Chicken Pozole Verde can be made with chicken breasts or pork butt as well. Garnishing options include radish slices, avocado or guacamole, finely shredded cabbage, Cotija cheese, pickled or fresh onions, and sliced fresh jalapeno peppers.
Ingredients
For the Salsa Verde:
- •Nonstick spray or vegetable oil
- •3 whole jalapeno peppers
- •10-13 tomatillos, husks removed
- •1 small onion, roughly chopped
- •2 limes, juiced
- •78 ml (1/3 cup) fresh cilantro leaves
- •1 clove garlic
- •Salt, to taste
For the chicken:
- •2 -3 whole poblano peppers
- •3 whole jalapeno peppers
- •6-8 chicken thighs
- •15 ml (1 tablespoon) ground cumin
- •Salt, to taste
- •2 medium onions, 1 cut in large slices, 1 diced
- •2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- •1.1-1.4 liters (5-6 cups) chicken stock, as needed
- •15-30 ml (1-2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
- •458 ml (15.5 ounces) canned hominy, drained
- •78 ml (1/3 cup) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Preparation
For the salsa verde: Spray or oil a sheet pan, and arrange the jalapenos on it. Broil on both sides until the skins are mostly blackened. Transfer them to a paper bag, and set it aside.
Rinse the tomatillos and cut them in half. Spread them on the sheet pan and broil until the skins begin to darken and blister. Put the tomatillos and the juice into a food processor. Remove the stems and the skins from the jalapenos and roughly chop them and put them in the food processor. Add the chopped onions, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic. Pulse until it is the desired consistency.
For the chicken: Line a sheet pan with parchment and broil the poblanos and jalapenos on both sides until the skins are mostly blackened. The jalapenos will cook faster so pull them out faster. Put the blackened peppers in a paper bag and set aside.
Sprinkle the chicken with 7.5 ml (1/2 tablespoon) of the cumin and a little salt. Layer the chicken pieces, sliced onion, and garlic in a pressure cooker. Add 237 ml (1 cup) of the chicken stock and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Remove the skins and stems from the peppers and the seeds from the poblanos. Dice the peppers and set aside. In a Dutch oven or large pot heat the oil and sauté the diced onions until softened; when they are almost done add remaining garlic. Add the prepared salsa verde, 946 ml (4 cups) of the chicken stock, peppers, remaining cumin, and hominy. Cook for several minutes over medium low heat.
When the chicken is cooked, remove the meat from the bones, chop it, and add it to the pot. Cook until heated, at least 5 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more stock. Adjust salt to taste. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.
