Pozole Verde
Here's an easy Pozole Verde recipe that uses roasted poblanos to give the sauce some real flavor -- so good!
Servings: 6
Calories: 478kcal
Ingredients
- 1-2 cans hominy (28 oz. cans)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 quarts stock (8 cups)
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- freshly cracked black pepper
- olive oil
- lime
For the poaching liquid (optional):
- 1/2 onion
- 10 sprigs cilantro
- pinch of salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
For the green sauce:
- 10 tomatillos (approx. 1 lb.)
- 2 poblanos
- 1 white onion
- 2 jalapenos
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
Instructions
- Pull off the husks of the tomatillos and give them a good rinse. I usually de-stem them but this is optional. Add the tomatillos to a roasting pan along with the rinsed poblanos and roast them in the oven at 400F. I usually flip the poblanos over after 15-20 minutes, and if the tomatillos are disintegrating you can take them out of the oven at this point. The poblanos will need about 30 minutes total to fully roast.
- Add the two chicken breasts to a pan and cover with 2 quarts of stock. Be sure there is enough liquid to submerge the chicken breasts. I also added 1/2 onion, 10 sprigs cilantro, a pinch of salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper but these are optional. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken until no longer pink inside, about 20 minutes. Once cooked, set the chicken aside to cool on a plate and then shred using two forks. Save the cooking liquid.
- Add the remaining green sauce ingredients to a blender: 1 peeled onion, 2 de-stemmed and rinsed jalapenos, 4 peeled garlic cloves, and 1/2 bunch of rinsed cilantro. I usually just twist off and discard the bottom, thicker portions of the cilantro but use the upper stems that hold the leaves together.
- Once the poblanos have fully roasted, remove them from the oven and let them cool down for a few minutes. Pull off and discard as much of the skin as you can. De-stem and de-seed them. I find it easiest to cut off the tops and then make a slit lengthwise. Open up the pepper and use the knife to scrape out the veins and seeds.
- Add the poblanos and tomatillos to the blender and combine well with the other ingredients. You might have to blend half first to get all of it to fit into a single blender.
- Add a dollop of oil to saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the green sauce from the blender and cook for a few minutes.
- Drain and rinse 2 cans of hominy. If you want a soupier version then use only a single can. Add the hominy to the green sauce.
- Add the shredded chicken to the pan along with the chicken cooking liquid (I gave the cooking liquid a quick strain to remove the onion and cilantro bits). We'll also add 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper. You can always add additional liquid at this point if you want a thinner version (stock or water).
- Let simmer for 15 minutes or until the hominy is heated through. Take a final taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.
- Serve immediately with a squeeze of lime. You can optionally serve it with a cheese quesadilla. Simply add cheese to half of a flour tortilla and fold onto itself. Cook in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until both sides are crispy and golden brown.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
I used homemade stock for this batch.
I like this Pozole best without too many toppings, but if you want you can experiment with adding cabbage, radishes, cilantro, or avocado.
I poached the chicken for this batch but you can cook the chicken any way you want, or even use rotisserie chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 478kcal