How to make Traditional chicken POZOLE | Pozole verde | Villa Cocina

green chilies

🥗Healthier: jalapeños

💰Cheaper: canned green chilies

Canned green chilies are often less expensive and readily available.

hominy

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: corn

Corn can be a more affordable substitute, though it alters the texture.

avocado

🥗Healthier: guacamole

💰Cheaper: sour cream

Sour cream is a less expensive topping option.

cilantro

🥗Healthier: parsley

💰Cheaper: green onions

Green onions provide a similar fresh flavor at a lower cost.

Place a comal over medium high heat.

Place all tomatillos in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Roast the poblano and jalapeno peppers on the comal until charred and blistered on all sides, turning as needed.

Remove the roasted peppers from heat and cover with plastic wrap to sweat for about 5 minutes.

Lower the heat of the pot with tomatillos to medium-low and cook until they lose their bright green color, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

Toast 3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds in a large pan over medium heat until golden brown, then remove from heat.

Peel the skin off the roasted peppers while wearing kitchen gloves, remove seeds and stems, and set aside.

Spatchcock the 6-pound whole chicken by removing the backbone with kitchen scissors and pressing down on the breast to flatten it.

Season the chicken with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt on both sides.

Brown the chicken in a large pot over medium high heat with 3 tablespoons of avocado oil, starting with the breast side down until golden brown, then flip to brown the other side.

Pour in 16 cups of water or enough to cover the chicken, add half of the onion and half of the head of garlic, and 3 sprigs of yerba buena.

Add 4 pounds of hominy, stir lightly, cover, and lower the heat to medium low to simmer for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

In a blender, combine toasted pumpkin seeds, cooked tomatillos, roasted peppers, 1 cup of hominy, 4 green onions (chopped), 4 cups of spinach, radish leaves, half a bunch of cilantro, 4 peeled garlic cloves, 0.5 teaspoon whole cumin, 0.5 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 2 teaspoons dry Mexican oregano, and 2 cups of water. Blend until completely smooth.

Remove the cooked chicken from the broth, set aside to cool, and discard the onion, garlic, and yerba buena.

In a smaller pot over medium heat, add a couple of tablespoons of avocado oil and pour in the blended green sauce, adding 1 more cup of water to the blender to get the last bit of sauce and pour it back in the pot.

Add 6 leaves of pasote to the sauce (optional), bring to a boil, then lower to medium low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour the green sauce into the large pot with the chicken broth and stir to combine, allowing it to cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Shred the chicken using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, discarding the skin and bones, then add the shredded chicken back to the pot.

Stir to combine and cook for an additional 5 minutes, adding 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to taste before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary