Chicken pozole verde
A bright, tangy green pozole with tender shredded chicken, hominy and toasted pepitas blended right into the broth.
- 85 min total
- 35 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 6
- About $3.80 a serving
- 460 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 6 servings.
- 1 lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 jalapeños
- 1 white onion, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 lb boneless chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 bunch cilantro, divided
- ⅓ cup pepitas
- 3 cans canned white hominy, 15.5 oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 6 radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1 avocado, diced (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1½ tsp salt
Each serving has about 460 calories, 39 g protein, 47 g carbs and 13 g fat, and costs about $3.80 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No boneless chicken thighs? Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work.
- No chicken broth? Vegetable broth or bone broth works.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
- No pepitas? Sunflower seeds work.
- No green cabbage? Red cabbage or coleslaw mix works.
- No limes? Lemons work.
- No avocados? Guacamole works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the tomatillos.
Halve. Halving means cutting something into two equal pieces. Even halves cook at the same speed, so one doesn’t dry out while the other finishes.
How you’ll know: The two pieces look like mirror images of each other.
Dolly’s tip: Tomatillos feel sticky under the husk. A rinse in warm water takes it right off.Pull the stems and seeds out of the poblanos and jalapeños and cut them into big pieces.
Cut one onion half into chunks and the other half for topping.
Dice. Dicing means cutting food into small, even cubes, usually a quarter to half an inch across. Pieces the same size cook at the same speed, so nothing burns while the rest catches up.
How you’ll know: Your pieces are little cubes about the size of a chickpea, and they all look close to the same.
Put the chicken, broth, tomatillos, peppers, onion chunks and garlic in a large pot and over high heat.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
Turn the heat to low, cover, and 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F and the tomatillos turn olive green and soft.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Low heatTimer: 20 min
Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Move the chicken to a board to cool a little. Lift the vegetables out of the pot with a slotted spoon and put them in a blender.
Add half the cilantro, the pepitas, oregano, cumin, salt and 1 cup of the broth, and blend until smooth.
Dolly’s tip: Hot liquid pushes the blender lid up. Fill it no more than halfway, hold the lid down with a folded towel, and start on low.Pour the green sauce into the pot, add the hominy, and uncovered 15 minutes.
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Medium heatTimer: 15 min
the chicken with two forks, stir it into the pot, and let it for 2 minutes.
Shred. Shredding means making thin strips, either on the big holes of a grater or by pulling cooked meat apart with two forks. Shreds soak up sauce and mix evenly through a dish.
How you’ll know: Cooked chicken pulls apart into strands with little effort, and cheese comes off in long, loose strips.
Heat through. Heating through means warming food that’s already cooked until it’s hot all the way to the center. You’re not cooking it more, just making sure no part is still cold.
How you’ll know: It’s steaming, and a piece from the middle is hot, not lukewarm.
Medium heatTimer: 2 min
the rest of the cilantro and set it out with the diced onion, cabbage, radishes and limes.
Chop. Chopping means cutting food into bite-size pieces that don’t need to be neat. Keep them roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly.
How you’ll know: Your pieces are about half an inch and roughly alike, even if none of them are pretty.
Taste and add salt until the broth tastes bright and full, then ladle into bowls and top with everything, plus the avocado.
Dolly’s tip: It thickens in the fridge overnight. Loosen leftovers with a splash of water or broth as they warm.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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