken or thighs, drums, and/or breast
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 5 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 lbs prepared hominy or 29 oz can hominy
- 2 bay leaves
- Knorr chicken bouillon and/or salt to taste
Salsa Verde
- 3 poblano peppers
- 3 jalapeno peppers
- 3 serrano peppers optional (spicy)
- 6 tomatillos
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1 tbsp Knorr chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 cups water
Toppings
- cilantro
- red radish
- iceberg lettuce or cabbage
- avocado
- lime
- onion
- jalapenos
- tostada w/sour cream & hot sauce
Instructions
- If using prepared hominy from the Mexican market, you will need to boil them for at least an hour and a half before adding it to the soup. Rinse them thoroughly then boil in water over a gentle simmer uncovered until they have softened.
- Roast your washed peppers and tomatillos on a large baking sheet. If using canned hominy, place the peppers all on one side, leaving the other side empty. Roast for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spatchcock your chicken- use heavy duty kitchen shears to remove the spine, then place the chicken breast side up and press firmly on the breast bone with your palms to flatten. Once flat, season on both sides with 1 tbsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Keep the spine that you removed! This will go into the broth too. Note: You can also just cut a whole chicken into pieces, or you can use skin-on chicken thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts.
- In a large pot, sauté the diced onions in 3 tbsp olive oil on medium low heat until translucent. Reduce the heat to low, then add the garlic and sauté for another minute or two. Add the cumin, Mexican oregano, and Knorr chicken bouillon.
- Continue to sauté for 20 seconds. Don't let the spices burn. Then remove the onions and set them aside.
- Add a 2 tbsp olive oil to the pot and increase the heat to medium. Then place the chicken skin side down (the removed spine too) for 3-4 minutes to get a good sear on the skin. Flip over and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add about 10 cups of water and two bay leaves, then bring to a gentle boil. Remove any scum that floats to the surface, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes. Flip the chicken over a few times if it isn't fully submerged in the water.
- Meanwhile, the peppers and tomatillos should be ready to flip. If using canned hominy, rinse and pat them dry then spread them evenly on the other side of the baking sheet. Continue to roast for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the skin and seeds from the poblano peppers. You can remove the seeds from the jalapenos too if you don't want it spicy.
- Blend all the peppers, tomatillos, onion & garlic, cilantro, and 2 cups of water until smooth. *If using canned hominy, just add plain water to the blender. If you're boiling prepared hominy, add 2 cups of the boiling water.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool. Shred the chicken and discard the bones. I like to include some of the chicken skin in my pozole but you don't have to.
- Add the salsa & hominy to the pot Taste the stock and add a little Knorr chicken bouillon and/or salt if needed. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering and the chicken is cooling, prepare all the toppings.
- Add the chicken back to the pot and heat through.
- Divide the pozole into bowls and add whatever toppings you like. You can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
