Chicken Pozole Verde

Last week’s wintery weather inspired Danny to add a little heat to this week’s recipe, and he settled on Chicken Pozole Verde – a one-pot meal with its roots in Mexico’s indigenous culture and cuisine.

This version of pozole is made with chicken and green chiles in a departure from a pork version of the dish featuring red chiles. “It’s a great dish for a cold grey day,” Danny said. “It’s a hearty, good dish. It’s kind of a total meal because it’s vegetables and meat and a grain, and I put some cheese on it and sour cream.”

Danny riffed on a Food & Wine magazine recipe, but switched chicken thighs for chicken breasts for added flavor and richness, and amped up the chile quotient by adding an extra handful of green chiles. He also added a sprinkling of shredded Mexican cheese.

Pozole, derived from the Nahuatl word “pozolli” or “pozol,” was initially a humble dish consumed in pre-Columbian Mexico, primarily during ceremonial occasions and celebrations. It was made with hominy, flavored with various meats like pork, chicken, or sometimes fish, and seasoned with herbs, chili peppers, and other indigenous ingredients. The stew held cultural significance, often associated with rituals and religious ceremonies, including honoring the Aztec god of maize, Centeotl.

As always, all ingredients are available at Stewart’s Food Store. Makes 6-8 servings.

Ingredients:

7 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth 2 cups water 4 chicken thighs on bone, with skin 1 pound tomatillos, husked and halved 1 small onion, quartered 2 poblano chiles, cored, seeded, and quartered 2 jalapeños, seeded and quartered 16 oz. green chiles 4 large garlic cloves, smashed 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 1 tablespoon oregano leaves Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 3 (15-ounce) cans of hominy, drained Finely shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving Sliced radishes, for serving Chopped onion, for serving Diced avocado, for serving Sour cream, for serving Tortilla chips, for serving Lime wedges, for serving Shredded cheese, for serving Preparation:

Step 1: In a large pot, bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. Add the chicken thighs skin side down, cover, and simmer over very low heat until they’re tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Step 2: Skim and discard any fat from the cooking liquid and set the liquid aside.

Step 3: Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and, once cool enough to handle, shred the meat; discard the bones and skin.

Step 4: In a blender, combine the halved tomatillos with the quartered onion, poblanos and jalapeños, smashed garlic, chopped cilantro, and oregano. Pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the sides.

Step 5: With the machine on, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Season the tomatillo puree with salt and pepper.

Step 6: In a large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the tomatillo puree and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 12 minutes.

Step 7: Pour the green sauce into the cooking liquid in the casserole. Add the hominy and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the shredded chicken to the stew, season with salt and pepper, and cook just until heated through.

Step 8: Serve the pozole in deep bowls, passing the lettuce, radishes, onion, avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, and lime wedges at the table.