Inside: If you love our Pozole Rojo recipe, then you will want to try this Pozole Verde recipe. The preparation is similar, but there are some important differences!

One of the most popular dishes in Mexico is definitely Pozole. That is why it doesn’t surprise me that one of the most popular recipes on my website is Pozole Rojo. It is such a delicious meal made with dried chiles and everyone loves it when they try it.

Today, I want to show you another version of Pozole, which is called Pozole Verde, which is more popular in central Mexico, and it is delicious!

What is the difference between Pozole Verde and Pozole Rojo?

As the name implies, the broth of Pozole verde has a green color to it, because of the types of chiles and spices that you use to make it. Pozole rojo, on the other hand, has a red broth.

That isn’t the only difference, however. Pozole verde also includes bacon and is made with chicken instead of pork. My husband isn’t a huge fan of soup, but when it comes to this recipe he always says “if it has bacon, it must be good.”

Both versions are delicious, so I recommend you try them both at some point.

How do you make Pozole Verde?

To make this recipe, you will start by cooking the chicken. At the same time, you will make the “salsa verde” that forms the base of the broth and which includes a variety ingredients including radish leaves (see image below). This includes tomatillos, garlic, salt and jalapenos if desired.

One ingredient that is absolutely necessary is hominy. Hominy is made from dried corn kernels that are soaked in an alkaline solution. I use about half of this large 105 oz can. It really adds a great taste to the soup and it is easy to find in the Mexican aisle at any grocery store.

After cooking and combining all of the ingredients, you can let it simmer for a while, but you will want to serve it hot.

What garnishes do you use for Pozole Verde?

The pozole verde itself is really good, but what really makes it are the garnishes. Here are some of the possible options:

Diced onions
Chopped cilantro
Chopped lettuce
Sliced radishes
Mexican crema
Panela
Sliced jalapenos
Tortilla chips

This is by far one of my favorite recipes to make. If I had to choose between pozole rojo and pozole verde, it would be close, but I think I would go with pozole verde most of the time!

Making this recipe brings back so many memories from cooking with my abuelita in Mexico and that is just one other reason why I love it.

Let me know in the comments below how it turned out!

Check out these other Mexican soup recipes:

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4.60 from 20 votes

Authentic Pozole Verde Recipe

If you love our Pozole Rojo recipe, then you will want to try this Pozole Verde recipe. The preparation is similar, but there are some important differences!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: pozole

Servings: Cups

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Charbel Barker

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts
5 Slices Bacon Chopped
10 Tomatillos Skin removed and rinsed
4 Cups Chicken Broth from cooking the chicken or store bought.
1/2 Garlic Head
5 Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Onion
1/4 bunch Cilantro
3 Bay leaves
1 Jalapeno Optional
1/2 105 Oz can of Hominy
Salt To taste for cooking chicken and salsa verde
5 Peppercorns
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 clove
1 cup spinach
1/2 bunch radish leaves

Garnishes

Lettuce Chopped
Radish Sliced
Tortilla Chips
Mexican Crema
Cilantro Chopped
Panela Cheese
Dried Oregano
Salsa verde

Instructions

Cook the chicken breasts in 6 cups of water with salt, bay leaves, 1/2 head of garlic, 1/4 onion, and oregano. Boil until cooked (around 20-30 minutes).
Once cooked, remove the chicken breasts and cool before shredding and setting aside.
Strain the resulting chicken broth and set aside. Dispose of the other ingredients that were cooked with the chicken. You can use store bought chicken broth if you would prefer, but the chicken broth from making the chicken will have a better flavor.
Cook the bacon in a frying pan, drain the fat, and set aside.
In a large pot, add the bacon, the rinsed hominy, and the chicken stock and cook over medium-low heat.
Sautee 1/4 onion, 5 cloves of garlic, peppercorns, thyme, oregano, the clove, and the jalapeno (optional) for 3-5 minutes.
Add the above ingredients to a blender with the tomatillos, spinach, radish leaves, and cilantro and blend until smooth. Add to a frying pan with 1 tsp of olive oil and saute for approximately 5 minutes.
Add the above ingredients and the shredded chicken to the pot with the bacon, hominy and chicken stock and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil for about 15 minutes.
Serve hot with garnishes