Chicken Pozole Verde

Name: Chicken Pozole Verde
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 cans (15 ounces each) hominy, drained and rinsed; 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa verde; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 small onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; Shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced avocado, lime wedges, and tortilla chips, for serving

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

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Chicken Pozole Verde is one of those soups where the toppings are not decoration; they are half the engineering. The pot itself is savory and bright, built from chicken thighs, salsa verde, chicken broth, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and hominy. Then shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, avocado, lime, and tortilla chips bring crunch, creaminess, acid, and freshness to every bowl.

Chicken thighs are particularly good here because they stay juicy through the simmer and shred easily once tender. Cook them in the salsa-verde broth until they reach 165°F and pull apart with a fork, then return the shredded meat to the pot with the hominy for another short simmer. Hominy gives pozole its distinctive chewy, corn-forward bite; it is not just a bean-shaped extra wandering through the soup.

If you can find Mexican oregano, use it for its citrusy, earthy character, but do not let a spice-bin scavenger hunt stand between you and dinner. The important thing is the final bowl: hot green broth and tender chicken underneath, cold crunchy toppings piled high, lime squeezed over everything. That contrast is the reason nobody politely stops at one ladle.

Prep20 minutes

Cook25 minutes

Total45 minutes

Serves4 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cans (15 ounces each) hominy, drained and rinsed
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa verde
4 cups chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced avocado, lime wedges, and tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

1Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic, cumin, and oregano. Cook 30 seconds.
2Add chicken thighs, salsa verde, chicken broth, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes until chicken is tender and shreddable.
3Remove chicken, shred with two forks, and return to the pot.
4Add hominy and simmer 10 more minutes to let everything meld. Cook poultry until the thickest piece reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
5Ladle into bowls and pile on the toppings: cabbage, radishes, avocado, lime, and crushed tortilla chips.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 4 servings.

350Calories

38 gProtein

12 gCarbohydrates

17 gTotal Fat

4 gSaturated Fat

3 gFiber

6 gTotal Sugars

2220 mgSodium

140 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

The toppings make this dish. Don't skip them — the crunch, acid, and creaminess transform the soup.
Mexican oregano tastes different from Mediterranean oregano. If you can find it, use it.
Chicken thighs are essential — they stay moist through the simmer. Breasts dry out.