Pozole Verde is a vibrant green Mexican soup that’s loaded with fall-apart chicken, simmered veggies and spices. It’s the perfect bowl of comfort for any occasion.
I absolutely love the transition from summer into fall.
The leaves start to change… the nights get cooler… and we begin to crave all those wonderful comfort foods that we grew up with. For me, Pozole Verde is a must-make every year. It utilizes late-summer produce (like tomatillos and peppers) and there are endless flavorful possibilities when it comes to garnishments. Not to mention, look how pretty this is! It’s a great option for dinner parties.
Speaking of entertaining guests, I’ve been meaning to update a few of my kitchen pots and pans before the holidays. So I recently treated myself to a little shopping spree at our local Lodge Cast Iron Factory Store in Concord, NC. The shop is absolutely beautiful, and they have everything a home chef would need to cook delicious meals in their own kitchen. I instantly swooned towards their Blacklock collection, which has the classic cast iron appearance and triple seasoned finish. Gah, I love this Dutch oven so much! Gorgeous AND practical.
Classic Pozole Verde can be made with chicken or pork. In my own personal opinion, I like using chicken with Pozole Verde (green) and pork with Pozole Rojo (red). Both meats work fantastic with the two varieties though, so go ahead and use whichever meat you enjoy most. The cooking method for both versions is practically the same, however I would suggest browning the pork before getting started.
This Mexican stew is extremely flavorful, surprisingly healthy and will satisfy the hungriest of appetites. You can make it hearty with tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese… or keep it light with fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, jalapeño and radish slices.
Or you can be like me and add all the above.
WHAT TOPPINGS GO NICELY WITH POZOLE VERDE?
There are endless possibilities when it comes to garnishing this flavorful soup. Below are a few of my favorites, but feel free to get creative!
- Freshly sliced Jalapeños (or pickled ones for less heat)
- Shredded Cabbage
- Cilantro Leaves
- Lime Wedges
- Radish Slices
- A sprinkle of Dried Oregano
- Tortilla Chips
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Avocado slices
- Pepita Seeds
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Your favorite Hot Sauce
One thing I love about cooking my own soups and stews is the fact that I can control the amount of heat and salt. Want a spicier dish? Leave all the seeds in the jalapeño! Want to cool things down? Omit the jalapeños and substitute them with poblano peppers. I prefer to use unsalted chicken stock in this recipe, as it allows me to add salt to taste when I’m finished cooking.
CHECK OUT MORE SOUPS HERE!
- 2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 1 lb. Tomatillos, husked and washed
- 3 Jalapeño Peppers, stems cut off
- 1 Hatch Chili or Poblano Pepper, stem cut off
- 1 Large Onion, quartered
- 5 cups Unsalted Chicken Stock
- 1 cup Cilantro
- 5 Garlic Cloves
- 15 oz. can White Hominy, drained
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
- Avocado, Cabbage, Limes, Radishes, Jalapeños, Cilantro, Oregano
- Place chicken, tomatillos, jalapeños, hatch chili or poblano pepper, onion and chicken stock in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Depending on how big your vegetables are, you may need to add a little more stock. Just make sure the stock covers all chicken and veggies for simmering.
- Bring all ingredients to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and allow ingredients to simmer for 50 minutes.
- Remove chicken from the Dutch oven and shred with two forks. Set aside.
- Pour remaining ingredients into a strainer over a large bowl. Place strained ingredients in a blender and transfer broth from the large bowl to the Dutch oven.
- Add cilantro and garlic to the blender along with 1 - 2 cups of broth. Puree until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.
- Carefully pour tomatillo puree into the Dutch oven and stir together with the broth. Add the hominy, chicken and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and season with additional salt and pepper.
- Serve with recommended garnishments and enjoy immediately.
RECIPE NOTES FROM JESS:
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Absolutely! Simply cool the Pozole in the refrigerator until chilled. Then, scoop into freezer-safe containers and freeze. When you’re ready to eat, allow container to thaw in the refrigerator (usually takes around 2 days) and then reheat over the stove or in the microwave.
Is there a way to make this soup less spicy?
Of course! All the heat in peppers comes from their seeds. If you’d like a milder soup, simply scrape out the seeds in the jalapeños, hatch chili or poblano peppers before simmering. You can also swap 2 of the jalapeños for an additional hatch chili or poblano pepper.
Can I use chicken breasts instead?
Yup! I personally prefer the thighs because of their rich flavor. However, if you’d rather use chicken breasts, go for it! You can also use bone-in chicken if you’d like! Just remove the bones while shredding.
This post is sponsored in partnership with Lodge Cast Iron. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend a product or ingredient that I did not immensely enjoy myself. If you happen to live in the Charlotte area, receive 20% off your entire purchase at the Concord store location by using my promo code: “Slice of Jess”. This promotion is good through 12/31/19 and there’s no limit on purchases (excludes Big Green Egg items). Check out my haul on IGTV & my Instagram highlights!
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This was fantastic! Definitely a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Ashley! It’s definitely a favorite around our home as well! 🙂