Green Chicken Pozole Recipe
A flavorful Mexican Stew called Pozole Verde! This version is lightened up with chicken (instead of pork) and is the loveliest vibrant green! Loaded up with veggies, this makes for a healthy, delicious dinner with lots of texture and flavor. Perfect for entertaining!
How to Make the Best Green Chicken Pozole
Green Chicken Pozole, or Pozole Verde, is one of those soul-warming Mexican dishes that brings comfort and bold flavor to every spoonful. This version swaps traditional pork for tender shredded chicken, making it a lighter yet equally satisfying option. The vibrant green color comes from a blend of tomatillos, poblano peppers, and fresh cilantro—creating a tangy, slightly spicy broth that’s absolutely irresistible.
What makes this pozole truly special is the combination of textures and flavors. Chewy hominy adds heartiness, while the verde sauce provides a fresh, zesty kick. The aromatic blend of Mexican oregano, cumin, and epazote gives the broth an authentic depth that transports you straight to a cozy kitchen in Mexico. It’s the perfect dish for entertaining, as guests can customize their bowls with toppings like sour cream, radishes, shredded cabbage, and lime wedges.
Whether you’re looking for a healthy weeknight dinner or an impressive dish to serve at your next gathering, this Green Chicken Pozole delivers. Make a big batch and enjoy leftovers—the flavors only get better the next day.
Green Chicken Pozole
A flavorful Mexican Stew called Pozole Verde! This version is lightened up with chicken (instead of pork) and is the loveliest vibrant green! Loaded up with veggies, this makes for a healthy, delicious dinner with lots of texture and flavor. Perfect for entertaining!
Ingredients
Broth and Chicken
Verde Sauce
Instructions
Cook the Chicken
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, bring the chicken stock, salt, coriander, cumin, oregano, epazote, cumin and pepper to a boil.
- Add the chicken breasts, cover and simmer gently over low heat until they're tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and shred the meat, skim the stock, and return the chicken back to the stock.
Make the Verde Sauce
- In a blender, add water, tomatillos, onion, garlic, poblano peppers and jalapeno. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides if necessary.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add all the tomatillo/poblano puree. Simmer gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 10-12 minutes.
Combine and Finish
- Ladle 1 cup of chicken broth from the soup pot into the blender and set aside.
- Pour the cooked verde sauce into the chicken soup pot. Add 3 cups hominy (save 1 cup for the blender) and gently simmer over medium heat.
- To the blender with chicken stock, add the cilantro and tender stems. Cover tightly with a lid and kitchen towel, and blend until very smooth.
- Add the remaining 1 cup of hominy to the blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Pour this into the soup close to serving time to keep it vibrant green.
- Season with salt and pepper. Cook on warm just until heated through—do not boil, or you will lose the lovely color.
Serve
- Ladle the pozole into bowls. Serve with sour cream and your choice of toppings, letting people add whatever they want.
Notes
- Use a flavorful homemade chicken stock for the best results.
- If soup lacks depth, add more salt or a couple of chicken bouillon cubes.
- The goal is to get enough depth in the soup to balance out the tartness from the tomatillos and heat from the chilies.
- For extra spicy pozole, double the jalapeno.
