Chicken Green Chile Pozole (Spicy!)
Cold days call for warm (and spicy) soup!
Sometimes the cold, dark days of winter can cut right through you leaving you feeling like you just can’t shake off the cold grip of winter. Cooking a warm chicken soup is what I was craving to shake off winter’s hold on me. I started by adding jalapeno and serrano to the chicken broth to make the stock spicy. Then I went on to make chicken green chile pozole with the chicken broth – adding more spice to warm my bones. It turned out delicious and spicy enough to raise my body temperature a few degrees – just what I needed.
If you were lucky enough to buy Hatch green chiles this fall and freeze them, now is the time to use them! I also was fortunate(?) to have tomatillos take over my garden so I roasted, pureed, and froze several gallon-size plastic bags of them. It’s fun to bust out a fall vegetable in the middle of winter knowing it came from your garden. The rest is simple – chiles, onions, garlic, chicken, hominy, and spices. The result is pure spicy, warm deliciousness.
If you have the time, I highly recommend making your own broth – it really does make a difference in flavor. It also fills your house with a heavenly aroma. Perfect for a lazy weekend afternoon. Now say goodbye to those winter chills and say hello to your own version of spicy chicken green chile pozole!
Chicken Green Chile Pozole
4 Hatch green chiles, halved, stemmed, and seeded
2-3 serrano chiles (depending on your desired spice level), halved, stemmed, and seeded
2-3 jalapeno peppers (depending on your desired spice level),halved, stemmed, and seeded
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 large yellow onion, cut in half
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
3 teaspoons salt
2 cans (12 to 15 oz. each) posole or hominy, drained (check ingredients)
1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatillos, drained and roughly chopped (if you have fresh or frozen pureed tomatillos – use these- if using canned – check the ingredients to ensure it is just tomatillos and no added sugar)
4 organic chicken breasts, cut into cubes
7 cups organic chicken broth (homemade recipe here – if using boxed – check ingredients to ensure there is no added sugar)
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 avocado, cut into slices
1 handful cilantro, chopped coarsely or simply tear the leaves off the stems
1 bowl tortilla chips (optional)
Place the chiles, jalapenos, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until the skins of the peppers have blackened and the onion and garlic have roasted. This will only take 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven. Place peppers in a plastic bag to steam. Let the onion and garlic cool, then chop the onion and dice the garlic. Remove the chiles from the bag. Using gloves, remove the charred skins and chop the chiles.
Add the oil to a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, spices, and salt and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chiles. Cook an additional 3 minutes. Add the hominy. Stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatillos and chicken broth. Allow to come to a slight boil. Lower heat to medium. Add the chicken. Allow to cook over low-medium heat for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Serve in individual bowls. Top each both with a few slices of avocado and a few cilantro leaves. Place the lime wedges and tortilla chips in serving dish as additional toppings for the soup.
Buen provecho!