Ingredients
Aromatics & vegetables
- Tomatillos, husk removed12-15
- Poblano peppers, halved3-4
- Ghost pepper1
- Serrano peppers, halved2
- Yellow onion, finely chopped1
- Garlic, minced6 cloves
Chicken, dried spices, & cooking liquid
- Whole Chicken1
- chicken stock1800 g
- hominy850 g28 oz can
- Cumin3 g
- Ground coriander2 g
- Chili Powder2 g
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Toppings to taste
- Pickled onions
- Jalapeños, sliced
- Crema
- Radishesthinly sliced
- Cilantro
- Cotija cheese
- Limes
- Pepitas
Method
Step 1: Broil the vegetables & chop with aromatics
Turn the oven on at 500° F/260° C.
Spread tomatillos, poblano and serrano peppers on a large tin foil rimmed baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes until blackened and . Let cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, finely chop the yellow onion and garlic cloves. Add them to a bowl.
Once cooled, finely chop the tomatillos, poblanos, and serrano peppers and add them to the bowl.
Step 2: Sear & brown the chicken
Cut the whole chicken into 10 pieces.
Next, heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Liberally season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Add them to the Dutch oven to and brown on all sides. Set the chicken pieces on a plate and turn the heat to medium-low.
Step 3: Sauté the vegetables & ground spices
To the same pot that the chicken was browned in, add the bowl of chopped vegetables, ground spices, and a pinch of salt to the pot. , stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.
Set the heat to low and sauté for another 15-20 minutes until everything is and .
Step 4: Simmer the chicken, shred, finish soup with hominy
Pour in the chicken stock and the pot.
Add the browned chicken pieces. Bring the soup to a and cook, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes.
Remove the chicken pieces and shred them, picking out any bones or inedible pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the soup and add the hominy.
Taste it and add salt and pepper as needed.
Step 5: Serve, garnish, & enjoy
Serve in bowls and top with pickled red onion, sliced jalapeño, crema, radish, cilantro, cotija, fresh squeezed lime, or any other desired toppings.
“Whether you have it rojo, blanco, or verde, what makes a posole a posole is the use of hominy. Hominy are dried corn kernels that have been treated with an alkaline solution. It can be ground for masa, or cooked and used in soup like we are doing today.”
Ethan ChlebowskiWatch & Cook
Nutritional Information
Show macros split into…
Recommended: 4 servings
FAQ
Can I use other cuts of chicken instead of breaking down a whole bird?
If you don't want to break down a whole chicken, feel free to use a pack of bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks.
Can I use canned tomatillos if I can’t find fresh?
Yes - use a can of them instead if you can’t find fresh ones or are in a hurry. One 11oz can should be plenty.
Do I use dried or canned hominy?
You can use either. If you use dried, like I did, make sure to soak them overnight and drain them before using.
Do I have to use the ghost pepper?
The ghost pepper is really , but isn’t too overpowering once you’ve cooked everything together. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want the extra spice kick.