Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Posole Verde is a comforting Mexican stew featuring tender chicken simmered in a vibrant, tangy green sauce made from charred poblanos, Anaheim peppers, tomatillos, and aromatic spices. Enhanced with hominy and garnished with fresh radish, cilantro, lime, and creamy avocado, this dish offers a perfect balance of smoky, savory, and fresh flavors, ideal for a wholesome family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 Anaheim peppers
- 6 tomatillos, skins removed
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, skin on
- 3 radishes, sliced
- 3 sprigs cilantro
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 lime
Proteins and Broth
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 quart chicken broth
Pantry and Spices
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 (15 ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Char the Vegetables: Preheat your broiler to high. On a rimmed baking sheet, place the poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, tomatillos, thinly sliced onion, and garlic cloves with their skins on. Drizzle lightly with vegetable oil and broil, turning occasionally, until the peppers are charred on all sides and the tomatillos are softened. This process infuses a smoky flavor into the ingredients. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap to steam and loosen the skins.
- Prepare the Pepper Mixture: Once the peppers have cooled enough to handle, remove them from the bowl and place on a cutting board. Peel off all the charred skins and discard. Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers. Peel the garlic cloves out of their skins. Transfer the skinned peppers, softened tomatillos, sliced onion, and peeled garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, creating the base verde sauce.
- Slow Cook the Posole: Transfer the finely chopped pepper mixture to your slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and kosher salt. Stir gently to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
- Shred Chicken and Add Hominy: Use tongs or forks to break up the cooked chicken breasts directly in the slow cooker into bite-sized pieces. Gently fold in the drained and rinsed hominy. Continue cooking on high for an additional 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve and Garnish: Taste the posole and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Serve the posole hot, garnished with fresh radish slices, chopped cilantro leaves, lime wedges for squeezing, and cubed avocado for creamy texture.
Notes
- Char the peppers and tomatillos well for a deep, smoky flavor.
- Remove as many seeds as possible from peppers to reduce heat if desired.
- Cooking time may vary based on your slow cooker model; check chicken tenderness toward the end of cooking.
- Hominy adds a delightful chewy texture; rinsing it reduces excess salt.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and freeze nicely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
