Name: Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, peeled and chopped; 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and chopped; 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered; 8 cups chicken broth, divided; 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast; 2 (15-ounce) cans hominy, drained and rinsed; 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional, or more to taste); Ground black pepper to taste; Thinly sliced radishes; Sliced avocado; Sliced jalapeños; Lime wedges; Fresh cilantro; Shredded cabbage; Tortilla chips

I absolutely adore making Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe whenever I crave a comforting, vibrant, and flavor-packed meal. This soup blends the tangy brightness of tomatillos and the earthiness of poblano peppers with tender shredded chicken and hearty hominy, creating a satisfying bowl that feels like a warm hug. I find it easy to prepare, yet it tastes like something you’d only get at an authentic Mexican kitchen. It’s quickly become one of my favorite dishes to share with friends and family.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe

One of the things I love most about this Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe is its incredible flavor profile. The green sauce, made from roasting and blending poblano peppers, jalapeños, tomatillos, and fresh cilantro, gives the soup a vibrant and slightly tangy punch, balanced perfectly by the warm spices like cumin, coriander, and oregano. The shredded chicken provides a hearty protein base, and the hominy adds that distinctive chewy texture that makes every spoonful interesting. It’s a beautiful harmony of flavors that feels both fresh and deeply comforting.

Beyond the taste, this recipe is wonderfully approachable. I appreciate how it doesn’t demand complex ingredients or techniques, which makes it perfect for weeknight dinners or casual weekend cooking. Despite being simple, it stands out because it’s so satisfying and flavorful—ideal for gathering around the table with loved ones. Whether you’re serving it for a family meal, a cozy gathering, or even for meal prep during the week, this pozole verde always impresses without stress.

Ingredients You’ll Need

A white round bowl filled with shredded light beige cooked meat, showing some small yellowish pieces mixed in; two silver forks rest on opposite sides of the bowl, one partially inside the meat. Above the bowl is a cookware with a bright red handle, filled with a thick, pale yellow sauce with a slightly frothy texture on top. The background is a dark textured surface, contrasting with the white bowl and colorful sauce container. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

To create this vibrant Chicken Pozole Verde Soup, you’ll need a handful of fresh and pantry staples that come together to build complex flavors, vibrant color, and inviting texture.

Olive oil: Provides a rich base for sautéing the vegetables and peppers, adding depth to the soup.
Large onion: Brings sweetness and body as it softens during cooking.
Jalapeño pepper: Adds a gentle heat that wakes up your taste buds without overpowering the dish.
Poblano peppers: Offers a smoky, mild spice that gives the soup its signature green hue.
Garlic cloves: Infuse the soup with an aromatic punch that complements the other vegetables.
Tomatillos: Key to creating the tangy, green flavor that defines pozole verde.
Chicken broth: Acts as the flavorful liquid base for the soup, making it hearty and warming.
Fresh cilantro: Adds a bright, herbaceous freshness that lifts the entire dish.
Dried oregano: Provides a slightly minty, earthy undertone common in Mexican cooking.
Ground cumin: Lends a warm, nutty aroma that enhances the spices in the soup.
Ground coriander: Offers a subtle citrus note that brightens the flavor profile.
Bay leaf: Infuses a mild floral fragrance that deepens over simmering.
Salt: Essential for balancing and bringing out all the flavors.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts: The protein star of the dish, tender and easy to shred.
Cans of hominy: Adds distinctive, chewy corn kernels that are iconic in pozole.
Chicken bouillon (optional): Useful for enriching the broth if more flavor depth is needed.
Garnishes: Thinly sliced radishes, avocado, sliced jalapeños, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, shredded cabbage, and tortilla chips to customize your bowl.

Directions

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, jalapeño, and poblano peppers, and sauté, stirring often, for about 3 to 4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the peppers soften slightly.

Step 2: Stir in the minced garlic and quartered tomatillos, continuing to sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes, ensuring everything becomes fragrant and the peppers are tender. Then remove the pot from heat.

Step 3: Transfer the sautéed mixture into a blender, add about 1 cup of cold chicken broth, and the fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth, adding more broth if needed to achieve a pourable consistency.

Step 4: Pour the blended green sauce back into the pot. Add the remaining 7 cups of chicken broth along with dried oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, the bay leaf, and salt. Stir everything gently to combine the flavors.

Step 5: Add the chicken thighs or breasts to the pot and bring the soup to a gentle boil over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Step 6: Carefully remove the chicken from the soup and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the drained and rinsed hominy.

Step 7: Let the soup simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes to let the flavors marry. Taste the broth, and if it feels like it needs more depth, stir in the optional chicken bouillon. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, then season to your taste with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Step 8: Serve the Chicken Pozole Verde Soup in bowls, garnished generously with your favorite toppings like radishes, avocado slices, jalapeños, lime wedges, cilantro, shredded cabbage, and crunchy tortilla chips for added texture and brightness.

Servings and Timing

This Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe yields about 6 generous servings, perfect for a family dinner or meal prep for the week. Preparing the ingredients and sautéing takes around 20 minutes, while simmering the soup until the chicken is tender takes an additional 40 minutes. Overall, you can expect a total time of approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes. There’s no need for resting time, so you can enjoy this hearty soup piping hot as soon as it’s ready!

How to Serve This Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe

The image shows a large white bowl filled with green soup that has shredded chicken and small white pieces, likely hominy, mixed in. On top of the soup, there is a small pile of thin white shredded cabbage garnished with three thin, round pink-edged radish slices and a few small green cilantro leaves. A silver spoon rests inside the bowl on the right side. The bowl is placed on a wooden cutting board, set on a dark surface. Around the bowl, there are two smaller white bowls—one with sliced radishes and the other with lime wedges—as well as a small plate with pepper. A white cloth with a red stripe is partially visible in the upper right corner. The background is a white marbled texture photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

When I serve this Chicken Pozole Verde Soup, I like to make it feel like a full festive experience. I offer plenty of garnishes on the side so everyone can customize their bowl. Thinly sliced radishes add a crisp, peppery bite, while creamy avocado slices and fresh lime wedges bring cooling, fresh flavors. I also love adding shredded cabbage for crunch and tortilla chips for some satisfying texture contrast.

This soup pairs beautifully with warm corn tortillas or a side of Mexican rice if you want to stretch the meal. For drinks, I often reach for a chilled Mexican lager or a bright, citrusy margarita to complement the tanginess of the tomatillos. Non-alcoholic options like agua fresca, especially lime or cucumber flavors, work perfectly to balance the spices and refresh the palate.

I recommend serving this pozole verde hot, steaming right from the stove, particularly on cool evenings or weekend family meals where everyone gathers around the table for comfort food that warms the soul. Portion sizes of about 1½ to 2 cups per person feel just right, with plenty of toppings to customize and enjoy every spoonful in style.

Variations

Over time, I’ve found great joy experimenting with this recipe to suit different preferences and dietary needs. For instance, swapping chicken thighs for chicken breasts keeps the soup leaner, while using bone-in chicken adds even more depth to the broth during cooking. If you prefer a vegetarian or vegan version, I recommend substituting the chicken with hearty mushrooms or jackfruit, and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

If you like a spicier kick, adding more jalapeños or even serrano peppers amps up the heat while keeping the bright green color. Alternatively, for a milder soup, simply reduce the jalapeño seeds or omit them. I’ve also tried roasting the poblano peppers first for a smokier flavor—that extra step really adds complexity and is worth doing if you want to deepen the taste.

You can also adapt the cooking method by using a slow cooker. After blending the green sauce, transfer everything into a slow cooker, add the chicken and hominy, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. This is perfect for busy days when you want the soup ready when you come home. The slow cook enhances the melding of flavors even more.

Storage and Reheating

Storing Leftovers

I always store leftover Chicken Pozole Verde Soup in airtight containers to keep its freshness and prevent any flavors from mingling with other foods in the fridge. Glass or BPA-free plastic containers work great. It will stay delicious for up to 3 to 4 days, giving me plenty of time to enjoy it again without any loss in taste or texture.

Freezing

This soup freezes very well, which is a huge plus for me when I make a big batch. I portion it into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty zip-top bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Frozen pozole verde will keep for up to 3 months without sacrificing flavor. To thaw, I usually transfer it to the fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating

When reheating, I prefer to warm the soup gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even heating. Avoid microwaving for long stretches as it can unevenly heat the soup and affect texture. If the broth looks too thick, I add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it up while reheating to restore its original consistency and vibrant flavor.

FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs for this Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe?

Absolutely! Chicken breasts work well and result in a leaner soup. Just be mindful not to overcook them as they can dry out more easily than thighs. You can shred them once tender just like the thighs.

Is hominy necessary, or can I substitute it?

Hominy is traditional and adds a unique chewy texture essential to authentic pozole, but if you can’t find it, canned white corn or fresh corn kernels can be a substitute in a pinch. The experience won’t be quite the same, but it will still taste delicious.

How spicy is this pozole verde?

This recipe has a moderate level of heat from the jalapeño and poblano peppers, which can be adjusted easily. You can reduce the jalapeño seeds or omit the peppers for a milder version, or add more for extra heat.

Can I make this soup in advance?

Definitely! The flavors only deepen if you make it a day ahead, making it an excellent choice for meal prep or entertaining. Just reheat gently before serving.

What are some healthy side dishes to serve with pozole verde?

I like to serve pozole with simple sides like a fresh cabbage slaw, cucumber salad, or even roasted vegetables. Corn tortillas or a small serving of brown rice also complement the soup and add balance to the meal.

Conclusion

I hope you give this Chicken Pozole Verde Soup (Mexican Green Pozole) Recipe a try and experience just how wonderfully vibrant and comforting it is. It has become a staple in my kitchen because of its irresistible flavors and ease of preparation, and I know once you make it, it’ll earn a special place at your table too. Enjoy creating and sharing this delicious slice of Mexican tradition with those you love!