Delicious and Easy Green Chile Chicken Pozole Recipe
Savor the vibrant flavors of homemade pozole verde (green chile posole), a hearty and comforting soup featuring tender shredded chicken, plump hominy, and the bright, smoky essence of roasted green chiles and tomatillos. This recipe brings a touch of New Mexican tradition to your table, perfect for a cozy weeknight meal or a festive holiday gathering.
Inspired by the traditional New Mexican Christmas dish, this Green Chile Chicken Pozole is a flavorful and satisfying soup that’s surprisingly easy to make. It’s a dish you’ll quickly fall in love with.
Pozole verde, often compared to a creamy white chicken chili with corn, boasts a unique twist. Its star ingredient is hominy, a type of maize treated with lime or lye. These large, chewy kernels resemble corn but offer a distinct flavor and texture. Unlike sweet corn, hominy has a subtle, savory taste and a satisfyingly chewy texture that’s similar to a bean when cooked. The addition of hominy makes this chicken pozole a rich and fulfilling meal.
This recipe deviates slightly from the traditional pozole, incorporating instant pot navy beans for added creaminess and depth. Prepping and freezing navy beans in advance ensures a quick and convenient cooking process, especially when using a slow cooker. Garnishing the pozole with cotija cheese and cilantro adds a salty, fresh touch, while thinly sliced cabbage and radishes provide a delightful crunch.
Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Green Chile Chicken Pozole Recipe
- Taste: This chicken pozole has a savory chicken broth base with tender shredded chicken, chewy hominy, and a touch of tartness from the tomatillos and lime. The white beans add a creamy, satisfying texture.
- Ease: The steps are straightforward, involving roasting and blending the tomatillos, browning the chicken, and then letting the slow cooker do its magic. This ease of cooking makes it a perfect mid-week meal.
- Time: With just about 10 minutes for browning the chicken, 15 minutes for roasting tomatillos, and approximately 4 hours in the crockpot, the total cooking time is around 4.5 hours, making it a convenient option for busy days.
Key Ingredients for Green Chile Chicken Pozole
- Chicken Thighs vs. Breasts: Chicken thighs are rich in flavor and hold up well during simmering. While chicken breasts can be used, chicken thighs are the best choice for this recipe due to their enhanced flavor and ability to stay tender.
- Tomatillos: Roasted tomatillos provide a smoky, sweet-tart flavor that elevates the pozole. Roasting them brings out their natural sugars and adds a layer of complexity.
- Hominy: Resembling large corn kernels, hominy is made from maize treated with lime or lye. Its unique taste and texture set it apart from regular corn. White hominy is preferred for this recipe, but yellow hominy can also be used.
- Roasted Green Chile: You can either roast your own green chiles or purchase them online. Fire-roasted Hatch green chiles from New Mexico, like those used in new mexican green chile chicken enchiladas, offer an authentic flavor.
For detailed ingredient quantities and complete instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations for Green Chile Chicken Pozole
- Beans: Instead of white navy beans, pinto beans or great northern beans (white) can be used as a suitable substitute.
- Chiles: Roast 1-2 additional green chiles, poblanos, or jalapeños along with the tomatillos for a spicier, more complex flavor profile.
- Aromatics: Enhance the flavor with Mexican oregano, bay leaves, or cumin. While the original recipe is kept simple, feel free to adjust the aromatics to your personal preference.
How to Make Green Chile Chicken Pozole: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1. Roast the Tomatillos: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the halved tomatillos on a baking sheet and roast for 18-20 minutes until softened. Blend into a puree or mash coarsely, leaving some chunks if desired.
- Step 2. Brown the Chicken: Heat a frying pan over medium heat with olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken thighs and chopped onions and brown for approximately 4 minutes on each side. Browning adds depth of flavor to the dish.
- Step 3. Combine Ingredients in Crock-Pot: Transfer the browned chicken, roasted tomatillos, onions, roasted green chiles, hominy, white beans, and all spices into a slow cooker or crockpot.
- Step 4. Add Broth and Cook: Pour in the chicken broth, ensuring all ingredients are submerged. Cook on high heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is incredibly tender and easily shreds.
- Step 5. Shred and Serve: Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
Stovetop Option: For stovetop cooking, combine all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low for 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and easily shredded. Serve hot with your favorite garnishes.
Tip: Taste and adjust the pozole by adding salt or chicken bouillon for a quick flavor boost, or a squeeze of lime to brighten the flavors.
Troubleshooting Green Chile Chicken Pozole
- Broth Too Thin: Reduce by simmering uncovered, or add a cornstarch slurry (a small amount of cornstarch mixed with water).
- Chicken Dry or Stringy: Using chicken thighs helps prevent this. Avoid overcooking; 6-8 hours in the slow cooker may be too long on high heat. If chicken is dry, add the shredded chicken back to the warm broth to finish.
- Flavor Too Mild: Add lime juice, salt, or garlic to balance and enhance the flavor.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Tips
Refrigerate: Store leftover pozole in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months for a quick and delicious meal anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions About Green Chile Chicken Pozole
Green chile is generally the best for this chicken pozole, offering a smoky flavor and variable spice levels.
Poblanos provide a slightly sweeter taste with mild spice.
Jalapeños and serranos add significant heat but less overall flavor.
Canned hominy is convenient and perfect for this recipe. Dried hominy can be used after soaking and cooking according to package directions.
In an 8-quart Instant Pot, roast and brown the chicken, then combine all ingredients and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
Yes! Use 1.5 to 2 pounds of pork tenderloin, searing it before adding it to the slow cooker for a more traditional pork posole.
Serving Suggestions for Green Chile Chicken Pozole
- Garnish with thinly sliced radishes or cabbage, fresh limes, and chopped cilantro.
- Top with cotija cheese, queso fresco, Mexican crema, or sour cream for a creamy, flavorful experience.
More Delicious Latin-Inspired Recipes to Try
- New Mexican Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Green Chile Gravy
- 4 Ingredient Guacamole
- Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
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Green Chile Posole with Chicken
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Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
- 1 frying pan
Ingredients
- 12 oz tomatillos (7-10)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs
- 1 cup chopped onions
- ⅓ cup roasted green chiles chopped
- 2 (15 oz) cans white hominy drained
- 2 (15 oz) cans white navy beans drained
- 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons powdered garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 32 oz chicken broth or stock
- 1-2 limes
- optional garnish: cilantro, sliced cabbage, radishes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Roast halved or quartered tomatillos on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, they should be soft. Blend them into a pureé in a blender or mash with a potato masher. It’s alright if there’s chunks or skins.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat with olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Place chicken thighs and onions in pan to brown for 4 minutes on each side.
- Place chicken, roasted tomatillos, onions, roasted chiles, hominy, white beans, and all spices (remaining ingredients) into a crock pot.
- Add chicken broth and cook on high for 4-5 hours until chicken is tender.
- Shred chicken with forks and squeeze juice of 1-2 limes (to taste) before serving.
Add salt or garlic as needed. - Stovetop instructions in Recipe Notes.
Notes
Stovetop: Cook chicken and onions in a large cooking pot (while the tomatillos are roasting in the oven) then add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer on low heat for 1 hour until chicken is pull apart tender and shred before serving.
Refrigerate: up to 5 days
Freeze: up to 3 months
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
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