Mexican Chicken Pozole Recipe (Pozole Verde)

Y’all I love me some chicken pozole verde. I have ordered it out so much and when I started making it at home, I was able to make it just like I like it. I love mine loaded with chicken, hominy, some good spice and a bomb broth that I can’t help but slurp. This one is just too good to pass up.

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Green pozole chicken in a bowl with garnishes on top and a spoon to the side.

How To Make Chicken Pozole Recipe

Cooking green pozole is quite easy and requires very little active time. Here are the highlights of what goes into making it.

  1. Make the base. Add the key flavor ingredients: tomatillos, onions, chilis, garlic, and cilantro to a food processor and blend until completely smooth.

PRO TIP: The most important tool you will need for this recipe is a heavy-duty blender or food processor. This mixture will serve as a key component that will perfectly marry with the chicken stock to make the base of your soup. 

Ingredients to make green chicken pozole base in a food processor.
  1. Heat the green pozole base and cook for fifteen minutes. Heating the tomatillo mixture over the stove enhances the flavors of the aromatics a bit more. You will see the color change to a deeper green as it cooks.
  2. Add the remaining heated chicken broth and water to the mixture and whisk together.
Heating the green base for the pozole in a large pot.
The green pozole base in a large pot after cooking.
  1. Add the shredded chicken breasts and drained hominy to the pot and stir together. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Cook the soup over medium heat until heated throughout then serve.
Ingredients added to the pot.
The pot of chicken pozole after cooking with a ladle holding up a scoop over the pot.

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  1. Garnish each bowl of chicken verde pozole with traditional toppings like avocado, lime wedges, radishes, and cilantro.
Mexican chicken pozole in a bowl with radishes, avocado, and lime on top.

Chicken Pozole Verde Recipe

Traditional Mexican Chicken pozole verde made with comforting hominy, spicy peppers, delicious chicken and so much love.
4.26 from 31 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course: Soup
Servings: 4 -6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tomatillos husked and halved
  • 1 half medium onion quartered
  • 1 poblano chile cored, seeded and quartered
  • 1 jalapeno seeded and quartered
  • 2 large garlic cloves smashed
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 3 ½ cups chicken stock separated
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cooked boneless chicken breasts shredded
  • 30 ounces white hominy, drained 2 cans
  • Garnish: avocado, lime wedges, radishes and cilantro

Instructions

  • In a food processor or high duty blender, add tomatillos, onion, both chiles, garlic, and cilantro and pulse/blend until everything is completely smooth with no chunks.
  • Add oil to a medium sized pot over medium heat. Pour green puree in pot along with 1 cup of chicken stock. Whisk together and season with salt and pepper.
  • Allow puree to cook, occasionally stirring, until it turns a darker green color. This can take up to 15 minutes.
  • While puree cooks, add remaining chicken stock and water to a larger pot over medium heat.
  • Once puree is dark green, whisk it into the liquid in the larger pot.
  • Next add shredded chicken breasts and drained hominy and stir together until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Cook soup over medium heat until heated throughout then serve.
  • Garnish pozole with traditional toppings like avocado, lime wedges, radishes and cilantro if desired.

Notes

How to Store

The beauty of this soup, and really soups in general, is that it’s great to make ahead. It often tastes better when served up the second time around.
  • Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
  • Freezer: Freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
  • Reheat: Return the soup to a pot and heat over medium heat until it’s heated through. If it’s frozen, thaw it out overnight in the fridge. If it needs more liquid, add some water or broth to thin it out.

Nutrition

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1102mg | Potassium: 557mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 30.9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.9mg
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Recipe Tips

  • Make a double batch. Save time later on by prepping an extra batch to save for a quick meal in the future.
  • Adjust the spiciness to your own tastes by adjusting the amount of jalapenos used in the soup.
  • Chicken time saver tip: Pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it!
A bowl of chicken posole verde with a spoon lifting a some from the bowl.

Recipe Help

Can I use pork instead?

Yep just swap the chicken for shredded pork instead.

Can I meal prep posole verde?

Yep, you can even cook a double batch to save one for a meal later on. Just be sure to let the soup cool completely and store as noted above for the best results.

More Mexican Inspired Recipes to try

If you love comforting soups like Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, , Chicken Chili, Carrot Ginger Soup, or even Tomato Basil Soup, you will adore this perfectly spiced soup that makes you feel right at home. 

*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!

This post was originally published in April 2018. It has been updated with new images and content.

Filed Under:  Chicken, Cinco De Mayo, Soups and Stews, Stovetop

Comments

  1. Oh my this looks yummy and perfect for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow!!! 🙂

  2. This sounds AMAZING! I’m obsessed with anything and everything Mexican when it comes to food… this is just so perfect!

  3. Have so much fun on vacation. You have earned it! I also love Flacos Tacos, and am excited to try this recipe. Anything with tomatillos is a win in my book 😉

  4. I’m so happy for you, my friend! I hope you have the most amazing vacation ever and I can’t wait to hear about it when you return.

  5. Fun and sun sound so good together. I’m so excited for you. Have a blast! This pozole looks amazing. Pinned.

  6. This soup looks amazing!! It really is picture perfect, and I love the green colors. Have a wonderful vacation!! xx

  7. Oh girl, this is one gorgeous post! That soup belongs in a magazine, for real! It is so gorgeous and your description has me craving it. I hope you have a most wonderful, relaxing time on vacation and don’t think about work for a split second 😉

  8. Enjoy your vacation! What a welcome treat of downtime which we all need! Enjoy lost of Mexican food. I hope it’s as good as this delicious recipe!

4.26 from 31 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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