Pozole verde is a flavorful Mexican soup with fresh verde and shredded chicken. It is topped with ingredients like shredded cabbage, radishes, and lime for a bright, fresh, and flavor packed dish. It is the perfect soup for any occasion!

I love soups all year round! I just think they are so warm and cozy, and there’s usually a good reason to have soup on the table. If you love soup as much as I do, you’ll have to try this hearty and filling Lasagna Soup, this award winning Cheeseburger Soup, and this simple and flavorful Cauliflower Soup.

Chicken Pozole Verde

Pozole verde is a classic Mexican dish that is made frequently and reminds me of our classic chicken noodle soup. It is homey with so much rich and satisfying flavors. The first thing you do is cook the chicken and verde ingredients like tomatillo, onion, jalapenos and garlic. Then you remove the chicken and blend up the verde. It is so simple and yet SO packed with delicious flavors. I crave these flavors all the time and this dish just really hits the spot!

If you have ever made salsa verde or verde tacos, you know that fresh verde is off the charts delicious! Tomatillos are something I don’t use every day, but when I make something like my slow cooker pork chili verde or this chicken pozole, I wonder why it isn’t in EVERYTHING. It is so flavorful and unique! If this is your first time cooking with them, you can find them fresh in the produce section of your grocery store. They aren’t hard to work with and will take your cooking to the next level.

Ingredients

Pozole is made from simple and fresh ingredients. This pozole has chicken in it, but you could also use pork or even beef. It’s super delicious any way you make it! Fresh tomatillos, onions, jalapeños and garlic make up this fresh verde. I like to use chicken broth to make the soup because it is really flavorful and adds lots of nutrients. You could use vegetable stock or beef broth instead. Some people add poblano peppers or serranos for extra flavor which sounds amazing! You can find the exact measurements below in the recipe card.

Pozole Verde Ingredients

• Chicken Breast: You will not want any skin in your pozole verde. You can also use other parts of the chicken, dark meat is full of flavor!
• Tomatillos: Tomatillos are kind of like tomatoes because they are considered a fruit. Tomatillo actually means “little tomato” in Spanish! They taste similar to a tomato but are a little less sweet.
• Yellow Onion: These onions are flavorful and affordable, and they are perfect for adding extra flavor to this soup.
• Jalapeños: Fresh jalapeños add a punch of heat and flavor.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add a ton of flavor to the verde.
• Dried Oregano: I like to add oregano to balance out the acid from the tomatillos. You could also use Mexican oregano.
• Cumin: Cumin has a warm and nutty flavor that really deepens the soup.
• Salt: Add some salt to bring out all the delicious flavors of the other ingredients.
• Pepper: I like to add some pepper to add extra heat and another layer of flavor.
• Chicken Broth: Chicken broth is the perfect base for the soup. It has a lot of nutrients and will make the soup taste incredible.
• White Hominy: Hominy is a type of field corn. You will want to use the canned version so it is nice and soft and you don’t have to worry about cooking it.
• Cilantro: Cilantro can be touch and go for some people, but I love the fresh and citrusy flavor it has.

Fresh Toppings

• Shredded Cabbage: Fresh shredded cabbage adds a really nice crunch and some fresh flavor to the pozole verde.
• Lime Wedges: I like to add a fresh squeeze of lime juice once I dish up the bowl. I sometimes just drop the whole wedge in the soup so that it keeps adding flavor as I’m eating.
• Radishes: You will want to slice them pretty thin so they are easy to eat and don’t overwhelm the flavor of the soup.
• Cilantro: I add fresh cilantro on top for an extra burst of fresh flavor.

Pozole Verde Recipe

Green pozole is just one of the many delicious ways to make pozole! It is super easy to make and will really wow everyone in your family. It is always a crowd pleaser at my house when I serve it. Add some fresh sour cream on top for a pop of extra flavor!

1. Add Ingredients: In a large stock pot on the stovetop, add in the chicken breasts, tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and chicken broth, then bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
2. Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and, using two forks, shred it on a cutting board and set aside.
3. Make Verde: Remove the tomatillos, onions, jalapenos, garlic, and ½ cup of the liquid from the pot and add them to a blender with the cilantro. Blend until it is smooth and pour it, along with the shredded chicken and cans of hominy into the pot.
4. Simmer: Simmer everything together for an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered.
5. Add Fresh Toppings: To serve, pour the Pozole into bowls and top with finely shredded cabbage, lime wedges, sliced radishes, and cilantro.

Other Mexican Inspired Recipes

I think Mexican dishes are full of so much flavor. There are so many fun and unique recipes that I can’t wait for you to try! Here are a few of my family’s favorites that I think your family will love too.

Dinner

Mexican Shrimp Skillet

Side Dishes

Grilled Mexican Street Corn

Soup Recipes

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

Dinner

Shredded Chicken Tacos

Print

Pozole Verde

Pozole verde is a flavorful Mexican soup with fresh verde and shredded chicken. It is topped with ingredients like shredded cabbage, radishes, and lime for a bright, fresh, and flavor packed dish. It is the perfect soup for any occasion!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Mexican stew, pozole verde

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 8 People

Calories 214kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

• 2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 pound tomatillos peeled and washed
• 1 large yellow onion coarsely chopped
• 3 jalapenos sliced with the seeds removed
• 3 cloves garlic whole
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 15 ounce cans white hominy
• ⅓ cup cilantro

Topping

• Shredded cabbage
• Lime wedges
• Sliced radishes
• Cilantro

Instructions

• In a large stock pot add in the chicken breasts, tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and chicken broth, bring to a rolling boil on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
• Remove the chicken from the pot and, using two forks, shred it on a cutting board and set aside.
• Remove the tomatillos, onions, jalapenos, garlic, and ½ cup of the liquid from the pot and add them to a blender with the cilantro. Blend until it is smooth and pour it, along with the shredded chicken and cans of hominy into the pot.
• Simmer everything together for an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered.
• To serve, pour the Pozole into bowls and top with finely shredded cabbage, lime wedges, sliced radishes, and cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1577mg | Potassium: 670mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg