Recipe: Pozole (Mexican Chicken and Hominy Stew)

This delicious chicken stew is a greatly abbreviated version of pozole (pronounced "poh-SOH-leh"), a traditional Mexican stew. I turn to this recipe when I want a quick, satisfying and easy dinner. I took several shortcuts, using a store-bought salsa verde for instance, and if I'd purchased a rotisserie chicken (instead of poaching chicken breasts), it would save even more time. 

Yield: 4-6
Time to simmer chicken: 25 minutes?
Active Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (12-ounce) jar tomatillo salsa or salsa verde *
• 2,15-ounce cans of hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• Red chili pepper flakes

Pick and Choose Garnishes: Finely shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced radishes, chopped onion, diced avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

Direction

1. In a large, heavy bottomed casserole or pot bring the chicken stock to a slow boil. Add the chicken breasts, cover, reduce heat and simmer over very low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Reserve cooking liquid. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate or cutting board, shred the chicken when cool enough to handle.
2. Reduce the cooking liquid over high heat 10 minutes. Combine the tomatilla salsa with the stock. Add the hominy and shredded chicken and bring to a simmer over medium heat. When hot, stir in cilantro. Season to taste, if needed, with kosher salt and chili pepper flakes.
3. Garnish individual bowls of soup with your choice of garnish or pass on the side.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Oct. 24, 2011.