Tasty, Fresh, and Spicy!
Chicken🐔Soup For The Soul😇
As we continue to ring in this new year, like most of us, I’m going to be focusing on recipes that are filled with flavor, that are healthy and as always, super delish! That’s my New Years Resolution for the blog. Trust me, I’m not saying there won’t be a little decadence here and there, but many more healthy recipe options. And cocktails, always cocktails 🍹🍸🥃! Just a bit more roasting, less butter and cream and always fresh, unprocessed food. This is a favorite of mine, a Chicken Posole Verde 🐔. Full of flavor, low in fat. Are you in?
I actually first tried Posole not too long ago. How could I have missed this amazing soup for much of my life? Well, once I tried it, I had to go back again and again for more. The version I had, then later learned to make, was a roja or red Posole made with tomatoes and pork. It’s so good! And, it was pretty good for a newby like me. Posole is like most cherished family recipes, everyone’s got their own.
Here’s a recipe for a lighter “verde” version, made with tangy tomatillos, onion and garlic and chicken, then topped with lots of lime and fresh avocado. Chicken Posole Verde is my new Chicken Soup for the Soul! Oh my, these flavors are so fantastic! Honestly, this is one soup that’s so flavorful, you won’t want to leave a drop in the bowl!
The Chicken 🐓
To keep this light, it’s best to use boneless, skinless breasts of chicken. If you want to make it quick and super easy, you can use shredded chicken from a purchased rotisserie chicken, but use the breast meat and toss the skin to keep the fat content down.
Into a medium sized pan, add 2 cups low sodium chicken broth and heat on low. Add 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about lbs. Cover and let the chicken braise slowly for about 30 minutes.
Cooking the chicken this way keeps moisture in the meat and makes shredding the breast easy too. Let the chicken cook while you prepare the rest of the soup. Let the chicken cool slightly so that you can shred with two forks.
The Chicken Posole Verde
Rinse the tomatillos and remove the outer layer of paper like skin and discard. Remove the stem then chop them into small pieces, set aside.
Chop one large onion. Keep about 1/4 cup aside for garnish. Mince about 4-5 cloves of garlic.
The Jalapeno Hot Line🌡
I like to remove all the seeds and the white veins inside. If you like your heat level high, the more of the vein you leave (the white part inside the pepper) the more heat your soup will have. I take it all out, ‘cuz I’m a bit wimpy with the spice. I’ve had jalapeno peppers with nearly no heat at all and others that will blow your socks off. It’s good to take a small taste test with each pepper to see how hot it is.
To mince the jalapeno, cut off the top where the stem is, then slice the pepper in half. Remove the seeds and white veins, then cut into long very narrow strips, then chop finely. Set aside.
Back to the Posole
Into a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped garlic for about 15 seconds, then add all the chopped onion. Next, add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 tablespoon of crushed, dried oregano with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Let the mixture cook, about 5 minutes until the onion is just starting to take on color. Add all the tomatillos and the minced jalapeno. Cook another 5 minutes.
Add 6 cups chicken stock and let the mixture simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and shred the meat with forks. Add the chicken and the poaching liquid to the post and continue to cook another 20 minutes on low.
Drain and rinse the hominy, then add it to the soup. Next, add 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. (Did you know that Posole means hominy?)
Serve hot and top with freshly sliced radishes, fresh cilantro leaves and avocado slices and chopped onion.
Chicken Posole Verde – Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced (save 1/3 cup for garnish)
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon dried, crushed oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 15 oz cans hominy, drained and rinsed
- 8 cups chicken broth (divided)
- 6 or 7 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed and coarsely chopped (about 2-3 cups, chopped)
- Juice of 1 lime plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
Garnish:
- Options: cilantro leaves, sliced radishes, sliced avocado, lime wedges, rings of freshly cut jalapeno peppers and chopped onion.
Instructions
- Into a medium sized pan, add 2 cups low sodium chicken broth and heat on low. Add 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 2 lbs. Cover and let the chicken poach slowly for about 30 minutes. Cooking the chicken this way keeps moisture in the meat and makes shredding the breast easy too. Let the chicken cook while you prepare the rest of the soup.
- Rinse the tomatillos and remove the outer layer of paper like skin and discard. Remove the stem then chop them into small pieces, set aside.
- Chop one large onion and mince about 4-5 cloves of garlic.
- I like to remove all the seeds and the white veins inside. If you like your heat level high, the more of the vein you leave (the white part inside the pepper).
- To mince the jalapeno, cut off the top where the stem is, then slice the pepper in half. Remove the seeds and white veins, then cut into long very narrow strips, then chop finely. Set aside.
- Into a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped garlic for about 15 seconds, then add all the chopped onion. Next, add 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 tablespoon of crushed, dried oregano with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Let the mixture cook, about 5 minutes until the onion is just starting to take on color. Add all the tomatillos and the minced jalapeno. Cook another 5 minutes.
- Add 6 cups chicken stock and let the mixture simmer on low for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and shred the meat with forks. Add the chicken and the poaching liquid to the post and continue to cook another 20 minutes on low.
- Drain and rinse the hominy and add it to the soup. Add 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot and top with freshly sliced radishes, fresh cilantro leaves, chopped jalapeno peppers and avocado slices and chopped onion.
