An easy, simplified version of Chicken Pozole Verde (Green Pozole). A comforting, healthy Mexican stew with tender pieces of chicken and hominy in a bright green chile broth.
This Chicken Pozole Verde is made on the stove in one pot, though you can also prepare it in an Instant Pot or Crock Pot (see notes below).
We use chopped boneless, skinless chicken so there’s no need to pre-cook the meat as in some traditional recipes, which keeps total cooking time down.
The green chile sauce is simplified here: the tomatillos, peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro and some broth are blended, briefly fried in a little oil, and simmered with the rest of the ingredients until the chicken is cooked through (about 20 minutes). This quick approach delivers deep flavor without extra steps.
How to Make Chicken Pozole Verde (Green Pozole)
- Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, tomatillos, onion, garlic, all peppers, and cilantro to a high-speed blender.
- Blend until smooth. If the blender gets full, blend portion by portion. If using a regular blender, stop occasionally to scrape the sides until smooth.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in the blended sauce and cook 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and fragrant.
- Add the remaining chicken broth, chicken pieces, rinsed hominy, salt, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Stir and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Use this time to prepare garnishes.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Serve with lime wedges and your choice of garnishes. Tostadas or corn chips are great on the side.
Optional Garnishes for Chicken Pozole Verde
Fresh toppings brighten the soup and add texture. A squeeze of lime is especially recommended. Try a combination of:
- chopped cilantro
- sliced or diced avocado
- shredded cabbage
- diced onion
- sliced jalapeños
- lime wedges
- thinly sliced radish
Alternative Cooking Methods
This pozole can be adapted for an Instant Pot or Crock Pot. For the Instant Pot, reduce total broth because the pressure cooker does not allow liquid to reduce during cooking.
Instant Pot Chicken Pozole Verde
Use a total of 4 cups chicken broth instead of 6 cups.
- Blend 1 cup broth with tomatillos, onion, garlic, peppers and cilantro until smooth.
- Use the Instant Pot “Sauté” setting to heat oil, then cook the blended sauce 5–10 minutes.
- Add remaining broth, chicken, hominy, salt, cumin and oregano. Stir, seal the lid and pressure cook on High for 15 minutes.
- Allow a 10-minute natural release, then quick-release the remaining pressure. Taste and adjust salt, then serve with garnishes.
Crock Pot Chicken Pozole Verde
- Blend 1 cup broth with tomatillos, onion, garlic, peppers and cilantro until smooth.
- Lightly sauté the blended sauce in a skillet with olive oil for 5–10 minutes.
- Transfer the sauce to the Crock Pot insert and add the remaining broth, chicken, hominy, salt, cumin and oregano. Stir to combine.
- Cook on LOW 5–6 hours or on HIGH 2–3 hours. Taste and adjust salt before serving with garnishes.
Recipe Notes
Peppers
- If Anaheim peppers are unavailable, use additional poblano peppers.
- To increase spice, include jalapeño or serrano in the blended sauce. For a milder, kid-friendly version, omit them and let each person add fresh sliced jalapeños to their bowl.
Blender
A high-speed blender yields the smoothest green sauce, but a standard blender will work if you pulse and scrape the sides as needed until smooth.
Enjoy!
TRIED THIS RECIPE? PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND A STAR RATING IN THE COMMENT SECTION — I’D LOVE TO KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT!
Chicken Pozole Verde {Easy, Healthy, Gluten-free Recipe}
Equipment
-
High-speed blender or standard blender
-
Large stock pot or Dutch oven
-
Instant Pot or Crock Pot (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb tomatillos, peeled, rinsed and halved
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeño or serrano, seeded and halved (optional)
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth (reduced sodium recommended)
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces (thighs, breasts, or a combo work)
- 1 can Mexican hominy, rinsed and drained (25–30 oz)
- 1.5 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Optional Garnishes:
- chopped cilantro, thinly sliced radishes, lime wedges, sliced or diced avocado, sliced jalapeños, shredded cabbage, diced onion
Instructions
-
Add 1 cup of chicken broth, tomatillos, onion, garlic, all peppers, and cilantro to a blender and blend until smooth. If needed, blend in batches.
-
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
-
Pour the blended sauce into the hot pot and cook 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
-
Add remaining chicken broth, chicken pieces, hominy, salt, cumin, and oregano. Stir and bring to a simmer.
-
Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
-
Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with lime wedges and garnishes.
Notes
Peppers
- If Anaheim peppers aren’t available, substitute another poblano.
- To add heat, include the jalapeño or serrano in the blender; otherwise leave them out for a milder batch and top bowls individually with fresh jalapeño slices.
Blender
A high-speed blender produces the smoothest sauce quickly. A standard blender works too—just pulse and scrape the sides until combined.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Instant Pot and Crock Pot instructions are provided above. For the Instant Pot, reduce broth to 4 cups total because liquid won’t reduce while pressure cooking.
Watch the video on how to make Easy Chicken Pozole Verde. Subscribe to the cooking channel to catch more recipe videos.
Looking for more easy Mexican recipes? Try these:
- Easy Mexican Shredded Beef
- Easy Carnitas
- Crispy Baked Shredded Beef Tacos or Bean Tacos
- Easy Red Enchilada Sauce {15 minute Recipe}