Baci’s Pozole Verde
Leading Lady Spotlight: Baci and I met in college, and ever since meeting her, she’s been one of my besties. Before she and I were sorority sisters, she was my favorite human at the food hall where I ate breakfast every morning, she would slay at making breakfast burritos, she had the best folding technique and cooked my eggs to perfection, everyone on my Rugby team lined up for Baci’s breakfast burritos. When I rushed / joined Tri Delta, Baci was the first person to invite me to my first Frat Party, she was the one who invited me to hang out with her Delta girl gang, aka The Dollhouse Girls, and she was the one who recruited me to do “Tugs” with her and the other athletic gals in the house. But that’s just Baci, she’s the best. She’s amazing at everything she puts her mind to, she’s the warmest, most magnetic human, and she has the greatest laugh of all time. Baci is the kind of friend that is down for anything, and a guaranteed good time. She’s the kind of friend who is always up for an adventure, whether thats in the kitchen, on a mountain, at the beach, or downtown. This Salsa recipe is the perfect pair with her Tamales.
Alright, let’s get into the good stuff… Baci’s Pozole Verde!
What You’ll Need
Soup
1 15oz jar hominy, drained and rinsed
2 green bell peppers
2 poblano peppers
2 chicken breasts (vibe out based on the side, ~1lb)
1 quart chicken broth (or enough to cover chicken)
1 bay leaf
¼ white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Green Sauce
¼ onion, chopped
1–3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of ground cloves
Salt, to taste
Broth from boiled chicken (as needed for blending)
Optional Garnishes
Cabbage, shredded
Radishes, sliced
White onion, chopped
Lime, in quartered wedges
Pickled jalapeños
Oaxacan cheese
How to Make
First, you’ll cook your chicken
In a large pot, combine chicken breasts, chicken broth, bay leaves, garlic clove, and onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 20–25 minutes). Remove chicken, shred, and set aside. Reserve the broth for later use.
Next, you’ll roast your peppers
Pre-heat an empty cast iron skillet to over medium-high for 3-5 minutes until it is very hot (a properly preheated, hot pan is key to ensuring the veggies blister and not just steam). Place green bell peppers and poblano peppers on cast iron skillet, rotating each piece occasionally until skins are roasted on all sides (bonus if you get a perfect blister on all sides). Cut in half, de-stem and de-seed them.
Now you’re ready to make your Green Sauce
In a blender, combine roasted peppers, onion, garlic, cumin, ground cloves, smoked paprika, and salt, and a few ladles of the reserved chicken broth (~2-4, depending on how thick or thin you want it). Blend until smooth, adding more ladles of broth until you achieve your desired consistency.
Finally, it’s time to assemble the Pozole!
Return reserved chicken broth to a large pot. Add blended green sauce and mix well. Stir in hominy and bring to a simmer. Add shredded chicken back to pot. Simmer about ~10–15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed (Baci says you’ll want ot “vibe out what you need with the seasoning, based on your taste”)
Serve with garnishes and enjoy!
Ladle Pozole into bowls and top with: Cabbage, radish, onion, lime wedges, pickled jalapeños, Oaxacan cheese. Yum!
