Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
- 1000 g bone-in skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 1500 ml chicken broth, low sodium preferred
- 1 white onion, halved
- 4 garlic, peeled, whole
Verde Base
- 500 g tomatillos, husked and rinsed well
- 2 poblano peppers, whole
- 2 jalapeno peppers, whole
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 4 garlic, peeled, whole
- 50 g fresh cilantro, stems and leaves included
- 50 g pepitas, toasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 5 g dried mexican oregano
- 15 ml vegetable oil
Soup Body
- 800 g canned white hominy, drained and rinsed well
Garnishes
- 200 g green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 100 g radishes, thinly sliced
- 2 avocado, diced
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a large Dutch oven, combine the chicken thighs, halved white onion, 4 whole garlic cloves, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming any foam from the surface. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F and is tender enough to shred. Always wash hands and sanitize surfaces after handling raw poultry.
While the chicken cooks, preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers, quartered onion, and 4 remaining garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Roast until the vegetables are soft and deeply blistered, turning halfway through.
Transfer the chicken from the pot to a cutting board to cool slightly. Strain the broth, discarding the boiled onion and garlic, and return the clear broth to the Dutch oven. Once cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the chicken meat, discarding the bones.
Remove the stems and seeds from the roasted poblano and jalapeno peppers. Transfer all roasted vegetables to a blender along with any juices from the baking sheet, fresh cilantro, toasted pepitas, dried oregano, and about 240ml of the reserved chicken broth. Blend until completely smooth.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully pour in the blended verde puree. It will splatter. Fry the puree, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly in color and thickens into a rich paste.
Pour the remaining reserved chicken broth into the fried verde base. Stir in the shredded chicken and the drained, rinsed hominy. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and let the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
Ladle the hot pozole into deep bowls. Serve immediately, presenting the shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, diced avocado, and lime wedges on a communal platter so guests can garnish their bowls to taste.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the pepitas is essential; they add a crucial nutty undertone and act as a natural thickener for the rich green broth.
- Frying the blended green sauce, a technique known as 'sofreir', is a foundational step in Mexican cooking that concentrates the flavors and cooks out raw, herbaceous notes.
- For the clearest broth and cleanest flavor, diligently skim the grey foam that rises to the top of the pot during the first 10 minutes of chicken poaching.
- Do not skip the garnishes. The raw, crunchy elements like cabbage and radish provide necessary textural contrast to the soft, chewy hominy and tender chicken.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the soup separately from the fresh garnishes to maintain texture.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the fresh garnishes. Hominy may soften slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until simmering.
