Description
This Red Chicken Pozole Soup is a comforting Mexican classic featuring tender chicken simmered with smoky dried chiles and hearty hominy. It’s packed with bold flavors, garnished with fresh radishes, cabbage, cilantro, and creamy avocado, making it a perfect warm meal for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 oz) hominy, drained and rinsed
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 dried ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Garnishes
- Lime wedges
- Sliced radishes
- Shredded cabbage
- Chopped cilantro
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and ground cloves. Cook for about 1 minute until aromatic.
- Soften Chiles: In a small saucepan, cover the dried guajillo and ancho chiles with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
- Make Chile Puree: Blend the softened chiles with a bit of their soaking liquid until smooth. Strain the puree if desired for a smoother texture.
- Simmer Soup: Return the seared chicken to the pot along with the chile puree, chicken broth, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and easily shreds.
- Shred Chicken and Add Hominy: Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the drained hominy. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to heat through and allow flavors to meld.
- Season and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot topped with lime wedges, sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, chopped cilantro, and avocado slices for a fresh, vibrant finish.
Notes
- For a quicker version, use rotisserie chicken and skip searing. Just add shredded chicken with the hominy step.
- To enhance the smoky depth, add a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce to the chile puree before blending.
- If you prefer a less spicy soup, remove all seeds from dried chiles or reduce the amount used.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it friendly for those diets.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
