This Chicken Pozole recipe is made with chicken, hominy and red chilies (red pozle) and can be made in an Instant Pot or on your stovetop. Healthy, delicious Mexican comfort food, this Pozole can be made in 30 minutes! Includes a Video.
This hearty Mexican soup called Chicken Pozole Rojo (or Red Pozole) is simple to make and super delicious! In this recipe, we’ve substituted chicken instead of traditional pork for a lighter version of the classic.
Looking for Green Pozole? Our Chicken Pozole Verde is incredibly flavorful too – made with tomatillos and green chilies! Vegans, please see our Vegan Pozole!
What is Chicken Pozole?
Pozole is a traditional Mexican stew or soup, typically made with hominy, braised pork and chilies. There are many versions through Mexico! Pozole Rojo (red pozole) like you see here, is typically made with dried red chilies, and green pozole, called Pozole Verde is made with tomatillos and fresh green chilies.
You will love this Chicken Pozole Recipe
- Quick & easy to make! This simple recipe can be made in just 30 minutes. Use an instant pot for easy cooking if you have one, or make it on the stovetop.
- Delicious leftovers. Leftover pozole tastes even better the next day… and the day after that! Prep a large batch to be enjoyed throughout the week.
- Healthy & lightened up. We use chicken instead of braised pork in this recipe for a lighter variation. It’s a brothy soup with fresh ingredients that makes for a nutrient-rich, wholesome meal.
- Warm & comforting. On a chilly day, this warm soup is unbelievably comforting! Made with garlic, onion, chilies, and spices, pozole has the perfect amount of spice and fragrance to nourish the soul.
Chicken Pozole Ingredients
- Olive oil: The base that sautés the garlic and onion. Adds richness and depth to the flavor of the dish.
- Onion and Garlic: Provide a savory and aromatic base for the pozole.
- Diced green chilies: Contribute a mild level of heat and a subtle hint of smokiness.
- Tomato paste: Adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the pozole.
- Spices: Chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt, chipotle powder, and bay leaf. Add a vibrant and spicy kick, earthiness and warmth, herbal notes, and smoky flavor. Salt enhances the flavor of each ingredient in the dish.
- Chicken thighs: Make the pozole rich and tender while adding a meaty texture.
- Chicken broth: Serves as the flavorful base of the soup, enhancing the taste and providing a comforting element.
- Hominy: Gives the pozole its characteristic chewy texture and adds a subtle corn flavor.
- Dried Mexican Guajillo Pepper: Imparts a fruity and mildly spicy taste, adding complexity to the pozole.
- Lime juice: Adds a refreshing citrusy flavor to the pozole, balancing the richness of the other ingredients.
- Optional toppings: Avocado, lime wedges, jalapeño, shredded cabbage, thinly sliced onion, radish, grated cheese of Mexican sour cream
How to make Chicken Pozole
- Saute. Set instant pot to “Saute” function. Be sure to read the notes section if using a stovetop method!
- Add aromatics and spices. Heat oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic, stirring. Once tender and fragrant, add green chilies and tomato paste. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano and ground chipotle.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add chicken, broth and cooked hominy.
- If adding the dried chilies, break them in half and shake out the seeds. Either crumble/tear into small pieces or cut into small strips with kitchen scissors. If you have time, toast them in a dry skillet first to release their oils- or if not just add them in like that.
- Pressure cook. Give a good stir and set instant pot to high pressure, for 14 minutes.
- Release pressure and shred the chicken. Naturally, release the pressure, and using two forks, shred the chicken.
- Add lime and taste and adjust for salt. Add the lime juice. Adjust spice level and salt. If your hominy was not salted, you will most likely need more. As this sits on “warm”, flavors will meld and get better. Leftovers taste even better!
- Serve with fresh garnishes! Serve in a bowl with avocado, lime, jalapeño, shredded cabbage or radish, warm corn tortillas or tortilla chips, and sour cream.
How to serve this Pozole Recipe (Chicken)
Fresh toppings give pozole such a great texture- they are a must! Pick any or all of the following.
- Avocado
- Jalapeño
- Shredded cabbage
- Thinly sliced onion
- Cilantro
- Sour cream
- Hot sauce
- Tortilla chips
Red Chicken Pozole Recipe Tips
- Make the soup even more brothy. If you love a delicious brothy soup like me, you can add 2 additional cups of chicken stock. Just be sure to taste and adjust for salt.
- Make the soup thick and creamy. If you prefer a thick and creamier soup, you can place some hominy in the blender with some broth.
- Use dried hominy. This provides a hearty and toothsome texture that is simply amazing. Make sure you drain the cooking liquid before using in this soup.
- Use chicken thighs. Chicken thighs provide the best flavor here!
Chicken Pozole Soup FAQs
Pozole (also called posole) originated from the Aztecs and other indigenous tribes in Mesoamerica. The word comes from the Nahuatl pozolli or posolli. It is translated to a stew of maíz kernels.
Hominy is made from dried maize (dried corn kernels) that have been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization. The alkali is typically lye or slaked lime.
In this recipe, use canned hominy or dried hominy that has been pre-cooked. You don’t want to use the cooking liquid of dried hominy in the soup itself – so if using dried hominy, drain this off and be sure to read the recipe notes. I will say, I’m partial to dried hominy because I love the toothsome texture. But the canned hominy is just fine too. We do it both ways at home! Using canned is obviously faster and more easily accessible.
Yes! This wholesome, protein-rich soup is made with hominy, which is a great source of fiber, iron, and vitamin B3. Chicken broth is also packed with essential nutrients, collagen, and amino acids.
This savory soup is subtly spicy and smoky with fresh, aromatic flavor from the garlic, onion, spices, and chiles. Tender shredded chicken offers a slight umami taste.
Pozole will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator (if properly cooled), or you can freeze it for up to 6 months! To store in the freezer, let the soup cool completely then place in an airtight container or freezer bags.
More recipes you may like!
On the homefront: Have I ever told you that September is my favorite month of the year? I love how cool and delicious the night air feels. And I especially love the transition into cooking warmer things like soups and stews. There is something so cozy about it, so soothing in a way. Not just the eating… but the cooking itself. Cooking can be so comforting. So grounding, especially this time of year.
It’s a lovely thing to feel, simply being present with the task at hand, just being with the onions, when you are chopping them. Just being with cooking itself. Like a meditation, relaxing, mind-clearing. A gift.
Take the moments when you can…
xoxo
How to make Chicken PozolE|60-sec video
Chicken Pozole Rojo
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: soup, stew, main
- Method: instant pot, stove-top
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
A delicious, authentic recipe for Pozole Rojo made with chicken that can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. A healthy, delicious, Mexican-inspired weeknight dinner that can be made in 30 minutes! Gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 4–6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 4 ounce can diced green chilies
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, more to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 lbs chicken whole thighs (skinless, boneless)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3–4 cups cooked hominy -2 to 3 cans drained, or use pre-cooked dried hominy, see notes
- 1 dried Mexican Guajillo Pepper ( feel free to experiment with other Mexican dried chilies)
- juice from one lime ( 2–3 tablespoons)
Optional Toppings: avocado, lime wedges, jalapeño, shredded cabbage, thinly sliced onion, radish, grated cheese or Mexican sour cream.
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set instant pot to “Saute” function ( If cooking on the stovetop see notes)
- Heat oil and add onion and garlic, stirring. Once tender and fragrant, add green chilies and tomato paste. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano and ground chipotle.
- Add chicken, broth and cooked hominy.
- If adding the dried chilies, break them in half and shake out the seeds. Either crumble/tear into small pieces or cut into small strips with kitchen scissors. If you have time, toast them in a dry skillet first to release their oils- or if not just add them in like that.
- Give a good stir and set instant pot to high pressure, for 14 minutes.
- Naturally, release the pressure, and using two forks, shred the chicken.
- Add the lime juice. Adjust spice level and salt. If your hominy was not salted, you will most likely need more. As this sits on “warm”, flavors will meld and get better. Leftovers, even better!
- Serve with avocado, lime, jalapeño, shredded cabbage or radish, and sour cream.
Notes
Stovetop Instructions: To cook on the stovetop, just follow the same instructions above using a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven. Then simmer the soup (covered) for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken thighs pull apart easily with a fork. After shredding the chicken, simmer for a few more minutes, adding lime juice, and adjusting salt to taste.
Originally I tried making this with dried hominy and it didn’t cook all the way through. Then I read that you should discard the water that dried hominy cooks in or soaks in. So I ended up using dried hominy that I cooked earlier (draining the cooking liquid). I loved the texture of the dried hominy best – a little heartier and toothsome.
For a thicker soup, you could blend half or a third of the hominy with some broth. I prefer brothy soups, but I know, not everyone does. 😉
For a brothier soup, feel free to add 2 more cups of chicken stock, adjusting salt to taste.
Chicken thighs offer the best flavor here but if you prefer chicken breasts, lower pressure cooking time to 8-9 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 319
- Sugar: 4.8 g
- Sodium: 566.8 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.8 g
- Fiber: 4.6 g
- Protein: 32.6 g
- Cholesterol: 142 mg
Another absolutely delicious recipe. I made it on the stove top and it took about 40 minutes for the chicken thighs to become shreddable. But the flavor, just layers and layers. I found the soup moderately spicy but not over the top. I used canned hominy and it was firm but flavorful. I didn’t need more salt either.
Thanks for taking time to review Randy! Great to hear!
Easy, quick (I used rotisserie chicken), and good.
Last couple of recipes (this and Israeli Salad) I’ve struggled to find the “cook mode” button… like that button a lot!
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Hey Cammie- Glad you enjoyed this! The cook mode should work automatically now. Is your phone turning off while you are on the recipe card?
Great soup! The 1st time I made it I used canned hominy, which was so good. The 2nd time I used Rancho Gordo dried hominy (soaking first), which elevated it even further! Thanks for all of your delicious recipes and flexible options!!
Awesome Patti! Thanks for taking time to review.
Halved the recipe for my Instapot 3qt and used one whole dried guajillo pepper. It was as good as the Posole I had a few months ago in Oaxaca at La Cosecha market! Exceptional!
Wow, great to hear! Thanks for the review. 🙂
Superb! It soooo good, can your provide measurements for a doubled recipe. Thanks.
Tanya S.
Hi Tanya, thanks! Do you see the recipe multiplier in the recipe card?
Yes, found it. I can eat the whole double myself, it’s that good. I’m addicted. Thank you very much for sharing.
Hi! Making this right now, assuming the bay leaf goes in the instant pot and isn’t just for the stovetop version but it’s not in the instructions. Smells great can’t wait until it’s ready!
Yes, opps sorry about that!
If I use bone in thighs, is it the same cooking time?
If you are doing them in the instant pot I would add 2 minutes. Stove top I would test with an instant read thermometer and make sure they are over 175 or when they start to fall away from the bone.
So simple to make and so delicious. My guest asked for the recipe. I will make this on repeat.
Great to hear Laura!
Wow, this soup was amazing, packed with intense flavors and beautiful color. I’d like to double the recipe for my next potluck. Can you provide the tips? Thank you very much for sharing. It’s a mainstay. Yummy! 😄
Will you use an Instant Pot or stovetop? Doubling is strait forward if using the stovetop- just make sure doubling fits in your instant pot if using?
It doubles nicely – just make sure you have the extra room to cook it all.
This had incredible flavor with a nice kick! (I subbed the hominy for garbanzo beans same texture). My absolute favorite and it’s so fast in the instant pot. Can’t wait to make the green one!! 😋
Awesome Tina!
Just made this! So good and so easy! Thanks for sharing.
Great to hear Jennifer!
Excellent!!!
I made this on a stove top last week for my family of 4. They love it including my 2 teen kids. It’s not easy to make a healthy soulful dish that everyone in my family enjoys, and this is one of them. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Oh Great Bay! So Happy everyone enjoyed- always a great feeling. 🙂
The red chile posole should be made by soaking the red chile pods, about 2 hrs. till soft enough to pull stems off. Put some of the water from the soak and blend with soft chiles, garlic, oregano and salt. Don’t add green chile.
Yes, that is a great idea if not using the instant pot. In the instant pot they soften up really well.
My grocer only has ground Guajillo powder. I’m inSan Antonio, Texas so it’s hard to explain that one…how much do you suggest using?
Hi Cara- I’m surprised it is hard to find there! I would start with 1-2 tablespoons? More to taste?
This recipe with chicken turned out great. Didn’t have masa but polenta made a good thickener for this soup. I used sauteed bone in/skin chicken thighs in my crock pot and adjusted the cooking times accordingly. Yummy! Thanks for a really good recipe.
Perfect Karen! Glad this worked in the slow cooker!
Super easy and can make modifications as needed. I just make it on the the stovetop.
Perfect and great to hear!
Don’t forget to eat with tostadas from the Mexican isle
Great suggestion~!
Pozole was amazing…as testified by 5 others! My suggestion would be to cut the chicken amount in half and increase the chicken broth by 50%…that may require some increases to the spices also. I ended up with too much chicken without any broth.
However…quick…easy…and amazing!
Great to hear Steve- yes, you can easily make this more brothy.
Agreed- last time I made it we decided more broth was needed the next time.
Ok I will note the recipe! Thanks so much!