Cozy & Nourishing Green Chile Chicken Pozole

Here’s yet another recipe inspired by my mama! A few years back, she texted me a picture of a gorgeous green chile stew with hominy, beans, corn, chicken, and more. She used to live in New Mexico and would get the best green chiles. I was always so jealous of her fabulous Southwest-inspired recipes.

I knew I’d have to make a variation of her green chile chicken pozole, and it was so delicious! Tony and I piled on cabbage, avocado, tortilla chips for crunch, and yogurt to cool it down and keep it creamy. Unbelievably delicious — I know you’re going to love it!

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Pozole: your new favorite soup

Pozole, also spelled “posole” in some countries, is a traditional Mexican soup or stew made with hominy, meat, chile peppers, and garnishes like avocado, lettuce or cabbage, radishes, and limes.

Many pozole recipes use pork as the meat in the soup, but in my take on traditional pozole, we’re using chicken thighs and the addition of green chiles for a Southwestern version.

What is hominy?

Hominy is actually dried corn kernels that have gone through a process called “nixtamalization.” Sounds intense, I know, but it just means that the corn kernels have been soaked in a solution that makes the outer shells softer. The texture of hominy is a little puffier, chewier, and more bean-like than corn. It’s a traditional ingredient in pozole and other Hispanic recipes, and it adds a lovely boost of fiber and vitamin B3!

Ingredients in green chile chicken pozole

This wonderful take on traditional pozole uses chicken thighs, some amazing herbs & spices, a kick of flavor from green chiles and, of course, hominy. You’ll love all of the textures and flavors in this recipe plus the addition of fresh toppings. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Produce: we’re adding yellow or white onion, fresh garlic, green bell pepper & sweet corn for delicious texture and sweet & savory flavors. You’ll cook everything down in olive oil. Fresh cilantro and lime juice are a must, too!
• Herbs & spices: we’re adding a mix of cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, oregano, salt (or adobo seasoning), and black pepper.
• Chicken broth: the base of the chicken pozole is simmered in chicken broth. I’d recommend using a low-sodium chicken broth so that you can control the level of salt in the recipe.
• Green chiles: feel free to use medium or mild green chiles for a little kick of heat and wonderful flavor.
• Hominy: the star of the show in this chicken pozole! You’ll need one 28oz can of hominy in the recipe.
• Chicken: I like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe because they add more flavor and won’t get overcooked like chicken breasts can tend to do in broth-based soups.
• To garnish: I like to add shredded green cabbage, Greek yogurt (this is SO good on the soup), extra cilantro, avocado slices & lime wedges.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Sure! Simply omit the chicken and add a can of rinsed, drained chickpeas instead. Because they’re fully cooked, you won’t have to simmer the soup as long as you would when cooking chicken.

Easy chicken pozole in 4 steps

1. Sauté the veggies. Start by sautéing the onion, bell pepper, and garlic in your pot or dutch oven, then mix in all of those warming spices.
2. Cook the soup. Slowly stir in the rest of the ingredients except the corn, cilantro & lime juice. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the chicken is fully cooked.
3. Stir in add-ins. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add it back to the pot, then stir in corn, cilantro, and lime juice. Simmer for a few more minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
4. Garnish & serve. Serve pozole in bowls, add all of those delicious toppings, and enjoy!

How to store, freeze & reheat chicken pozole

• To store: store this green chile chicken pozole without the garnishes in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• To freeze: let the pozole completely cool, leave the garnishes off, and then transfer it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 2 months.
• To reheat: first let the pozole thaw in the refrigerator, then heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add your garnishes last and enjoy!

More soups & stews you’ll love

Get all of my soup recipes here!

I hope you love this incredible green chile chicken pozole! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

Green Chile Chicken Pozole

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

ServesServes 4 servings

Cozy green chile chicken pozole made with hominy, veggies, and wonderful herbs and spices. This delicious take on traditional chicken pozole is packed with protein and is the perfect dinner for chilly months. Add your favorite toppings like shredded cabbage, greek yogurt, and creamy avocado!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ large yellow or white onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 (5 ounce) cans mild or medium green chiles
• 1 (28 ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon salt (or sub adobo)
• black pepper
• 1 cup sweet corn, optional (drained and rinsed if using canned)
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• To garnish
• Shredded green cabbage
• Greek yogurt (this is SO good on the soup)
• Extra cilantro
• Avocado slices
• Lime wedges

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven or pot, add olive oil and place over medium-high heat. Next, add in diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until onions are tender. Next, add in spices: cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and oregano. Mix to coat the veggies with the spices, then slowly add in chicken broth, green chiles, hominy, chicken thighs, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.

• Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. You’ll want the chicken to be covered by the broth, so make sure to stir every so often.

• Once chicken is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to the pot, then stir in corn, cilantro, and juice from 1 lime. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes, then taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Enjoy. Serves 4-6.

• Serve pozole in bowls immediately, top with shredded green cabbage, dollop of Greek yogurt, pinch of fresh chopped cilantro, avocado slices, and a lime wedge.

Recipe Notes

To store: store this green chile chicken pozole in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
See the full post for tips, tricks, and ways to customize this soup!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 4, including corn)Calories: 435calCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 30gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gFiber: 7gSugar: 10g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on February 22nd, 2023, and republished on October 7th, 2026.