This is a hearty, comforting, authentic Pozole Verde recipe is loaded with fresh chiles, aromatics, tender chunks of chicken, and chewy hominy all swimming in a homemade chicken broth. It will quickly become one of your favorite dishes!
Easy Pozole Verde Recipe
Pozole Verde is a traditional stew from Mexico. This recipe is all homemade from the rich chicken broth to the beautiful jewel tone green chili sauce. It’s packed with not only tons of flavor but lots of nutrition. Who knew eating healthy could taste like pure comfort food?
Try my unique chicken posole next. The recipe was given to me by a friend from Mexico and has a rich, aromatic chicken broth. It doesn’t contain the usual Mexican flavors but it’s incredibly delish!
My Mexican chicken soup, taco soup, and chicken tortilla soup are all wonderful chicken soup recipes with tons of south-of-the-border flavors you’re sure to love!
What Is Pozole?
A delicious, hearty Mexican stew made with chicken or pork, aromatics, and hominy. The broth is flavored with different ingredients, depending on the type of pozole being made.
In this recipe for pozole Verde, the broth is flavored with two types of chilies, poblano and jalapenos, tomatillos, and cilantro. These ingredients give the stew a beautiful green hue and its name. It’s also spelled posole.
What Is Hominy?
The one required ingredient of any pozole is hominy! Hominy is a type of processed field corn, also called maize, that has been dried then treated, and cooked in a diluted lye solution.
When treated this way, the corn has a different flavor and utterly unique texture! Fluffy and chewy, once you try hominy, you’ll love it!
- Types of hominy:Â
- Hominy is available dried or canned. I use canned in this recipe. It can be white or yellow depending on the color that was used. Often Mexican Hominy is available canned and it generally is a yellow hominy and thought to be processed more authentically.
- Do I need to rinse canned hominy?
- Yes, it needs to be well rinsed and drained before adding it to the recipe.
- Is hominy a keto?
- No, it is too high in carbohydrates to qualify as keto or low carb.
- Is Hominy Gluten-Free?Â
- Yes, it is. Hominy is made from corn which is gluten-free.
Is it healthy to eat pozole?
Yes, it is! It contains lots of healthy protein. The poblano peppers, tomatillos, and cilantro are rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, carotenoids, and capsaicin.
The hominy, while somewhat high in carbohydrates, is a good source of fiber and iron.
Where is green pozole from?
Typically, this type of pozole is from the state of Guerrero, Mexico.
What Ingredient You’ll Need For Chicken Pozole Verde
- Chicken: We use a whole chicken to maximize the flavor of the base broth and yield a generous amount of cooked chicken for the stew.
- White Onion: Used most often in Mexican foods rather than yellow onions. The white variety is a bit milder.
- Garlic: Using the whole head of garlic with the top cut-off is a perfect way to infuse a mild garlic flavor into the chicken broth. I peel off the loose outer piece of the peel but leave on the parts that are tightly connected.
- Cilantro: Cilantro is an integral ingredient to this soup. It’s one of those things you just can’t omit.
- Salt: I like to use sea salt in this soup.
- Poblano Chiles: These are mild green chile that adds great chile flavor without a lot of heat.
- Tomatillos: These are green fruit native to Mexico that looks like unripe tomatoes with a papery husk. They tend to be more acidic and less sweet than tomatoes. They have a tart, slightly earthy, bright flavor.
- Jalapeños: You can moderate the heat of the stew by how you prep the jalapeno. The ribs and seeds of the pepper contain virtually all the heat. If you want it mild, remove them all. If you want it hot leave them all in. You can add more to increase the heat as desired. You can also add serrano chiles instead of the jalapenos or in addition to.
- Dried Oregano
- Oil
- Hominy
How Is Pozole Traditionally Served?
In soup bowls, nice and warm, with the toppings of your choice (see list below) and tortillas or corn chips on the side!
Optional Toppings For Pozole Verde
Personally, I like to top my pozole Verde with chicken very simply to let the flavors of the stew shine through. I usually just add a little avocado and cilantro (to keep the green theme going!) and a few thinly sliced radishes.
On the other hand, a lot of people feel like this stew is all about the toppings!Â
- iceberg lettuce
- shredded cabbage
- fresh cilantro leaves
- radishes
- white onion
- avocado
- sour cream
- pepitas
- lime wedges
- tortilla chips
Tips + Tricks
How to Clean Tomatillos:
Tomatillos have a papery covering that when removed, has a sticky film on the skin of the fruit. You can remove the sticky residue by using a produce cleaner or by rinsing them in very hot water, or boiling water.
How To Reheat:
As with most homemade soups and stew, this pozole is even better a day or two after it’s made. I heat up either the whole pot or individual servings in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Of course, you can also use the microwave to reheat individual portions.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This pozole can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes. Store in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to three months.
- Make-Ahead Tips:Â You can start this recipe and make the chicken broth through step #3 of the recipe instructions below a day ahead of time. I prefer to make the whole recipe, cool it, then store it in the fridge for a day or two. It tastes even better when prepared this way because the stew has time for all the flavors to marry and mingle deliciously.
What To Serve With Pozole Verde
Of course, you serve this pozole with all the toppings of your choice. I love to serve this with my jalapeno cornbread, Â or warm corn tortillas, and my southwest salad on the side.
How to Make Mexican Pozole Verde Step By Step
- Add chicken, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, and Better Than Bouillon. Pour in only enough cold water to cover the chicken; too much will make the broth taste weak. Boil and simmer. Shred the chicken after.
- In a large, high-sided skillet, heat vegetable oil until it shimmers. Pour the vegetable puree from the blender into the skillet and cook over medium heat.
- Stir as needed, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 12 minutes.
- Serve.
More Authentic Mexican Food Recipes That Are Amazing!
If you like real Mexican food, not simply Mexican-inspired food, these recipes are a must-try!
If you make this lovely soup, I’d it if you snapped a photo and tagged me on Instagram, @gonna_want_seconds
Pozole Verde
Ingredients
Broth:
- 1 3-4 pounds  roasting chicken, rinsed, giblets discarded
- 1 white onion, peel removed, cut in half
- 2 heads garlic, cut in half
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and tied in a bundle with butchers twine
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 heaping tablespoon chicken flavor Better Than Bouillon
- water
Salsa Verde:
- 3 poblano chiles, cored, seeds removed, and cut in quarters
- 1 medium white onion, cut in quarters
- 1 1/2 pound tomatillos, husked and halved
- 1 jalapeño seeds and ribs removed, and cut in quarters
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, washed
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
Assemble:
- 3 (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained
Optional Toppings:
- iceberg lettuce, shredded
- chopped cilantro, chopped
- radishes, thinly sliced
- white onion finely chopped
- avocado, sliced
- sour cream
- lime wedges
- tortilla chips
Instructions
Make Chicken and Broth:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven add chicken (1--3-4 pounds), onion (1), garlic (2Â heads), (1/2 bunch) cilantro tied with butcher twine, salt (1Â tablespoon), and (1 1/2 heaping tablespoon) Better Than Bouillon. Pour in only enough cold water to cover the chicken (about 3 quarts); too much will make the broth taste weak.
- Over medium heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 1 to 1½ hours, partially covered, until the chicken is done. Skim off the foam while simmering. Add more water as needed to keep the chicken covered while simmering.
- Carefully transfer chicken to a cutting board, shred the meat into large bite-sized pieces; discard the bones and skin. Remove onion, garlic, and cilantro and discard. Allow broth to cool. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid and reserve. Remove all but 7 cups of the broth( keep 7 cups of broth in the pot). Store any extra broth for another use.
Make the Salsa Verde:
- Add tomatillos (1 1/2 pounds), quartered onion (1 medium), poblanos (3), jalapeños (1), garlic (4 cloves), cilantro (1/2 bunch), oregano (1 tablespoon), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to a blender. Pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the side. With the machine on, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth.
- In a large, high-sided skillet, heat vegetable oil (1Â tablespoon) until it shimmers. Pour the vegetable puree from the blender into the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring as needed, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 12 minutes.
Assemble:
- To the pot of chicken broth, add the sauteed vegetable puree. Add the hominy (4-Â 15-ounce cans) and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the shredded chicken and continue to cook until heated through.
- Serve in individual bowls and add toppings as desired.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Chicken: We use a whole chicken to maximize the flavor of the base broth and yield a generous amount of cooked chicken for the stew.
- White Onion: Used most often in Mexican foods rather than yellow onions. The white variety is a bit milder.
- Garlic: Using the whole head of garlic with the top cut-off is a perfect way to infuse a mild garlic flavor into the chicken broth. I peel off the loose outer piece of the peel but leave on the parts that are tightly connected.
- Cilantro: Cilantro is an integral ingredient to this soup. It's one of those things you just can't omit.
- Salt: I like to use sea salt in this soup.
- Poblano Chiles: These are mild green chile that adds great chile flavor without a lot of heat.
- Tomatillos: These are green fruit native to Mexico that looks like unripe tomatoes with a papery husk. They tend to be more acidic and less sweet than tomatoes. They have a tart, slightly earthy, bright flavor.
- Jalapeños: You can moderate the heat of the stew by how you prep the jalapeno. The ribs and seeds of the pepper contain virtually all the heat. If you want it mild, remove them all. If you want it hot leave them all in. You can add more to increase the heat as desired. You can also add serrano chiles instead of the jalapenos or in addition to.
This recipe sounds amazing with the chili verde—can’t wait to try it. I’ve made white pozole but I love that your recipe uses tomatillos which I love!! Thank you
Thank you so much, O’Linda! Looking forward to your review. 🙂
The best pozole verde I ever tried!
Thank you, Nikki! 🙂