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This slow cooker chicken pozole is packed with shredded chicken, hominy, zucchini and corn as well as a homemade salsa verde which makes it perfect for when there is a chill in the air.
We're in the middle of winder, which means it's soup season for me! While I love soup, I just can't bring myself to have when it's super hot out. I much prefer it when there is a chill in the air. To me, this is the perfect soup.
For those that have never heard of pozole, it's a traditional Mexican soup which means hominy. Hominy is dried corn kernels that have been treated with alkali. Ok I'm getting a little in the weeds here so if you want to find out more about it, Google is your friend! Shocker, but I came across a version of this recipe from Half Baked Harvest.
I changed some things in this green chicken pozole recipe to match my preference for heat and just having more hominy in the soup! Instead of using serrano peppers for the salsa verde, I used jalapeno peppers.
Oh and if you're wondering if it's worth making your own salsa verde, yes it is! It just gives a great flavor to the soup. While there is some work up front, at the end of the day it is a slow cooker recipe so I recommend making this chicken pozole on a weekend where you've got a lot going on in the middle of the day, which is precisely what I did.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - chicken thighs work too.
- Salsa verde - to me it is worth making your own, but store-bought works fine.
- Zucchini - works great in this soup.
- Hominy and corn - pozole is all about these two ingredients.
- Chicken broth - low sodium is best.
- Oregano and cilantro - adds some freshness.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion and garlic and cook about 5-7 minutes, turning until charred on all sides. You will need to remove garlic before the onion and tomatillos are done. Remove everything from heat and set aside. (Remove skins from the garlic once cooled)
- With same skillet still on medium-high heat, cook the poblano peppers and jalapeno peppers for about 5-7 minutes, turning until charred on all sides. Remove the peppers from the skillet and place in bowl and cover with saran wrap to allow the peppers to steam for about 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, scrape off the charred skin and remove the seeds.
- In a blender, add the tomatillos, onions, garlic and peppers and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large slow cooker, add the chicken, salsa verde puree, zucchini, hominy, oregano and 6 cups of chicken broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Once chicken is falling apart, shred chicken.
- Stir in cilantro and corn and let cook for another 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if desired and add more chicken broth if you need to thin the soup. Ladle the soup in a bowl and top with some avocado, tortilla chips and fresh lime juice.
What is Pozole?
Pozole is made with hominy, which is processed corn with the germ removed. It's traditionally made with pork and seasoned with a combination of spices.
Do I Have to Make My Own Salsa Verde?
No. You can easily buy a jar of salsa verde from the store. That's what I used to do until I learned how to make salsa verde but there are times where I feel lazy and will still go buy it. One thing about making it is you control the heat by the amount of seeds from the peppers you keep in it.
Do I Have to Use Chicken?
No you don't. You can easily use pork shoulder or beef shank. Just keep in mind, the flavor will be completely different but still amazing!
How to Freeze
You just want to let the chicken pozole come to room temperature before placing in a airtight container. You can keep in the freezer for 4-6 months.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Take the time to make your own salsa verde. You'll notice the difference in flavor.
- Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the chicken barley soup more mouth feel.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- Complete the chicken pozole with toppings like tortilla chips, avocado and fresh lime juice.
Other Soup Recipes
- Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
- Turkey Stuffing Dumplings Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
If you’ve tried this chicken pozole or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Salsa Verde Chicken Pozole
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion, quartered
- 4 poblano peppers
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- 4 medium tomatillos
- 8 garlic cloves, skin on
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped
- 3 (15 ounce) cans hominy, drained
- 2 ½ cups frozen corn
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 6-8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups cilantro, chopped
- kosher salt
- tortilla chips, limes and avocado for topping
Instructions
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion and garlic and cook about 5-7 minutes, turning until charred on all sides. You will need to remove garlic before the onion and tomatillos are done. Remove everything from heat and set aside. (Remove skins from the garlic once cooled)
- With same skillet still on medium-high heat, cook the poblano peppers and jalapeno peppers for about 5-7 minutes, turning until charred on all sides. Remove the peppers from the skillet and place in bowl and cover with saran wrap to allow the peppers to steam for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, scrape off the charred skin and remove the seeds.
- In a blender, add the tomatillos, onions, garlic and peppers and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large slow cooker, add the chicken, salsa verde puree, zucchini, hominy, oregano and 6 cups of chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Once chicken is falling apart, shred chicken. Stir in cilantro and corn and let cook for another 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if desired and add more chicken broth if you need to thin the soup.
- Ladle the soup in a bowl and top with some avocado, tortilla chips and fresh lime juice.
Notes
- Take the time to make your own salsa verde. You'll notice the difference in flavor.
- Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the chicken barley soup more mouth feel.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- Complete the pozole with toppings like tortilla chips, avocado and fresh lime juice.
Never made my own salsa verde!