Green Chicken Pozole (Pozole Verde for the Whole Family)
My little one would eat this every single day if I let them.
Out of everything I make — and I make a lot — green chicken pozole is the one that gets the biggest reaction in this house. The one that makes them come into the kitchen and ask what that smell is. The one where the bowl is empty before I’ve even sat down.
This recipe comes from my mom. I’m half Mexican, and pozole verde is part of how I grew up — the smell of tomatillos charring under the broiler, the vivid green broth taking over the whole kitchen, everyone reaching across the table to load up their bowl with radishes and lime and cotija. It’s the kind of food that doesn’t need explaining. It just feels like home.
Making it for my own family, for my own athletes, felt important to get right. I wanted the green sauce built the way it’s supposed to be built — roasted tomatillos, poblanos, and Anaheim chiles blended until smooth and deeply green. I wanted the full toppings bar because that IS pozole. And I wanted it to fuel the athletes at this table the same way it fueled me growing up, which is why I make it with bone broth and pack it with enough chicken to deliver 46 grams of protein per serving.
Every bite is full of depth. Every bite is full of soul. This is the soup that makes people ask you for the recipe before the meal is even over.
What Is Pozole Verde?
Pozole is one of Mexico’s most beloved dishes — a hearty, deeply flavorful hominy soup that has been made in some form for thousands of years. The word pozole comes from the Nahuatl word for hominy, the large-kernel corn that has been nixtamalized (treated with an alkaline solution) to improve its flavor and nutritional profile.
There are three main versions:
Pozole rojo — red, made with dried guajillo and ancho chiles Pozole blanco — white, made with no chile base, just a savory pork broth Pozole verde — green, made with fresh tomatillos, green chiles, and herbs
Verde is the version I grew up eating and the one I make for my family. The green sauce is roasted before it goes into the soup, which gives it a smoky, complex depth that raw blended tomatillos simply can’t replicate. It’s tangy, herbaceous, deeply savory — and it becomes the base for a broth you’ll want to drink straight from the pot.
Why This Is Different From Any Soup You’ve Made Before
This is not a shortcut soup. It’s not a dump-and-go recipe. And that’s exactly why it’s worth making.
The green sauce takes 20 minutes — roasting vegetables under the broiler, letting them char, blending them smooth. That’s where all the depth comes from. When people say this soup “tastes like it took all day,” this is why. The roasting does work that no seasoning packet or store-bought sauce can replicate.
After that, the actual cooking is simple: simmer the chicken in the broth, shred it, add the hominy, let it all come together. But you built the foundation right, and the flavor shows it in every single bite.
My mom made it this way. I make it this way. It’s worth every minute.
Why Hominy Is Athlete Fuel
Hominy is not regular corn. The nixtamalization process — the same technique used in traditional Mexican cooking for centuries; changes its nutritional profile significantly:
Complex carbohydrate with a lower glycemic index than refined grains, which means sustained energy release instead of a spike and crash. For athletes with games or practice, this matters.
Higher bioavailable niacin (Vitamin B3) — essential for energy metabolism, critical for anyone training hard.
Easier to digest than un-nixtamalized corn, which matters when you’re eating a couple hours before competition.
The combination of hominy’s complex carbs and the bone broth chicken’s protein makes this one of the most complete athlete recovery and pre-game meals in our rotation. This isn’t just comfort food — it’s fuel that happens to taste incredible.
The Green Sauce: How to Build It Right
The heart of pozole verde is the roasted green sauce, and this is where I don’t cut corners.
Tomatillos are the base — tart, slightly citrusy, meaty. They get halved and broiled until they’re soft and charred in spots. The char is essential. It adds smokiness and mellows the sharp raw tartness into something deeper and more complex.
Poblano peppers are mild-to-medium heat with a rich, earthy flavor that gives the sauce body. They get roasted under the broiler until the skin is completely charred and blistered, then steamed in a covered bowl so the skins slide right off. The char comes off; the deep roasted flavor stays.
Anaheim chiles are milder with a subtle sweetness and freshness that poblanos alone don’t have. Same roasting process.
Garlic and white onion go on the sheet pan with everything else. Their caramelized sweetness balances the tartness and ties the whole sauce together.
Once everything is roasted, it all goes into a blender with chicken broth, fresh cilantro, and Mexican oregano, and blends into the most vivid, deeply green sauce you’ve ever seen. This is the soul of the dish. Take your time with it.
The Full Toppings Bar
Pozole without toppings is not pozole. The toppings are not garnishes — they’re part of the dish, and everyone customizes their bowl.
Set out:
- Thinly sliced radishes — the crunch and the slight peppery bite
- Shredded green cabbage — freshness and texture that holds up in the hot broth
- Sliced avocado — creaminess against the tangy green broth
- Lime wedges — essential; squeeze over everything right before eating
- Dried Mexican oregano — different from Italian oregano, more citrusy and earthy, traditional
- Thinly sliced jalapeño — for anyone who wants heat
- Tostadas or tortilla chips — for scooping or crumbling on top
- White onion, finely diced — bright and sharp
- Crumbled cotija — salty, creamy, the finishing touch
The toppings bar is half of why my family loves this dinner. Everyone builds their own bowl. My little one piles it high. My athletes go back for more.
How to Make Green Chicken Pozole
Step 1: Roast the vegetables. Halve the tomatillos and place cut-side up on a sheet pan with the Anaheim chiles, poblanos, onion, and garlic. Drizzle with oil and broil 8–10 minutes until everything is soft and charred in spots. Steam the poblanos and Anaheims in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and discard the skins. Peel the garlic.
Step 2: Blend the green sauce. Add the roasted vegetables and all the juices from the pan, cilantro, broth, and Mexican oregano to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and vivid green. Taste — it should be tangy, smoky, and deeply savory. Season with salt.
Step 3: Build the soup. Pour the green sauce into a large pot. Add the remaining chicken bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts or thighs whole and simmer 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Remove, shred, and return to the pot.
Step 4: Add the hominy. Drain and rinse the hominy and add to the pot. Simmer 10 more minutes so it absorbs the green broth.
Step 5: Finish and serve. Taste for salt. Serve in deep bowls with the full toppings bar.
Step Photos
Tips for the Best Pozole Verde
Char the vegetables. Don’t pull them from the broiler until they have real dark spots and the tomatillos are soft and collapsing. The char is not optional — it’s the smokiness and the depth.
Use bone broth. Regular broth works, but bone broth adds a richness and body to the base that you’ll taste in every bowl. It’s the upgrade that takes this from great to incredible.
Use Mexican oregano. It’s available at Latin grocery stores and many regular grocery stores in the Mexican spice section. More citrusy and earthy than Italian oregano and it’s what makes the broth taste traditional. Worth seeking out.
Set out ALL the toppings. Radishes, cabbage, and lime especially — these are traditional and they completely change the bowl. Don’t skip the toppings bar.
Simmer the hominy in the green broth. That extra 10 minutes after the hominy goes in lets it absorb all the flavor. Don’t rush it.
Make a big batch. This soup is better on day two. The broth deepens overnight and the hominy absorbs even more flavor. Make extra and eat it for lunch all week.
Make Ahead and Storage
Fridge: 5 days in an airtight container. Gets better every day.
Freezer: Up to 3 months. Freeze without the toppings. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
Reheating: Stovetop over medium with a splash of broth to loosen. Add toppings fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hominy is whole dried corn kernels treated with an alkaline solution to remove the outer hull and improve flavor and nutrition. Canned hominy is at most grocery stores — look in the Latin foods aisle or near the beans. Goya and Bush’s both make it. White or yellow corn both work.
Poblano and Anaheim chiles are both mild to medium. The heat level is low — most kids can eat this without issue. If you want more heat, add a serrano or jalapeño to the blend. Put jalapeños on the toppings bar and let heat-seekers customize.
Yes. Add the blended green sauce and broth, add whole chicken, and pressure cook on High for 15 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes, shred the chicken, add hominy, and sauté 5 minutes.
Absolutely — it keeps 5 days in the fridge and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Store toppings separately and add fresh at serving.
Both are traditional Mexican hominy soups. Menudo uses beef tripe. Pozole uses chicken or pork. Very different — if tripe isn’t your thing, you want pozole.
Closing Statement
If you love a big, hearty soup night, my Beef Taco Soup is next on your list — one pot, dump and go, and just as satisfying. For a cozy pasta night, my Creamy Sausage Rigatoni is velvety, saucy, and 50g of protein. And if you want something fast on a weeknight that still feels special, my Chicken au Poivre is 41g of protein and ready in 30 minutes flat.
Get the Recipe:
Green Chicken Pozole (Pozole Verde)
Ingredients
Green Sauce
- 1½ lbs tomatillos, husked and halved
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 Anaheim chiles
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Soup
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth, additional
- 2 cans, 29 oz each white or yellow hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 Salt , Or to taste, start with 1 tsp, i usually use about 2
- ½ pepper
Toppings Bar
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Shredded green cabbage
- Sliced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Dried Mexican oregano
- Thinly sliced jalapeño
- White onion, finely diced
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Tostadas or tortilla chips
Equipment
Instructions
- Roast the vegetables. Arrange tomatillos (cut side up), poblanos, Anaheims, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and broil 8–10 minutes until charred and soft. Place poblanos and Anaheims in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and discard skins. Peel garlic.
- Blend the green sauce. Combine roasted vegetables and all pan juices with 2 cups bone broth, cilantro, oregano, and salt in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt.
- Build the soup. Pour green sauce into a large pot. Add remaining 4 cups bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add chicken whole and simmer 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Remove, shred, return to pot.
- Add hominy. Add drained hominy. Simmer 10 more minutes.
- Serve. Taste for salt. Ladle into deep bowls and serve with the full toppings bar.
Notes
- Roast the vegetables. Arrange tomatillos (cut side up), poblanos, Anaheims, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and broil 8–10 minutes until charred and soft. Place poblanos and Anaheims in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and discard skins. Peel garlic.
- Blend the green sauce. Combine roasted vegetables and all pan juices with 2 cups bone broth, cilantro, oregano, and salt in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust salt.
- Build the soup. Pour green sauce into a large pot. Add remaining 4 cups bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add chicken whole and simmer 20–25 minutes until cooked through. Remove, shred, return to pot.
- Add hominy. Add drained hominy. Simmer 10 more minutes.
- Serve. Taste for salt. Ladle into deep bowls and serve with the full toppings bar.