Green Pozole with Chicken Easy Recipe (Pozole Verde) (2024)

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What better way to celebrate Mexican Independence Day than with a beloved Mexican dish like Green Pozole with Chicken? In Mexico, there are various types of pozole- red, green, white, chicken, beef, pork- just to name a few.

RELATED POST: Authentic Traditional Red Pozole

Green pozole with chicken is my favorite. It's both easy to make and delicious, so I would like to share my recipe with you.

If you makethese green pozole, be sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the#mamalatinatipshashtag. I’d love to see it and have a chance to share it as well.

Green Pozole with Chicken (Pozole Verde de Pollo)

16 – 20 portions (1 1/2 – 2 cups each)

Approx 36 cups (8.5 lt)

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Ingredients

• 1 can of hominy 108 oz (3.06 Kg)
• 1 whole chicken
• 2 garlic heads +4 garlic cloves, divided
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 2 pounds tomatillos (find these at the Mexican market and even in some general markets now. See photo below)
• 2 1/2 medium white onions, divided
• 1-3 Serrano peppers (stems removed)
• 2 bunches of cilantro
• 1/3 cup of pepitas (optional, ask at your local Mexican market)
• Up to 2 cups of water
• 1 iceberg lettuce head
• 1 bunch radishes
• 2 avocados
• 8-10 limes
• Dry Mexican oregano leaves
• 1-2 pack tostadas

Utensils

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• Colander
• Large stock pot or tamalera
• Blender

Open the can of hominy and rinse well in a colander until the water is clear. Place the hominy in your largest pot, considering the hominy and the whole chicken are going to need to fit.

If you don't have a large enough pot, split everything in half and place into two pots.

Clean and cut the chicken into 4 pieces and place it all in the pot with the hominy. Take the two garlic heads whole, rinse them and throw them in the pot, too.

Lastly, put water in the pot until it covers everything so far (approx 20-24 cups). Cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boiland then lower the temperature to mediumheatand let it simmer for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

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Take the chicken out of the soup and let it cool.

Remove garlic heads from the broth. Then, you can do one of two things: Discard them or cut off the ends of the heads, squeeze the garlic pulp out of their skin, and return the pulp to the broth along with the salsa.

In the meantime, prepare the salsa: You may need to do this part in batches, unless you have an industrial blender.

In a blender, mix well the 4 cloves of peeled garlic, half an onion, two pounds of tomatillos (peeled and washed), serrano chiles (to taste, one for flavor, two for heat), cilantro, salt and pepitas (which are shelled pumpkin seeds). Add up to two cups of water in order to blend smoothly.

Add the salsa to the soup pot with the hominy and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat until the salsa changes in color from bright green to olive green.

Taste for salt. The soup is ready to serve.

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While the broth is simmering with the salsa, shred the cooked chicken by hand.

At this point, you have two options, either add the shredded chicken straight to the pot or keep the chicken separate and add a little bit to each bowl as you serve it to make sure everyone who wants some gets some.

Serving the Pozole

Wash the lettuce and finely chop. Wash and finely slice the radishes and chop the remaining onions. Slice the avocados and cut the limes into halves.

Serve the soup in a traditional ceramic pozole dish or a bowl, adding some shredded chicken, lettuce, radishes, chopped white onion, avocado, a pinch of dry oregano, and lime juice.

Accompany with tostadas (by tostadas, I mean fried tortillas, you can get them at Mexican markets or check the Hispanic Food aisle at your grocery store)

Buen Provecho!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pozole a traditional Mexican stew?

In my opinion, it is more a soup than a traditional stew. The flavorful broth is light and abundant.

How many versions of pozole are there in Mexican cuisine?

Pozoles can be made with different fresh ingredients, but the most popular are red pozole (pozole rojo), white pozole (pozole blanco), and green pozole (pozole verde), like this one, made with a vibrant green sauce.

How do you store pozole?

Wait until the pozole is cold and transfer it to an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 4 months.

What is the difference between pozole and posole?

Nothing; They are just variations in spelling.

Can I use red onion instead of white onion for the toppings?

Absolutely. You can also use yellow onion. I prefer the sharpness of the white onion, but the red and yellow onions work great, too.

Can I use chicken stock?

If you follow my recipe, you will not need it, but if you are short on time, you can use chicken stock and shredded rotisserie chicken or some other cooked chicken instead. Just add the green sauce and white hominy and cook all together.

​Can I use poblano chilies in the sauce?

You can, and many recipes call for them, but if you want to use them you need to roast them and peel them before adding them to the sauce. I prefer using serranos.

For more information, please be sure to check out the recipe card below.

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