Green Chicken Pozole
Pozole verde is a traditional Mexican soup made with chicken in a salsa verde broth. The broth's vibrant green color comes from homemade Spicy Salsa Verde, made with fresh tomatillos and green chiles. Garnishes of shredded cabbage or lettuce, chopped onion, sliced radishes, and lime juice are essential.
Pozole verde is a traditional Mexican soup made with chicken in a salsa verde broth. The broth's vibrant green color comes from homemade Spicy Salsa Verde, made with fresh tomatillos and green chiles. Garnishes of shredded cabbage or lettuce, chopped onion, sliced radishes, and lime juice are essential.
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into larg
- 1 medium onion (halved)
- 4 sprigs cilantro
- 29 oz white hominy (1 can drained )
- 3 cups spicy salsa verde
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt (plus more for seasoning (optional))
- 1/2 tsp crushed dried mexican oregano
- chopped red onion (for garnish)
- shredded cabbage or lettuce (for garnish)
- sliced radishes (for garnish)
- freshly squeezed lime juice (for garnish)
- tostada shells or tortilla chips (for serving (op
- Carbohydrate 0.0407777777777778 g
- Cholesterol 230 mg
- Fat 46.1897777777778 g
- Fiber 0.0311111105812921 g
- Protein 57.0636666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 13.2174888888889 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (583g)
- Sodium 215.177777777778 mg
- Sugar 0.00966666719648573 g
- Trans Fat 3.92745555555556 g
- Calories 660 calories
Step-by-step
- In the Instant Pot, combine the chicken, onion, garlic, cilantro, hominy, and salsa verde. Add the chicken broth, salt, oregano, and 3 cups water.
- Lock the lid into place and set the steam release valve to sealed. Select Manual or Pressure Cook and set the timer for 20 minutes on high.
- When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally. Unlock and remove the lid.
- Season the pozole with more salt, if necessary. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped onion, shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with tostada shells or tortilla chips (if desired).
Traditional red pozole relies on dried chiles simmered slowly for hours, but this green variant achieves its bright profile through a salsa verde base. Pressure cooking fundamentally alters this process. Standard stockpot methods require forty minutes of simmering to soften tough muscle fibers. Sealed pressure cooking chambers elevate internal boiling points beyond 212 degrees Fahrenheit by trapping steam. That retained vapor forces moisture into the meat rapidly. Cut chicken breasts or thighs into two-inch chunks to maximize surface area exposure without overcooking the exterior.
Pressure Equipment Mechanics
Electric pressure cookers require liquid ratios that prevent the burn notice error code. This recipe utilizes three cups of water alongside chicken broth and salsa verde. When the twenty-minute high-pressure cycle concludes, allow a natural pressure release for fifteen minutes. Quick-releasing steam prematurely causes boiling liquid to foam up through the valve. Hominy kernels absorb these seasoned liquids during the pressure phase, swelling as starches gelatinize under thermal expansion.
- Acidity from tomatillos in the salsa verde inhibits pectin breakdown, so add lime juice only at the table to prevent rubbery hominy.
- Substitute bone-in chicken thighs at a one-to-one weight ratio if boneless cuts are unavailable, but strain out cartilage fragments before serving.
- Store leftovers in airtight glass containers for up to four days at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
