About the Recipe
Chicken Pozole Rojo is a traditional Mexican stew made with an assortment of red chile peppers, hominy, and meat. It's a rich, flavorsome stew topped with cabbage, radishes, lime, and cilantro, giving you a hearty, cozy, delightful meal!
Ingredients
2 15 oz can Hominy
2 lb Boneless Chicken Breasts and Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
1 White Onion
1 Large Garlic Bulb
3 Bay Leaves
6 cups Chicken Broth
4 cups Water
1.25 cup Reserved Broth
1.5 cup Liquid From Soaked Chiles
8 Guajillo Chiles, seeds and stems removed
6 Ancho Chiles, seeds and stems removed
5 Chiles de Arbol, seeds and stems removed (use less to make less spicy)
2 Chile Pasilla (optional), seeds and stems removed
8 Garlic Cloves
1/2 White Onion
2 tbsp Dried Mexican Oregano
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Sea Salt, plus more to taste
Toppings
Shredded Cabbage
Sliced Avocado
Lime Wedges
Sliced Radishes
Diced Green Onion
Chopped Cilantro
Preparation
Preparing the chicken and broth-
1. Season the chicken breast and thighs with salt on each side. In a large 6-quart Dutch Oven or large stockpot, over medium heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Pan-sear the chicken breast and thighs, cooking it on both sides for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, garlic, onions, and bay leaves to the pot.
3. Bring the liquid to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 1 hour.
4. Remove the bay leaves. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a plate or cutting board. Shred the chicken. Add the shredded chicken back into the broth.
5. Reserve 1.25 cups of broth and set aside.
6. Rinse the hominy, then add it to the pot. Allow the mixture to continue to simmer as you prepare the sauce.
Preparing the Red Chile Sauce (Rojo Sauce)-
7. Bring a medium-sized saucepan filled with water to a boil.
8. Remove the stems and seeds from the chile peppers.
9. Place the chile peppers in a large bowl and cover peppers with the boiled water. Soak the chiles for at least 30 minutes.
10. Add the softened chilies to a blender with broth from the simmering chicken, the liquid from the softened chiles, garlic, onion, and seasonings. Blend until smooth.
Bringing It All Together-
11. Add the red chile sauce to the pot. Mix well and cover. Let the stew simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
12. Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking, adding more salt, pepper, or dried oregano as desired.
13. Serve the pozole in large bowls and pile on your favorite toppings!