Pozole Blanco (Chicken Pozole) + VIDEO

Pozole Blanco is one of those dishes that brings a big smile to my face. Just the thought of coming home to the nostalgic aroma of this traditional Mexican soup takes me back to memories of Durango, Mexico.

It’s comfort food, often served for special occasions, that I love to make for my family. I don’t think this recipe is hard at all. It just takes time, and you can very easily make it in the slow cooker.

This recipe is different from Pozole Rojo which uses a red chile sauce or Pozole Verde which uses a green sauce.

• Start by cutting up the main ingredient – a whole chicken.
• Add all the chicken pieces to a large stockpot.

Nowadays, you can find a whole chicken cut up at most grocery stores. Or ask your friendly neighborhood butcher to do it for you. Reserve the bones to make chicken broth.

• Add half a white onion and two cloves of garlic to the pot.

More fabulous flavor to savor. So, do yourself a favor and add these ingredients.

Pozole Blanco translated into English means “white pozole.”

You might also see people misspell the word as “posole” or call this dish “posole blanco” or “white posole.” They all mean the exact same thing.

• Add plenty of water (4 quarts of water or more) to the stock pot.
• Enough to cover the entire chicken.

You don’t need to use an entire chicken. If you are partial to only white meat, then use only chicken breast.

If you prefer dark meat, use legs, thighs, or both.

Note: The water will create a delicious chicken broth. You can very well use store-bought broth or water + bouillon. Not a fan of store bought chicken bouillon? Here’s a How to Make Chicken Bouillon, 

• Put a lid on the pot
• Cook for 1 hour at medium-high heat.

Don’t flip your lid. The “P” in pozole stands for “Patience.” You can’t rush the magic of this soup.

This is the base for our soup. It is the Chicken Soup for your Mexican soul. Comforting. Nourishing.

Your skills are flourishing when you master this traditional dish. It’s an essential step.

Pro Tips:

• Use leftover chicken.
• Use either store-bought chicken broth or homemade chicken broth.
• Skip to step 8.

• Once it is thoroughly cooked, remove the chicken from the pot.

Place in a glass Pyrex plate or a heat-resistant container. Let it cool slightly.

• Remove the onion and garlic from the stock pot.
• Reserve all of the liquid from the cooking process. Taste it for salt.

That stuff is liquid gold. You have a pot of gold, and you’re not even a leprechaun. No rainbow required.

Get totally forked! You’re going to need TWO forks to shred the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.

Word to the Wise: Be sure the chicken is cool enough to the touch. No one wants to get burned. Once you’re done, return it to the pot.

• Drain the can of hominy.
• Then add it to the pot.

Rinse my hominy before adding. It might be an unnecessary step, but I don’t want any of that yucky can flavor. You want harmony from your hominy.

If you didn’t make enough chicken broth, add water or chicken broth.

This is a soup. It’s soup-er! lol. 

See recipe card for slow cooker instructions.

• Add a cube of chicken bouillon.
• Add more water.

If you made plenty of that delicious homemade chicken broth when you were cooking the chicken, you can skip this step.

You can always use salt instead of bouillon.

• Cover the stock pot and bring to a boil.
• Let it simmer for 45 minutes.

Your house will smell amazing! Your neighbors will envy you, and your family will love you. Love is all you need, or so the Beatles have told me.

How Long Does It Last?

• In the fridge, this white pozole recipe will lasts up to 5 days.
• In the freezer, it lasts up to 3 months.

Toppings:

• Mexican oregano
• shredded cabbage
• cilantro
• lime wedges
• chile de árbol
• radishes
• white onion

What are the Different Kinds of Pozoles?

• Red Pozole: Made with a guajillo chiles and ancho chiles red sauce.
• Green Pozole: Made with a green chile sauce of pepitas, poblano peppers, cilantro, or serranos.
• Pozole Blanco: A basic soup with no chile sauce added. However, chile can be added as a topping. (See my recipe below)
• Pozole Negro: Made with huitlacoche, or a black mushroom fungus. Sometimes served with black beans.

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Pozole Blanco (Chicken Pozole)

Pozole Blanco, or Chicken Pozole, is a hearty and delicious dish. A traditional Mexican food classic that is perfect for chilly nights.

5 from 43 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Servings: 6 -8

Calories: 362kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 whole chicken chopped into pieces.
• ▢ ½ onion
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢ 10-12 cups of water divided
• ▢ 4 cups canned hominy drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 cube of chicken bouillon or substitute for chicken broth
• ▢ Optional Toppings:
• ▢ Diced Onions
• ▢ Dried Oregano
• ▢ Shredded Cabbage or Lettuce
• ▢ Chile de Arbol
• ▢ Lime
• ▢ Cilantro

Instructions

• Add all the chicken pieces to a large stock pot. 
• Add 1/2 onion, 2 garlic cloves, salt and pepper.
• Add water. About 5-6 cups. Enough to cover the entire chicken. 
• Put a lid on the pot and cook for 1 hour. 
• Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool slightly. 
• Reserve all the liquid.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred. 
• Return the shredded chicken to the pot. 
• Add the hominy and oregano.
• Pour remaining water into the pot.
• Add chicken bouillon. 
• (You can omit the chicken bouillon and use chicken broth instead).
• Cover and bring to a boil. 
• Reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes.
• Serve and add desired toppings.
• 
  

Video

Notes

Slow Cooker Chicken: Add first 6 ingredients in slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Then transfer the cooked chicken to a large pot to finish the recipe.

Instant Pot Chicken: Add first 6 ingredients to the instant pot. 35 minutes on high pressure with full release. 

How Long Does Pozole Blanco Last?

• In the fridge, pozole lasts up to 5 days.
• In the freezer, pozole lasts up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1812mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @MamaMaggiesKitchen or tag #MamaMaggiesKitchen!