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Chicken Pozole

A traditional Mexican soup made with hominy and tender chicken, perfect for chilly evenings.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Soup Base
  • 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts if you prefer
  • 2 cans (29 ounces each) white hominy, drained
  • 1 large white onion, quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican if possible
  • Salt to taste
For the Red Chile Sauce
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 3 cups hot water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
Toppings
  • Shredded cabbage
  • Sliced radishes
  • Dried oregano
  • Lime wedges
  • Diced white onion
  • Tostadas or tortilla chips
  • Avocado slices

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles.
  2. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side.
  3. Soak toasted chiles in hot water for 20 minutes.
Building the Base
  1. In a large pot, add chicken broth, chicken thighs, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and oregano.
  2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer for about 45 minutes.
Creating the Red Sauce
  1. Drain the soaked chiles and blend with fresh water, cumin, and black pepper until smooth.
  2. Strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
Bringing It All Together
  1. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot.
  2. Add the red chile sauce and drained hominy, then simmer for another 30 minutes.
Serving
  1. Set up a topping station for people to customize their bowls.
  2. Serve with your desired toppings.

Notes

Pozole tastes even better the next day. Store soup and toppings separately.