Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs (900g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4-5)
  • 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1.5 cups / 200g)
  • 2 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup / 120g)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup / 110g)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp / 15g)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 8 cups (1.9L) chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded (about 30g)
  • 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded (about 10g)
  • 2 cups (475ml) water
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 2 (25 oz/700g) cans hominy, drained and rinsed
  • Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tbsp/30ml)
  • Shredded cabbage or lettuce
  • Thinly sliced radishes
  • Diced avocado
  • Chopped white onion
  • Lime wedges
  • Dried oregano
  • Crushed tortilla chips or tostadas

Instructions:

  1. Brown chicken in olive oil in the Dutch oven. Remove chicken and set aside. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, and paprika; cook until fragrant.
  2. Add chicken broth and bay leaves to the pot. Return chicken to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/74°C).
  3. Rehydrate the dried chiles in hot water until softened. Blend rehydrated chiles with water, apple cider vinegar, salt, and cumin until smooth. Strain the sauce to remove any solids.
  4. Remove chicken from the pot and let cool slightly. Shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones.
  5. Add the red chile sauce, shredded chicken, and hominy to the broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Stir in lime juice.
  6. Ladle the pozole into bowls. Garnish with shredded cabbage, radishes, avocado, onion, lime wedges, oregano, and tortilla chips. Let everyone customize to their liking!