Here’s yet another recipe inspired by my mama! A few years back, she texted me a picture of a gorgeous green chile stew with hominy, beans, corn, chicken and more. She used to live in New Mexico and would get the best green chiles. I was always so jealous of her fabulous southwest-inspired recipes.
Immediately I knew I’d have to make a variation of her green chile chicken pozole, and it was so delicious! Tony and I piled on cabbage, avocado, tortilla chips for crunch, and yogurt to cool it down and keep it creamy. Unbelievably delicious — I know you’re going to love it!
What is pozole?
Pozole, also spelled “posole” in some countries, is a traditional Mexican soup or stew made with hominy, meat, chile peppers and garnishes like avocado, lettuce or cabbage, radishes and limes. Many pozole recipes use pork as the meat in the soup, but in my take on traditional pozole, we’re using chicken thighs and the addition of green chiles for a southwestern version.
Ingredients in green chile chicken pozole
This wonderful take on traditional pozole uses chicken thighs, some amazing herbs & spices, a kick of flavor from green chiles and, of course, hominy. You’ll love all of the textures and flavors in this recipe plus the addition of fresh toppings. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Olive oil: you’ll use a bit of olive oil to cook down the onion, bell pepper and garlic.
- Veggies: we’re adding yellow or white onion, green bell pepper & sweet corn for delicious texture and sweet & savory flavors.
- Garlic cloves: gotta have some fresh garlic simmering with all of the pozole ingredients.
- Herbs & spices: we’re adding a mix of cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, oregano, salt (or adobo) and black pepper.
- Chicken broth: the base of the chicken pozole is simmered in chicken broth. I’d recommend using a low sodium chicken broth so that you can control the level of salt in the recipe.
- Green chiles: feel free to use medium or mild green chiles for a little kick of heat and wonderful flavor.
- Hominy: the star of the show in this chicken pozole! You’ll need one 28oz can of hominy in the recipe.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: I like to use chicken thighs in this recipe because they add more flavor and won’t get overcooked like chicken breasts can tend to do in broth-based soups.
- Cilantro & lime juice: for a boost of freshness in every bite.
- To garnish: I like to add shredded green cabbage, Greek yogurt (this is SO good on the soup), extra cilantro, avocado slices & lime wedges.
What is hominy?
Hominy is actually dried corn kernels that have gone through a process called “nixtamalization.” Sounds scary, I know, but it just means that the corn kernels have been soaked in a lye or lime solution that makes the outer shells softer. The texture of hominy is a little puffier, chewier, and more bean-like than corn. It’s a traditional ingredient in pozole and other Hispanic recipes.
How to make chicken pozole
- Saute the veggies. Start by sauteing the onion, bell pepper and garlic, then mix in all of those warming spices.
- Cook the soup. Slowly stir in chicken broth, green chiles, hominy, chicken thighs and salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Stir in add-ins. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add it back to the pot then stir in corn, cilantro and lime juice. Simmer for a few more minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
- Garnish & serve. Serve pozole in bowls, add all of those delicious toppings, and enjoy!
How to store, freeze & reheat chicken pozole
- To store: store this green chile chicken pozole in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
- To freeze: let the pozole completely cool, leave the garnishes off and then transfer it to a freezer-safe container (or multiple containers for meal prep purposes). Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reheat: first let the pozole thaw in the refrigerator, then heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add your garnishes last and enjoy!
More soups & stews you’ll love
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup
- Creamy White Bean Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Healing Ginger Coconut Chicken Brown Rice Soup
- Nourishing Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup
Get all of my soup recipes here!
I hope you love this incredible green chile chicken pozole! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Green Chile Chicken Pozole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 (5 ounce) cans mild or medium green chiles
- 1 (28 ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt (or sub adobo)
- black pepper
- 1 cup sweet corn, optional (drained and rinsed if using canned)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- To garnish:
- Shredded green cabbage
- Greek yogurt (this is SO good on the soup)
- Extra cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or pot, add olive oil and place over medium high heat. Next add in diced onion, bell pepper and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until onions are tender. Next add in spices: cumin, coriander, garlic powder and oregano. Mix to coat the veggies with the spices, then slowly add in chicken broth, green chiles, hominy, chicken thighs and salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Bring soup to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. You’ll want the chicken to be covered by the broth so make sure to stir every so often.
- Once chicken is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to the pot then stir in corn, cilantro and juice from 1 lime. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Enjoy. Serves 4-6.
- Serve pozole in bowls immediately, top with shredded green cabbage, dollop of Greek yogurt, pinch of fresh chopped cilantro, avocado slices and a lime wedge.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
62 comments
Ho-ly ish! Run, don’t walk to make this! This is the perfect blend of spicy and nourishing for the cold months to come. It’s like a big hug! I did sub hominy for 2 cans of white beans and added 2 more cups of chicken broth. I don’t eat reheated meat, especially chicken so I only put in one small chicken breast. (Which was perfect for me and added more for the hubs)if you want something thinner than a white chicken chili but along those those lines, make this!
Wow, yum! I didn’t really know what to expect with the hominy but it is so good! Don’t sleep on this soup recipe!!
So happy you loved it!
Hug in a bowl right here! I’m glad you love it 🙂
I made this and it came out well. I used a red bell pepper instead of green, and used Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn. I added the corn with about 10 mins left so it would thaw. I must have had a really juicy lime because it was very limey 🙂
I did all the toppings except yogurt since I didn’t have any. Next time I would try it with chicken breast and maybe a tiny bit less lime juice. Thank you!
This one’s great for customizing! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Amazing! Didn’t change a thing and it was so delicious. I was really excited to find this recipe since I haven’t been able to visit my favorite Mexican restaurant since the pandemic started and have really missed their green Pozole. This hit the spot!
So happy to hear that! Perfect comfort food 🙂
Oh my!!!! This is one of THE BEST soups I’ve made in a LONG time! So unbelievably flavorful. Never had hominy before, and I was pleasantly surprised. I doubled the amount of chicken so it had extra protein. This will surely be my go to for the winter!!
Amazing! So glad you loved it!
Absolutely delicious. My husband is Hispanic and is used to classic pozole and LOVED this recipe. One recommendation would be more broth!
Amazing! So happy to hear that. And thank you for the tip!
Really delicious! Just the right amount of kick. A light but hearty dinner, perfect for winter. We made it without hominy because we couldn’t find any at the market, so we replaced it with a can of corn. Still came out great!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
My fiance made this for dinner last night, and it was super yummy! This is my new favorite soup. So good for a cozy night in on a cold night! Thank you, Monique!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
This soup absolutely blew me away it was so flavorful! I didn’t have ground coriander or garlic powder(?!) somehow so just added a little more cumin and fresh garlic and it was still unbelievable. Topped with avo and Greek yogurt as suggested and it’s perfect! Will definitely make again and try with cabbage. Thanks for yet another new staple!
I’m glad that still tasted amazing! Love those toppings, too 🙂
I had the worst morning and I decided to make this recipe to distract me and it warmed me up from the inside out and cheered me up. I’m on a budget so I went with the chicken that was cheapest at the store (about a half pound of thighs and just under a pound of chicken breast) and I added a tiny can of creamed corn for some sweetness and creaminess and a roasted poblano pepper, some smoked paprika, and a couple shishitos that I had leftover in the fridge for a bit of a kick and it really helped me cheer up a little bit. This is definitely going in my comfort food recipe box! Thank you
I’m so happy you found this recipe! It’s truly a hug-in-a-bowl. Glad you loved it and it cheered you up 🙂
Absolutely delicious and easy soup very flavorful even my 15 and 17-year-old boys loved it definitely making this again. I have never put Greek yogurt and shredded cabbage or avocado on a soup before but it was so good
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
Yet again, Monique hits it out of the ballpark! This is amazing!!! I wasn’t sure how we would like Hominy, so I used one can Hominy, one can Cannelllii Beans (both are great options for beans!) . My husband didn’t love his with Greek Yogurt, but I liked it with it! We used chicken breast and it was just as great. The lime garnish is a great bright addition too. We added Mexican cheese and broken up chips on top before eating and omitted cabbage (didn’t have it). DELICIOUS Soup and can’t wait to make it again! Thanks as always Monique!!
Perfect! This one’s great for customizing 🙂 glad you both enjoyed!
I haven’t had hominy since I was a child, it was so good! Love this soup!
Yum! I hadn’t heard of hominy before but wanted to try something new. My boyfriend thought they were mozzarella pearls lol – a nice creamy, pasta-like texture! The crunchy cabbage on top is delish and this makes great leftovers!
Kind of like that! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I’ve been a fan of pozole since I was sixteen and my Mexican neighbors shared this amazing soup with me. I’ve never attempted to make it for myself until now. Let me tell you, this pozole recipe is so delicious. Authenic, without being greasy, like some versions of pozole that I have tried. I will definitely save this recipe! And share it!
Amazing! So glad you found & loved this one!
So delicious. I’ve made this numerous times when I visit my parents. They are obsessed with this and constantly ask me to make it.
Yum, we LOVE this! The hominy has a great flavor.
So happy to hear that! Love hominy 🙂
This soup is so good I can’t believe I made it. It was the perfect after-work, quick, healthy, yummy dinner and the leftovers are equally delicious.
The best! Glad you loved it!
I made this for the first time tonight and my husband dubbed it “the best soup ever!” Love how quickly and easily it comes together and we will most definitely be having it many times to come.
Note: I used 1 can green chiles and 1 can jalapeños for the perfect spicy heat. Don’t skip the yogurt and avocado!!!
Amazing! So glad you both loved it!!
Make this tonight!! This soup is delicious and feels like something different than my usual soups in rotation. Only difference, I used ground Turkey instead of Chicken since I had that on hand. Recipe is delish!! Don’t skip out on those garnishes either!
SO happy you loved it, Nicole! And great idea to use ground turkey. Yay!
Great taste! Would love to use the HOT chiles next time. Question! Am I supposed to drain and rinse the Hominy and corn before adding??
Sorry for the delay! Yes, definitely drain and rinse them before adding. Sorry if that was unclear!
This is great and came together quick. The little fluffy chewy hominy are yum!
I really loved making this and it was pretty easy. I added extra corn because I love it and would probably use spicier chiles next time for flavor but will definitely make again!
Ohh yes totally fine to dial up the spice level! Happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Delicious!! I love pozole and this spin on the classic was super tasty. Very easy to make too! Going to make this often in the cold months.
Such a cozy meal, right?! Happy you loved this one 🙂
This is a New Mexican dish based on the .Anasazi original.
It is Never Made with Bell Pepers. That is totally Gross 😝 HATCH is the kind/type Chilli to use for the green chicken. A selection of dried red chillis are normally used for posoli.. made with Pork. There can be NO SUBSTITUTE
Regards
Greg.
This was so yummy. It is easy to put together and a nice meal for a weeknight. Served with tortillas chips and avocado
I’m so glad you tried and loved it, Tara — thank you!
Loved it! I made this a couple of weeks ago and we loved it. I’m making it again for a chili cookoff tomorrow.
How fun!! Hope everyone loves it (and that it wins hehe!)
Delicious, and very easy to make. I made no modifications. This is the fourth soup recipe I’ve made from the site, and I am always surprised how simple ingredients and a small amount of prep turns into such delicious meals. Thank you so much! Looking forward to trying more soup recipes (please keep them coming!)
Love this! SO glad you are loving these recipes ❤️
This recipe was so easy and so delicious! Made it ahead of time for a cold weather camping trip and it was the perfect dinner next to the campfire. Held up well traveling and the flavors were perfect!
This turned out fantastic! Usually I get pretty desensitized after cooking soups, and the flavors really sing the following day. But everything was wonderful even immediate day of! Thank you for a great recipe!
I forgot to mention my grocery store didn’t have green bell peppers so I went with yellow bell peppers instead. I’m sure it was a perfectly fine replacement.
This Pozole was amazing. Great flavor and filling. I will make this again and again. The only thing I changed was subbing out the green bell pepper for red because I don’t like green. Amazing soup. Thank you!
Could you make this in a slow-cooker instead?
Sure! You are just going to want to make sure you sauté all the veggies ahead of time and then combine everything into the slow cooker. Enjoy!
Only because I used this as a base for my own, which I always do. I added carrots, mushrooms, mini red peppers, used our own homemade chicken broth, black beans, and fresh hatch green chiles. I then added our chicken taco mix (chicken breast, 1 packet taco seasoning, and a jar of salsa that we made the other day). Making a soup is usually what I do with the leftover chicken taco meat. Eat what we can and freeze the rest🥰
sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely amazing recipe. It’s impossible to wow my wife and she said I hit it out of the park! I loved it too. I didn’t make any changes. I followed the recipe exactly and I’m so glad I did.
So happy to hear that!