How to make Pozole Verde

Chicken Pozole is a satisfying, comforting Mexican stew that’s incredibly easy to make, hearty and healthy! Plus, it’s gluten free and freezer friendly!

Pozole Verde de Pollo is a traditional Mexican stew filled with juicy shredded chicken and hominy (like giant corn kernels) swaddled in a vibrant, warm salsa verde broth topped with contrasting, cool, crunchy garnishes of shredded cabbage, radishes, cilantro, lime, and avocados.  This pozole verde recipe is simple to make and comes together much more quickly than its cousin pozole rojo, but tastes like its been simmering for hours.  Pozole verde also makes fabulous leftovers for prep ahead meals or lunches throughout the week.  Serve your pozole verde alongside plain tostadas and Mexican Salad to complete the fiesta!

Mexican Soup recipes are some of our favorite fall/winter dinners around here.   If you’re looking for more easy, comforting, one pot Mexican soups, you’ll love Chicken Tortilla Soup, Crockpot Verde Chicken Tortilla Soup, Cheesy Taco Soup, Chicken Enchilada Soup, Chicken Fajita Soup, Albondigas Soup, and Caldo de Pollo.

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How to make Pozole Verde Video

 

ARE POZOLE AND POSOLE THE SAME?

Yes!  You will see pozole spelled both pozole and posole, largely because the “s” and the “z” are pronounced the same in Mexican Spanish.  The original, preferred spelling in Mexico, however, is pozole with z.  Posole with an s is more often seen in American Southwest spellings.

WHAT DOES POZOLE MEAN?

Pozole is pronounced [po’sole] in Spanish.  It comes from the Nahuatl word, pozolli, which some claim means ‘hominy’ and others claim it means “frothy.”  “Frothy” would refer to the foam rising to the surface of the hominy’s boiling water-lye preparation.

Nahuatl is an Uto-Aztecan indigenous language spoken in various forms from pre-Hispanic times until the present day and is the second most commonly spoken language in Mexico after Spanish.  

WHERE DID POZOLE COME FROM?

Warning:  this info could be disturbing, I was disturbed.  According to research by the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History) and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, pozole was originally made by the Aztec people for special occasions using human flesh and maize (corn) because they considered it a sacred plant.

They created hominy from maize through a process called nixtamalization in which the corn soaked in an alkaline solution made from slaked lime, lye, or wood ash. Instead of chicken, the flesh of human prisoners was used after they were killed in a ritual sacrifice.  The resulting pozole was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion. After the Conquest in the 1500s and cannibalism was banned, pork and later chicken became the proteins of choice.

Pozole Verde de Pollo recipe

In Mexican cuisine, you’ll find three types of pozole: pozole blanco, pozole rojo and pozole verde. Pozole blanco boasts a clear broth, made with hominy but without chiles.  Pozole rojo typically contains pork in a dark crimson broth made with hominy and a red chili sauce made from ancho, guajillo and sometimes arbol chiles for heat.  Today, we are making the third, pozole verde which features tender shredded chicken in a salsa verde sauce.

I am obsessed with this pozole verde because its bright, fresh and comforting all at the same time.  It’s a vibrant dream dressed to impress with its cozy, aromatic broth made from fresh tomatillos, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic and onion, layered with warm and hearty chicken and hominy topped with a hypnotic blend of fresh, bright toppings.    

Additionally, pozole verde de pollo doesn’t require the long prep or simmering time of pozole rojo with pork and dried chilies.  Instead, you can have dinner on the table in less than an hour where everyone’s a winner with their own build-your-own toppings bar. To make, simply sear the chicken, blend the salsa verde ingredients together, simmer the salsa verde, add the rest of the ingredients and simmer an additional 20 minutes. 

As you can see most of the cook time is easy hands-off simmering which you can use to prep your toppings.  Try this chicken pozole today and you’ll be hooked!

What is Verde Pozole made of?

This pozole verde recipe is made with easy to find ingredients. Hopefully, I’ve already answered your questions about the chicken and hominy, so the rest of the ingredients should be pretty straight forward. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Chicken: I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs per above section or rotisserie chicken.
• Hominy: is what this recipe is named after and should not be skipped!  Use canned hominy located near the corn at your grocery store.
• Chicken broth: use low sodium broth so we can control the salt and make room for adding chicken bouillon, the secret flavor weapon.
• Chicken bouillon: is a secret ingredient that adds a rich depth of flavor that makes the pozole verde de pollo taste like it’s been simmering for hours.  You can use granulated chicken bouillon, chicken bouillon cubes or better than bouillon.   If using cubes, crush and add directly to the soup, don’t dissolve in water first.
• Tomatillos:  should be easy to find in the produce section of your grocery store.  Chances are, you’ve passed them every time you’ve been there and never even noticed! Tomatillos means, “little tomato” in Spanish and are known as the Mexican husk tomatoes but are not technically tomatoes and more closely related to the gooseberry.  They look like green, unripe tomatoes with a dry, leafy green husk.  Once you peel off the husk, the tomatillo is a bright green which puts the green in salsa verde.
• Poblano chilies:  are a mild chili pepper that look and taste similar to a green bell pepper with a little more kick.  If you can’t get your hands on poblanos, then swap the for green bell peppers.
• Jalapenos:  use two to three jalapenos depending on how spicy you would like the chicken pozole. Before adding the jalapenos to the blender, slice the tops off and cut the jalapenos in half or quarters so you can easily remove the veins and seeds which carry the fieriest heat.  Of course, if you want your mouth to be on fire, you are welcome to leave them in.
• Onion:  one small yellow onion, peeled and quartered.
• Garlic cloves:  fresh is best but you may substitute with 1 teaspoon garlic powder or more to taste.
• Cilantro:  you’ll need two bunches of cilantro for the salsa verde.  Chop off the bottom and add the top leaves and stems directly to the blender.
• Oregano. Mexican oregano with its lemon and citrus flavors is best but you may also use traditional/Italian oregano.
• Ground cumin: is warm, earthy, nutty, with a hint of both sweet and bitter and edge of citrus and pairs beautifully with the salsa verde.

WHAT IS HOMINY?

One of the main ingredients in every chicken pozole recipe is hominy, a staple of Mexican cooking in soups, stews, and casseroles.

Hominy is made from field corn (maize) kernels which can be white or yellow. Field corn is different than your typical sweet corn on the cob, rather it is used for livestock fodder, making cornmeal and other grain products. To treat the corn and make it acceptable for eating, the kernels are soaked in water with lime which removes the tough outer husk.  This process also makes it easier to finely grind into masa harina, the corn flour that tortillas, tortilla chips and tamales are made of.

Where can I find hominy?

For years, hominy was sold raw so it had to be peeled and soaked in order to use.  Fortunately, today, prepared canned hominy is easy to find at your grocery store (usually located next to the corn) which makes cooking with hominy – and this pozole verde recipe – a whole lot easier.  All you have to do is open the can, rinse it, drain it and add it to the soup! 

WHAT CHICKEN IS BEST FOR pozole verde?

I highly recommend chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in) for the best pozole verde recipe. I didn’t always use chicken thighs for my soup recipes, but once I started, there was NO going back. Chicken thighs are dark meat which means they are inherently juicier, richer tasting and produce far more tender chicken than chicken breasts.  They are also harder to overcook and stay tender for days with a more palate pleasing texture, even when reheated for leftovers.

In addition, chicken thighs are browned first which adds an important layer of flavor to soup as all those golden, flavorful bits become part of the broth.

CAN I USE CHICKEN BREASTS?

Absolutely!  You can still use chicken breasts in pozole verde, it’s just a matter of personal preference.  Please note that because chicken breasts are leaner than chicken thighs, they will not be as juicy or as flavorful.  If using chicken breasts, I suggest bone-in chicken breasts but boneless will also work.

Is Chicke Pozole Verde soup gluten free?

Yes!  If you stick to the ingredients in this recipe, then your pozole verde de pollo will be gluten free.

How spicy is Pozole Verde de Pollo?

Pozole verde de pollo can be as mild or as spicy as you’d like based on how many jalapenos you add.  Two jalapenos is mild-medium and three jalapenos is reserved for those who want to really taste the heat.  If you’re not sure how many to add, error on the side of less then add cayenne pepper to taste at the end of cooking if you still want to spice up the soup.

How to make Pozole Verde

Pozole verde is easy to make in one pot in less than 60 minutes.  Here is how to make it with step-by-step photos (full measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post): 

Step 1:  Sear chicken.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper then sear in a large Dutch oven/soup pot until golden, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate but leave the drippings; set aside. The golden bits left behind are flavor gold and will build the base of the soup.

Step 2:  Make salsa verde.  Homemade salsa verde might sound intimidating, but once you gather the ingredients, it literally takes minutes! Add half of the tomatillos, poblano peppers, onion, poblanos, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro and ½ cup chicken broth.  Blend until smooth, then add to the now empty pot with the chicken drippings.  Repeat with remaining salsa verde ingredients.  

Step 3:  Cook salsa verde.  Add oregano, cumin and chicken bouillon to the salsa verde.  Cook while scraping up the golden bits on the bottom of the pan then continue to simmer for about 12 minutes.  You can literally see the flavor deepen in complexity as the salsa verde turns from bright green to a deep, dull green.

Step 3:  Simmer the soup.  Add the chicken back to the pot along with the hominy and remaining chicken broth. Simmer the soup for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is tender enough to shred. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks.  Meanwhile, continue to simmer the soup for an additional 5-10 minutes, just until the hominy is tender.

Step 5: Finish the soup.  Add the chicken back to the pot. Taste and season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and/or lime juice to taste.

Step 6:  Garnish individual servings.  Now the fun!  Let everyone top their soups with garnishes of choice.

What toppings for Pozole Verde?

Pozole verde de pollo is traditionally served with warm corn tortillas or bolillos (savory Mexican bread) to soak up the rich broth. Sometimes tostadas or tortilla chips are used in place of fresh tortillas.  Along with tortillas, tostadas or tortilla chips, every bowl is served with plenty of toppings. Toppings are a rewarding way to add crunchy and creamy textures and bright, fresh flavors to the stew. 

Traditional toppings include: sliced radishes, sliced cabbage, lime juice, cilantro, Mexican oregano, chopped arbol chiles, Cotija cheese and diced onions/or thinly sliced red onions, but feel free to add whatever you like!  Here’s the breakdown:

• Cabbage: a must for chicken pozole!  Thinly sliced cabbage adds a fresh, contrasting crunch.
• Radishes:  add a delightful spicy, peppery, zesty crunch.
• Onions:  you can use thinly sliced red onions (my preference) or chopped white onions.
• Lime juice:  awakens the flavors of the entire pozole and cuts through the richness.
• Cilantro:  chopped cilantro adds a fresh, zesty flair. 
• Avocado:  chopped or sliced avocados add a wonderful creaminess. 
• Cotija cheese: is Mexican cheese made from cow’s milk that’s salty and crumbly, similar to Parmesan.
• Mexican crema or sour cream:  adds a wonderful creaminess and its refreshing tanginess compliments the tangy, earthy, rich flavors.  You can also use fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt.  

At any point while your pozole verde is simmering, you can prep the toppings. When ready to serve, create a toppings bar and let everyone dress their own pozole. 

HOW TO PREP ahead POZOLE verde de pollo

This pozole recipe does require a few steps but the upside is you can prep different components ahead of time. 

• Chicken:  can be trimmed or trimmed and seasoned and stored in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
• Salsa verde:  can be blended and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or go one step further and cook the salsa verde for 12-15 minutes and store for three days in the refrigerator. 
• Garnishes:  can be prepped a day ahead of time and stored in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. 

Tips for making Pozole Verde de Pollo Recipe

This pozole verde recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are some helpful tips for best pozole every time:

• Husk and rinse the tomatillos.  The delicate paper husk is very easy to peel off of the tomatillos.  Once husked, you will notice the surface of the tomatillos is sticky.  This stickiness is actually a natural deterrent against insects caused by a chemical compound that insects find bad tasting. (Another reason tomatillos are amazing).  This film comes off very easily with just a rinse of warm water.
• Don’t skip simmering the salsa verde. Raw salsa verde is quite acidic and borderline sour.  Simmering the salsa verde mellows the bitterness/acidity by developing its natural sugars and concentrates the flavors, leaving you with a rich, complex tasting salsa verde.
• Don’t skip the sear.  Searing the chicken results in the Maillard reaction, in which amino acids and reducing sugars produce browning, and as we know, color= flavor!  The delicious brown bits left in the bottom of the pan will season the entire pozole verde as they permeate the broth.
• Don’t burn drippings.  Sear the chicken until golden but make sure it’s not at too high of heat. You don’t want any black specks because this will make the chicken pozole taste burnt.  If the chicken is browning too quickly, turn down the heat.
• Don’t overcook the chicken.  This is the most important part of the recipe.  Cook the chicken just until it easily shreds with two forks.  This may take more or less time depending on the size of the chicken, simmering strength, pot, etc.  If your chicken isn’t tender, cook on!
• Multitask.  Save time and prep the toppings while the pozole is simmering.
• Customize consistency.  Pozole is a stew and as such, it is supposed to be on the thick, chunky side. If you prefer it more brothy, simply add additional chicken broth.
• Adjust to taste.  If you feel like your finished pozole verde de pollo is missing something, it is likely salt, heat and/or acid.  Once you season to taste with salt, add reserved chili seeds or cayenne pepper, and lime juice, then all the flavors will come alive. 
• Don’t skimp the toppings! The garnishes are especially important in pozole verde because the soup itself is rich and earthy without many contrasting flavors. It needs the contrasting crunch the toppings provide.

Verde Pozole recipe variations

This pozole verde recipe is fabulous as written or feel free to make it all sorts of non-traditional by adding veggies, rice, cheese, etc.

• Use rotisserie chicken.  Swap the chicken thighs for about 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Add the chicken to the soup the last 5 minutes or so to warm through.
• Swap protein.  You can make pozole with any protein!  You can use chuck roast, pork shoulder, ground beef or ground turkey.
• Add rice.  Add 1 cup long grain white rice (I recommend basmati for the best texture) the last 10-12 minutes of cooking.  You will need to add additional broth to accommodate the rice.
• Add vegetables. Add any of your favorite veggies such as bell peppers, zucchini, chayote, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, etc.
• Add beans.  Black beans or pinto beans would be a fabulous addition.
• Make it cheesy.  Stir freshly shredded pepper Jack or Monterrey Jack cheese directly into the soup.  This would be particularly tasty with the addition of 4 oz. softened cream cheese whisked into the soup.

Can I make Chicken Pozole Verde in the crock pot?

This chicken pozole can easily be adapted to the slower cooker:

1. Spray a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and line it on the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Blend the homemade salsa verde ingredients together and cook on the stove for 12-15 minutes, then pour over the chicken. Add all remaining ingredients. 
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 – 7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours OR just until the chicken is tender enough to shred. 
5. Shred the chicken, then continue to cook the pozole verde with the shredded chicken on low for 20 minutes.
6. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and lime juice to taste. Serve with desired garnishes.

How do you make Pozole Verde de Pollo creamy?

You can transform brothy chicken pozole into creamy chicken pozole using a few different methods:

• 1) add 4 oz. softened cream cheese at the end of cooking and stir until completely melted.   This is the method I use in my Cheesy Taco Soup and Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder and it is fabulous.
• 2)  add cream cheese and freshly grated cheese for added creaminess and enhanced flavor.
• 3)  add part sour cream, part cream cheese OR part sour cream and part heavy cream at the end of cooking.
• 4) if you would like thick and creamy pozole, then whisk ¾ cup masa harina with 1 1 /2 cups of broth from the stew until smooth.  Add to the pozole and bring to a simmer until thickened.  Add 4 oz. softened cream cheese at the end of cooking and stir until completely melted followed by optional freshly grated cheese.

How do I spice up this Pozole Verde de Pollo Recipe?

Mexican pozole soup can be spiced up a number of ways:  add reserved dried chili pepper seeds to taste, add cayenne pepper, minced chipotle chili peppers, minced canned jalapenos or hot sauce.  Hot sauce is a nice option because you can line it up with the garnishes and let everyone customize their own spice level.

How many days is Verde Pozole good for?

Pozole tastes even better the next day!  It will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. 

HOW TO FREEZE chicken POZOLE

Pozole soup freezes and reheats beautifully because it doesn’t contain any dairy or vegetables that can become mushy.  Here’s how:

• Cool. Cool pozole completely before freezing.
• Package: Add soup to a freezer safe container.  You can use sandwich size plastic bags for individual soup portions, quart size bags or freezer bags.  To easy fill these bags, place them in a container that you can wrap the top around the edge of – for example, place a sandwich size bag in a mug then cuff the edges around the mug.  This keeps the bag open and prevents it from collapsing when you are pouring in your pozole.   Final packaging tip, make sure to let out any excess air before you seal.
• Label. Make sure to label your bags so it doesn’t’ become a freezer mystery.  You also want to label so you can be sure to use your chicken pozole within 3 months.
• Freeze. Once cooled and labeled you are ready to freeze your pozole verde. Once the bag is solid you can lay it flat in a single layer so it’s stackable to save space.
• Thaw/Reheat. The easiest way to thaw your pozole is in your refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you forget to thaw your soup beforehand or are hit with a need-pozole-now craving then you can thaw the soup in the microwave.  Transfer frozen soup into a microwave-safe container, partially cover and microwave for 2-3 increments, until the soup has become slushy, stirring in between so it thaws evenly.

HOW DO I REHEAT POZOLE verde?

You can reheat this pozole verde recipe on the stove, in the microwave or crockpot:

• Stove:  reheat large batches on the stove over medium low heat, stirring occasionally – about 10 minutes.
• Microwave:  transfer individual servings to a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lids or paper towel.  Microwave for 2 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.
• Crockpot:  transfer soup to a crockpot and heat on low for 1-3 hours.  The time will depend on how much soup you have remaining.

What to serve with chicken pozole

Keep it simple and serve this pozole verde with a big green salad and some fruit or here are some more festive ideas:   

• Salad: soup and salad is a classic combo!  Serve your pozole verde with Mexican inspired salads like Mexican Salad, Mexican street corn salad, southwest salad, corn salad, or Southwest orzo salad or go more traditional with apple salad or fall salad.
• Veggies: add some veggies to the mix in the form of elote (Mexican Grilled Street Corn), baked asparagus, roasted broccoli, roasted potatoes, or roasted cauliflower.
• Fruit: we absolutely love pina colada fruit salad, especially with Mexican dishes or you can’t go wrong with fruit salad with honey lime vinaigrette or winter fruit salad. 
• Dessert:  Tres leches cake or churros for the win!