Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Chicken Pozole– This is one of my all time favorite soup recipes! It’s a simple, flavorful Mexican inspired soup that’s loaded with fresh ingredients. It’s also hearty, healthy and incredibly easy to make. Try it once and you’ll be hooked!

Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (1)

What is Pozole (or Posole)?

Pozole is a traditional Mexican stew that’s made with hominy and meat (either pork or chicken) and its commonly garnished with cabbage,chile peppers, radishes, avocado, cilantro or limes.

Pozole (posole) is a Spanish word, pronounced Po-SO-leh.

This soup isn’t your traditional Pozole Rojo, that is much different. That is made with pork and is cooked in a dried chile pepper based broth and it is more of a stew. This version is actually very similar to chicken tortilla soup but with added cabbage and hominy (and it’s brothier than the rojo).

You can adjust the spices of this soup to suit your taste. If you like a strong chile powder flavor you can double or even triple the amount. If you want it spicy add lots of jalapeños, that’s my favorite way but my kids don’t care for it.

I’ve even used to make this soup with fresh tomatoes. If doing so just add 4 – 5 roma tomatoes (diced) in place of the canned.

This might not be the first thing you’d think to make but I’m telling you everyone I’ve served this soup to loves it! It’s one of the most satisfying soups and it’s perfect for chilly days, or even summer days to use up fresh veggies.

Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (2)

What Ingredients do I Need for Pozole Soup?

  • Olive oil
  • Produce – yellow onion, jalapeños, garlic, green cabbage, avocado, cilantro, lime
  • Spices – chili powder, cumin, S&P
  • Low-sodium chicken broth
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Rotisserie chicken(or leftover cooked chicken)
  • Hominy
  • Toppings cheese, tortilla chips and sour cream

What is Hominy?

Hominy is a food produced from dried maize kernels that have been treated with an alkali. It’s basically dried corn that has been soaked in a mineral lime bath, and it’s actually what is used to make masa – which makes corn tortillas.

Here it is added whole. I love it’s chewy, unique texture and simple flavor.

Where Can I Find Hominy?

You can usually find hominy in the latin food section at the grocery store, sometimes I’ll even find it by the canned vegetables.

Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (3)

How do You Make Chicken Pozole?

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes then add jalapeños, garlic, chili powder, and cumin and saute 1 minute longer.
  • Pour in chicken broth, tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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  • Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in chicken and hominy and heat through, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.

To serve: place a handful of chopped cabbage in serving bowl laddle soup over cabbage, top with grated cheese, diced avocados, sour cream and serve warm with tortilla chips.Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (5)

Can I Cook Raw Chicken in the Soup?

This soup can also be made with raw chicken breasts vs. using cooked rotisserie chicken. If doing so add raw chicken breasts in along with the broth.

Note that you may need to cook them a little longer than 10 minutes once it reaches a simmer, it will be about 8 – 12 minutes of simmering.As always test temperature to 165 degrees and let rest about 5 minutes before shredding.

Can I Use Grilled Chicken?

In the summer I almost always use grilled chicken breasts in this recipe. I love the light charred flavor it adds. If doing so you’ll want to use about 1 lb chicken.

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So You Add the Cabbage in Raw?

It may seem strange not to cook the cabbage but you’ll love it this way! What you’ll do is add the cabbage to the bottom of each bowl then add the hot soup. That way it barely cooks it and you still get a delicious satisfying crunch.

Don’t Omit the Toppings!

The soup wouldn’t be the same without all the added toppings. The cilantro, avocado, cheese, lime and sour cream make this soup sing. And the tortilla chip are perfect for dunking or crushing into the soup.

Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (7)

More Delicious Mexican Soup Recipes to Try!

  • Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup (or the Slow Cooker version)
  • Mexican Vegetable Soup
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Soup
  • Chicken Fajita and Rice Soup
  • Creamy Mexican Corn Chowder

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (8)

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Chicken Pozole Soup

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This soup is hearty, healthy, loaded with fresh goodness and full of exciting flavors. It's very similar to chicken tortilla soup but with added cabbage and hominy. If you like Mexican food you will love this soup! Makes about 12 cups.

Servings: 6

Prep15 minutes minutes

Cook25 minutes minutes

Ready in: 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Serve with

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes then add jalapeños, garlic, chili powder, and cumin and saute 1 minute longer.

  • Pour in chicken broth, tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

  • Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

  • Stir in chicken and hominy and heat through, about 1 - 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.

  • To serve: place a handful of chopped cabbage in serving bowl laddle soup over cabbage, top with grated cheese, diced avocados, sour cream and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Notes

*Add jalapeños according to desired heat preference. 1 is more mild while 5 will give a really spicy soup.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Pozole Soup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 522Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 70mg23%

Sodium 1072mg47%

Potassium 991mg28%

Carbohydrates 50g17%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 795IU16%

Vitamin C 45.6mg55%

Calcium 250mg25%

Iron 4.3mg24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Posole, Pozole

Author: Jaclyn

Recipe updated Jan. 2019 to include pre-cooked chicken and canned tomatoes, and other minor changes.

Chicken Pozole Soup Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

What makes pozole so good? ›

Pozole is the height of Mexican comfort food. A deep bowl full of steaming broth, scented with cumin, oregano, and chiles, packed with flavorful bites of heirloom corn and tender meat, this hearty soup is flavorful, satiating, and absolutely delicious.

Is pozole a healthy soup? ›

Pozole is a balanced and nutrient-rich soup that provides all three macronutrients — carbs, protein, and fats.

Is pozole the same as tortilla soup? ›

That is made with pork and is cooked in a dried chile pepper based broth and it is more of a stew. This version is actually very similar to chicken tortilla soup but with added cabbage and hominy (and it's brothier than the rojo). You can adjust the spices of this soup to suit your taste.

How do you thicken pozole? ›

Pozole rojo is meant to be a brothy soup. If you would like to thicken it up like chicken enchilada soup, then you can use masa harina (recommended) or cornstarch. Masa harina: whisk ¾ cup masa harina with 1 1 /2 cups of broth from the stew until smooth. Add to the pozole and bring to a simmer until thickened.

What makes pozole unhealthy? ›

Overall pozole is a very healthy dish. However there are two things to keep in mind: Pozole can be high in cholesterol, depending on which protein is used. If you are watching your cholesterol, you may wish to choose a pozole made with chicken instead of pork.

Why does my pozole taste bland? ›

Posole is very bland and requires a fair amount of salt to bring out its flavor. This will be even more flavorful the next day.

Why do Mexicans eat pozole? ›

Both soups are also deeply emblematic of their cultures. The roots of pozole pre-date Spanish colonization, and the dish is said to have had ritual significance for the indigenous people of Mexico. Its principal ingredient, corn, was a sacred crop to the Aztecs and Mayans.

Can diabetics eat pozole soup? ›

Swapping a leaner cut of pork in this classic Mexican stew is all it takes to make a diabetes-friendly Pozole. It cooks for a while on the stove, but the prep is quick and easy, so don't let the cook time intimidate you! You will be rewarded with a hearty, flavorful stew what is well worth the wait.

What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›

6 delicious and healthy soups
  • Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
  • Green spring minestrone.
  • Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
  • Lamb shank and barley soup.
  • Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Apr 27, 2020

What are the 3 types of pozole? ›

The three main types of pozole are blanco (white), verde (green) and rojo (red). Pozole blanco—"white pozole"—is the preparation without any additional green or red sauce.

What is pozole called in English? ›

Posole is hominy, pure and simple. The corn has been treated by soaking it in cal and then rinsed. In the southwest, there is a dried flint corn that has been treated like this and in English, we call it Prepared Hominy and in Mexico it's known as nixtamal. We sell Prepared Hominy. My recipe for Posole Verde is here.

What is the difference between pozole and posole? ›

There's really no big difference between pozole and posole, except a letter. In Mexico, where the brothy, chile-spiked soup originated, it's often spelled with a "z"; near the border and beyond, it's often spelled with an "s." It just depends where you are, and who taught you to cook it.

Why does my pozole taste watery? ›

If you don't add enough bouillon, the pozole will taste watery. If you add too much bouillon it will be really salty (but you can fix that by adding more water). Start with a few generous shakes of bouillon and when the pozole is almost finished taste it and see if it needs more.

Does pozole go bad? ›

If you have part of a pot of pozole, UNgarnished, it will last up to a week in the fridge; it can also be frozen for longer keeping.

Do you drain hominy for pozole? ›

If you are using canned hominy, make sure to drain it before adding it to the stew. To cook dried hominy, place 1 cup in a large pot and cover it with cold water. Bring to a boil and add plenty of salt to season it. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook until just tender, about 2 hours.

Is pozole healthy or unhealthy? ›

Pozole includes vitamins and minerals like vitamin B3, zinc, potassium, niacin, iron, and many more that are paramount for better overall health. It is a good source of niacin and helps decrease the risk of its deficiency.

What is a interesting fact about pozole? ›

Pozole was mentioned in the 16th century Florentine Codex by Bernardino de Sahagún. Since maize was a sacred plant for the Aztecs and other inhabitants of Mesoamerica, pozole was made to be consumed on special occasions.

Why is pozole so popular in Mexico? ›

Having had its origin in pre-Hispanic México, pozole is recognized as one of Mexico's most traditional foods, and as such it has become an ever present dish in parties and fetive events in Mexican culture. In the Nahuatl dialect, wich had its origin in Mexico, "pozolli" translates to foam.

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