Back 16 years of mastering Mexican cooking through my culinary training and cooking countless batches for family celebrations, I'm sharing this green pozole recipe chicken that transforms simple ingredients into Mexico's most comforting soup. This isn't just heating up broth - it's about roasting tomatillos and poblanos until they're charred and smoky, then blending them into a vibrant verde broth that hugs tender chicken and plump hominy kernels.
Why You'll Love This Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
This green pozole recipe chicken transforms your weeknight dinner routine without requiring professional chef skills. After serving this to families for years, I've discovered it appeals to everyone - from kids who love the mild, tangy broth to adults who pile on the spicy garnishes. The beauty lies in how forgiving it becomes once you understand the basic steps of char, blend, and simmer.
What makes this chicken pozole verde truly special is its incredible make-ahead magic and customizable heat level. Unlike soups that lose flavor overnight, this one actually improves as the hominy soaks up the verde broth and the flavors meld together. Plus, the garnish bar lets everyone build their perfect bowl - Emma loads his with crunchy radishes and lime, while I add extra jalapeños and oregano for more kick.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
- Ingredients for Perfect Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
- How To Make Green Pozole Recipe Chicken Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Different Needs
- Green Pozole Recipe Chicken Variations
- Equipment Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
- Storing Your Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
- Why This Green Pozole Recipe Chicken Works
- Top Tip
- The Recipe That Got Passed Down From My Aunt's Kitchen
- FAQ
- Time for Your Mexican Feast!
- Related
- Pairing
- Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
Ingredients for Perfect Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
The Verde Base:
- Fresh tomatillos
- Poblano peppers
- Jalapeño peppers
- White onion
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh cilantro
The Protein & Hominy:
- Bone-in chicken pieces
- White hominy
- Chicken broth or stock
- Bay leaves
The Flavor Builders:
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Fresh lime juice
The Garnish Bar:
- Tostadas or tortilla chips
- Shredded cabbage
- Sliced radishes
- Diced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Dried oregano
- Crushed red pepper flakes
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Green Pozole Recipe Chicken Step By Step
First Stage (Charring the Vegetables):
- Preheat broiler to high
- Place tomatillos, poblanos, jalapeños on baking sheet
- Broil until charred and blistered
- Turn vegetables halfway through
- Let cool slightly, then peel poblanos
Building the Verde Broth:
- Add charred vegetables to blender
- Include onion, garlic, cilantro
- Blend until smooth and bright green
- Set aside verde sauce
Cooking the Chicken:
- Place chicken pieces in large pot
- Cover with chicken broth
- Add bay leaves and salt
- Simmer until chicken is cooked through
- Remove chicken, let cool, then shred
Bringing It Together:
- Strain cooking broth
- Return broth to pot
- Add verde sauce
- Stir in drained hominy
- Add cumin and oregano
- Simmer 20-25 minutes
Final Touches:
- Simmer 5 more minutes
- Return shredded chicken to pot
- Add lime juice
- Adjust salt to taste
Smart Swaps for Different Needs
Protein Options:
- Bone-in chicken → Boneless chicken thighs (shorter cooking time)
- Chicken → Pork shoulder chunks
- Traditional → Rotisserie chicken (add at end)
- Meat-based → White beans for vegetarian version
Hominy Alternatives:
- White hominy → Yellow hominy
- Canned → Dried (requires overnight soaking)
- Hominy → Chickpeas (different but tasty)
- Regular → Pozole corn if available
Heat Level Adjustments:
- Jalapeños → Serrano peppers (more heat)
- Spicy → Remove jalapeño seeds (less heat)
- Poblanos only → Mild family-friendly version
- Add chipotle → Smoky heat boost
Verde Sauce Swaps:
- Fresh → Jarred salsa verde (shortcut option)
- Fresh tomatillos → Canned tomatillos (drain well)
- Poblanos → All jalapeños (more bite)
- Cilantro → Parsley (if cilantro-averse)
Green Pozole Recipe Chicken Variations
Pozole Rojo-Verde Blend:
- Half green, half red chili sauce
- Creates beautiful orange-red color
- Balanced heat and tang
- Unique flavor profile
Seafood Verde:
- Replace chicken with shrimp
- Add white fish chunks
- Shorter cooking time (15 minutes)
- Coastal Mexican style
Pork Pozole Verde:
- Use pork shoulder instead
- Longer simmer time (2 hours)
- Richer, heartier flavor
- Traditional Jalisco style
Instant Pot Quick Version:
- Pressure cook 20 minutes
- Natural release
- Same great flavor
- Perfect for busy nights
White Pozole (Pozole Blanco):
- Skip verde sauce entirely
- Pure chicken broth base
- Let garnishes add color
- Milder for kids
Equipment Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
- Large stockpot or Dutch oven (6-8 quart capacity)
- High-powered blender
- Baking sheet for charring
- Kitchen tongs
- Fine mesh strainer
Storing Your Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
Refrigerator Storage (4-5 days):
- Cool completely before storing
- Store broth and garnishes separately
- Keep in airtight containers
- Reheat gently on stovetop
Freezer Magic (3 months):
- Freeze pozole without garnishes
- Portion into meal-sized containers
- Leave space at top for expansion
- Thaw overnight in refrigerator
Reheating Tips:
- Add splash of broth if too thick
- Heat slowly over medium-low
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
- Prepare fresh garnishes for serving
Make-Ahead Strategy:
- Garnishes stay freshest when cut just before serving
- Cook chicken and make verde sauce ahead
- Store separately up to 2 days
- Assemble and simmer day of serving
Why This Green Pozole Recipe Chicken Works
Back years of testing and teaching this green pozole recipe chicken to home cooks, I can explain exactly why this method succeeds where others fall short. The charring step creates smoky depth through caramelization that raw vegetables simply can't provide - those blackened spots on tomatillos and poblanos contain concentrated flavor compounds that transform the entire verde broth. When you blend charred vegetables with fresh cilantro and raw garlic, you're balancing cooked and fresh elements for complexity.
The extended simmering time allows the hominy to transform from bland corn kernels into flavor-absorbing sponges that carry the tangy verde broth in every bite. Using bone-in chicken pieces instead of boneless creates a richer, more gelatin-filled broth through collagen breakdown during cooking. The acidity from tomatillos and lime juice brightens the rich chicken broth while the earthy cumin and oregano ground the dish, preventing it from tasting one-dimensional. Each component serves a specific purpose in building layers of flavor that can only develop through proper technique and patient cooking.
Top Tip
- My mother-in-law taught me the most important lesson about this green pozole recipe chicken during my first attempt at making it for her family. I'd spent hours perfecting the verde broth, getting the chicken just right, and when I served it, she gently pushed her bowl back. I thought I'd completely failed until she explained what was missing.
- "Mija, pozole without choices is just soup," she said, heading to my refrigerator. She pulled out everything - radishes, cabbage, limes, cilantro, even the jalapeños I'd hidden in the back. She arranged them on the table like a little market stand. Suddenly, everyone was building their own perfect bowl, laughing and arguing about who made the best combinations. The pozole hadn't changed, but the experience completely transformed.
- That day I learned that the garnish bar isn't just toppings - it's what makes pozole a celebration instead of dinner. Now I always set out at least six different garnishes, even for regular weeknight meals. Emma loves being in charge of the "garnish station," carefully arranging everything in small bowls. The verde broth and hominy are important, but watching everyone customize their bowl and compare their creations? That's what makes this traditional pozole verde worth the effort.
The Recipe That Got Passed Down From My Aunt's Kitchen
My aunt learned to make this green pozole recipe chicken from her grandmother in Guadalajara, and she passed it to me during a particularly difficult winter when I was learning to cook Mexican food properly. She'd watch me fuss over exact measurements and precise timing, shaking her head with a knowing smile. One afternoon, she gently took the measuring spoons from my hands and said, "Stop counting. Start tasting."
That single moment changed everything about how I approach this chicken pozole verde. She taught me that the verde sauce should taste bright and tangy before it hits the pot - if it's dull or flat at that stage, no amount of simmering will fix it. She'd make me taste the blended sauce, add more lime or another charred jalapeño, then taste again until I could feel that perfect balance of heat, tang, and smoke on my tongue. Now I teach my students the same way - trust your palate more than your measuring cups. The recipe gives you the framework, but your taste buds tell you when it's actually ready.
FAQ
How long does Green Pozole Recipe Chicken last in the fridge?
When stored properly in an airtight container, this pozole verde stays fresh for 4-5 days refrigerated. Keep garnishes separate to maintain their crunch and brightness. The hominy continues soaking up the flavorful verde broth, making day-two pozole even more delicious.
What do you need for Green Pozole Recipe Chicken?
The foundation requires tomatillos, poblano peppers, chicken, hominy, and broth. Traditional toppings include shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, fresh lime, cilantro, and diced avocado. Charring and blending the vegetables creates the distinctive tangy verde flavor.
Do you add chicken broth to pozole?
Chicken broth provides the soup's liquid foundation. Use quality store-bought broth or create homemade by poaching chicken pieces in seasoned water. This broth merges with the verde sauce to form the final soup base.
Is green Green Pozole Recipe Chicken healthy?
This pozole verde offers balanced nutrition with protein-rich chicken, fiber-filled hominy, and vitamin-packed tomatillos and peppers. Being naturally gluten-free, you can make it lighter by choosing white meat chicken and moderating rich toppings like cheese and crema.
Time for Your Mexican Feast!
Now you have all the secrets to creating perfect green pozole recipe chicken - from proper charring techniques to my aunt's wisdom about tasting as you go. This vibrant verde soup proves that the best comfort food comes from understanding traditional techniques and taking the time to build real flavor.
Ready to explore more hearty comfort dishes? Try our Best Recetas De Bacalao Al Horno Recipe for tender baked cod with Spanish flair. Craving something fun and satisfying? Our Easy Homemade Pizza Burger Recipe combines two favorites into one delicious meal. For elegant slow-cooked perfection, our Easy Beef Bourguignon Recipe brings French bistro flavors to your home kitchen!
Share your pozole success! We love seeing your colorful garnish bars and steaming bowls!
Rate this Green Pozole Recipe Chicken and join our cooking community!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
Green Pozole Recipe Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Large Stockpot or Dutch Oven (6-8 quart) (For cooking the chicken and simmering the pozole)
- 1 High-Powered Blender (For blending the charred vegetables into a smooth verde sauce)
- 1 Baking sheet (For broiling the vegetables)
- 1 Fine mesh strainer (For straining the broth)
Ingredients
- 4-5 Medium Tomatillo - Husked and rinsed
- 2 Large Poblano Peppers - For roasting
- 2 Medium Jalapeño Peppers - Adjust for heat preference
- 1 Medium White Onion - Quartered for roasting
- 4-6 Cloves Garlic - Roasted with the vegetables
- 1 Bunch Fresh Cilantro - For blending into the verde sauce
- 4-6 Pieces Bone-In Chicken - For simmering in broth
- 2-3 cups White Hominy Drained - canned or soaked dried
- 6-8 cups Chicken Broth - For the broth base
- 2 - Bay Leaves - For flavoring the broth
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin - For seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano - For seasoning
- To Taste - Sea Salt - For seasoning
- To Taste - Black Pepper - For seasoning
- 1 Fresh Lime Juice - To add brightness at the end
Leave a Reply