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Easy Chicken Pozole Rojo (Red Chicken Pozole)

A close-up of a white bowl filled with vibrant red chicken pozole rojo, featuring shredded chicken and white hominy kernels.
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Make this authentic Mexican Chicken Pozole Rojo, a comforting stew featuring shredded chicken and hominy in a rich red chili broth. This recipe uses accessible ingredients for a satisfying weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 large white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 6 dried Guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 3 dried Ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 4 cups chicken broth (plus more if needed)
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • For serving: shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, lime wedges, dried oregano, avocado slices

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken, onion quarters, 4 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, and bay leaf in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the broth and reserve 6 cups of the cooking liquid. Discard the solids.
  3. While the chicken cooks, prepare the red chile sauce. Place the dried Guajillo and Ancho chiles in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until soft. Drain the water.
  4. Place the softened chiles in a blender with 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth. Blend until completely smooth. Strain the chile mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
  5. Heat the vegetable oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the strained chile puree, cumin, and the remaining 5 cups of reserved broth to the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer.
  7. Shred the cooled chicken using two forks. Add the shredded chicken and the drained hominy to the chile broth.
  8. Simmer the pozole for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Add more broth if the stew becomes too thick. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
  9. Serve hot with your choice of fresh toppings like cabbage, radishes, lime wedges, and avocado.

Notes

  • For a deeper flavor, toast the dried chiles lightly in a dry skillet before soaking them.
  • You can cook the chicken in a slow cooker: place chicken, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and bay leaf in the slow cooker, cover with water, and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Shred chicken and proceed with the sauce steps, using the slow cooker liquid as your broth.
  • This is a great weeknight Mexican meal because much of the time is hands-off simmering.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kingscook.com/easy-chicken-pozole-recipe/