Chicken & Vegetable Pozole

Traditionally, pozole (or posole) is a Mexican soup made with hominy (which is what ‘pozole’ means actually), a reddish chile-tomato base broth, and a protein, usually pork.  So in many ways, this is nothing like traditional pozole soup, but, this rendition stemmed from a more traditional pozole years ago.

What once began as a more authentic pozole quickly twisted into something resembling a chicken and vegetable soup.  Over the years, I began adding in more chopped veggies, which makes this more of a chicken soup with hominy, than it does a pozole.  But labels aside, I love it and am still making it this way today!  

To me, this soup is made by the garnishes.  Any time I can top food with other food, I am happy.  The garnishes for this guy are a buffet on their own!  I add cabbage, radishes, cilantro, cheese, avocado, lime, and the list goes on.  That’s the fun of this one… you can add in whatever you want to make those toppings exciting.  Nearly anything goes!  Add crunch, add creaminess, add zing, add it all. 🙂

Hominy, which is dried maize that has been soaked in a lime solution, resembles a garbanzo bean more than it does corn.  But, alas, it is corn.  The texture is also beany in nature, but the flavor is not.  It’s unique.  I always think of giant corn nuts when I see it. 🙂

If you’re smack dab in tomato season, feel free to use your fresh tomatoes for this soup.  If it’s not tomato season though, a jar or can of diced tomatoes will do the trick just fine.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

5-6 dried arbol chiles

2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped poblano pepper 

1 1/2 cups chopped carrot

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 

1 cup chopped celery

1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeds removed from one half (approx 1 tbsp)

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chopped tomatoes (or one 15 oz can diced)

3 cups hominy (or one 25 oz can)

3-4 chicken breasts (see note below)

1 quart chicken broth

1 tsp oregano (preferably Mexican)

2 bay leaves

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 ancho chili powder

salt and pepper, to taste

1 lime- 1/2 juiced, 1/2 cut into wedges

for garnish: lime, cabbage, cheese (Cotija for a dry, or Monterey jack for a melted), avocado, sour cream or crema, cilantro, scallions, radishes, and tortilla sticks (optional- see recipe below)