A flavorful pozole verde (green chile posole) made with tender shredded chicken, hominy, and bright roasted green chile and tomatillos.
This is a traditional New Mexican Christmas dish that I've come to love with my whole heart. You can start with a homemade chicken bone broth and it tastes even more authentic and delicious!
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Pozole verde (or green posole) reminds me a little of a white chicken chili with corn, but it's made with hominy, which is maiz treated with lime or lye. It looks like large kernels of corn but isn't as sweet and the texture is closer to a bean when cooked.
I differ a little from the simple traditional posole, and make mine with instant pot navy beans, I like to have some prepped and frozen so I can just put everything in the slow cooker. It's absolutely dreamy with cotija cheese and cilantro on top, but can also be served with thinly sliced cabbage and radish.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: Savory chicken broth base with tender shredded chicken, hominy, a little tart from the tomatillos and lime and texture from the white beans.
- Ease: Steps include roasting & blending the tomatillos and browning the chicken, then it's into the crockpot to cook.
- Time: Browning chicken ~ 10 minutes, roasting tomatillos 15 minutes, crockpot for 4 ish hours. I'd say about 4.5 hours total.
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Chicken thighs vs breasts - chicken thighs are more rich in flavor and hold up well simmering, and the best to use for this recipe. Chicken breasts can also be used but the lighter meat isn't as flavorful to me.
- Tomatillos- roasted, they give a smoky sweet-tart flavor to the posole. So good!
- Hominy - looks like large corn kernels but doesn't have the same taste or texture. It's made from maize treated with lime or lye. I use white hominy for this recipe, but yellow would work great!
- Roasted Green Chile - you can roast your own or order some online. I LOVE to use fire roasted Hatch green chiles from New Mexico just like in my new mexican green chile chicken enchiladas.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- In place of the white navy beans, pinto beans or great northern beans (white) would work fine.
- Along with the tomatillos, it's delicious to roast 1-2 green chiles, poblanos, or jalapeños to put into the posole.
- Use aromatics like mexican oregano, bay leaves, or cumin for a more complex flavor. I kept it simple on purpose, but you can make it fit to your tastes!
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. Roast tomatillos on a baking sheet preheated to 400 ℉ for at least 18-20 minutes. Blend into a pureé or mash. It's alright if there's chunks or skins.
- Step 2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat with olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Place chicken thighs and onions in pan to brown for 4 minutes on each side.
- Step 3. Place chicken, roasted tomatillos, onions, roasted chiles, hominy, white beans, and all spices into a crock pot.
- Step 4. Add chicken broth and cook on high for 4-5 hours until chicken is tender.
- Step 5. Shred chicken with forks before serving.
Stovetop: Place in a large cooking pot, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer on low heat for 1 hour until chicken is pull apart tender and shred before serving.
TIP: Balance & finish posole by taste testing. Add a little salt or chicken bouillon to add quick flavor or a squeeze or two of lime to brighten it up.
📌 Troubleshooting
- Broth too thin → reduce or add corn starch slurry (small amount) or simmer uncovered.
- Chicken dry or stringy → using thighs helps to prevent this, avoid overcooking. 6-8 hours in the slow cooker can be too long unless cooked on low. Add shredded chicken back to warm broth to finish.
- Too mild → add lime juice, salt, or garlic to balance.
❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
Refrigerate: up to 5 days
Freeze: up to 3 months
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Green chile is probably best for posole. They have a lovely smoky flavor and variable spice level.
Poblanos are a tad sweeter with spice to them.
Jalapenos and serranos are more to add spicy heat than flavor but are still delicious.
I use canned for this recipe for ease of use but dried hominy would work after soaking & cooking it according to package directions.
Make sure you have at least an 8 quart instant pot and roast and brown the chicken, then put all ingredients in the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
Yes! You can use 1.5 to 2 pounds of pork tenderloin for a more traditional pork posole seared and then put in the slow cooker.
Serving Ideas
- This is usually served with thinly sliced radishes or cabbage, limes and cilantro.
- Cotijo cheese, queso fresca, Mexican crema or sour cream is delicious served with this!
🌶️ More Delicious Latin Inspired Recipes
While I love a good crock pot turkey chili, I also love green chiles and vibrant latin foods too. Here are a few of our family favorites!
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Green Chile Posole with Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 oz tomatillos (7-10)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs
- 1 cup chopped onions
- ⅓ cup roasted green chiles chopped
- 2 (15 oz) cans white hominy drained
- 2 (15 oz) cans white navy beans drained
- 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons powdered garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 32 oz chicken broth or stock
- 1-2 limes
- optional garnish: cilantro, sliced cabbage, radishes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Roast halved or quartered tomatillos on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, they should be soft. Blend them into a pureé in a blender or mash with a potato masher. It's alright if there's chunks or skins.12 oz tomatillos
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat with olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Place chicken thighs and onions in pan to brown for 4 minutes on each side.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1½ pounds chicken thighs, 1 cup chopped onions
- Place chicken, roasted tomatillos, onions, roasted chiles, hominy, white beans, and all spices (remaining ingredients) into a crock pot.⅓ cup roasted green chiles chopped , 2 (15 oz) cans white hominy, 2 (15 oz) cans white navy beans , 2 Tablespoons chicken bouillon, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons powdered garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Add chicken broth and cook on high for 4-5 hours until chicken is tender.32 oz chicken broth or stock
- Shred chicken with forks and squeeze juice of 1-2 limes (to taste) before serving.Add salt or garlic as needed.1-2 limes
- Stovetop instructions in Recipe Notes.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Sara says
So so so good with a little shredded cabbage and radish too.