Chicken Pozole Rojo Recipe

Chicken Pozole Rojo is a traditional Mexican stew made with an assortment of red chile peppers, hominy, and meat. It’s a rich, flavorsome stew topped with cabbage, radishes, lime, and cilantro, giving you a hearty, cozy, delightful meal! 

If you love pozole as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to try my Pozole Verde recipe next!

This year, instead of doing my usual Pork Pozole Verde, I decided to make Chicken Pozole Rojo! The flavors are out of this world and the entire dish is super easy to make!

chicken pozole rojo | pozole rojo con pollo

It’s that time of year again where I have the relentless craving and a deep need for a huge warm bowl of pozole piled high with toppings! Pozole is a wintertime must for me. I love to serve it at holiday gatherings because it is ultra-filling, incredibly delicious, and gives everyone the opportunity to customize with the toppings they choose!

This year, instead of doing my usual Pork Pozole Verde, I am making Chicken Pozole Rojo! The flavors are out of this world and the entire dish is super easy to make!

@goodfoodbaddie Pozole Rojo is a wintertime must #pozolerojo #pozole #diytiktoktutorial #tiempoparami #letseattogether #cookwithme #soupseason ♬ TO THE MOON – JNR CHOI & Sam Tompkins

Why You’ll Love This Pozole Recipe

• It’s a rich & flavor-packed, hearty stew
• It’s Super Easy To Make! (Less than 30 minutes of actual hands-on cooking!)
• Naturally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free
• A Filling Dish That Easily Feeds A Crowd
• You Can Pile On As Many Toppings As You Like!

Chicken Pozole Rojo Ingredients

• Chicken + Broth: Made using boneless chicken breast, bone-in chicken thighs, onion, garlic, water, chicken broth (for a richer flavor), and bay leaves.
• Hominy: Be sure to rinse it before using.
• Rojo Sauce (Red Chile Sauce): Made using a blend of chile peppers, broth, seasonings, onion, and garlic.

Peppers Needed To Make The Red Chile Sauce

• Guajillo Chiles
• Ancho Chiles
• Chiles de Arbol
• Chile Pasilla (optional, but recommended)

How To Make Red Chile Sauce For Pozole

The red chile sauce for pozole is made of dried chiles, broth, onion, garlic, and seasonings. The dried chiles have to rehydrate first. The easiest way to rehydrate the chiles is to remove the seeds and stems from the dried chiles, and then place them in a bowl and cover them with boiled water. Let the chiles soak for at least 30 minutes. When ready to make the sauce, simply blend the soaked chiles with the broth from the boiled meat, onion, garlic, and seasonings.

How To Make This Easy Chicken Pozole Rojo Recipe

Preparing the chicken and broth.

1. Season the chicken breast and thighs with salt on each side. In a large 6-quart Dutch Oven or large stockpot, over medium heat, add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Pan-sear the chicken breast and thighs, cooking it on both sides for 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add the chicken broth, water, garlic, onions, and bay leaves to the pot. 
3. Bring the liquid to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 1 hour.
4.  Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a plate or cutting board. Shred the chicken and discard the bones. Add the shredded chicken back into the broth. 
5. Reserve 1.25 cups of the broth and set aside.
6. Rinse the hominy, then add it to the pot. Allow the mixture to continue to simmer as you prepare the sauce.  

Preparing the Red Chile Sauce (Rojo Sauce)

1. Bring a medium-sized saucepan filled with water to a boil.
2. Remove the stems and seeds from the chile peppers. 
3. Place the chile peppers in a large bowl and cover peppers with the boiled water. Soak the chiles for at least 30 minutes. 
4. Next, add the softened chilies to a blender with broth from the simmering chicken, the liquid from the softened chiles, garlic, onion, and seasonings. Blend until smooth.

Bringing It All Together

1. Add the red chile sauce to the pot. Mix well and cover. Let the stew simmer on medium-low heat for 30 minutes. 
2. Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking, adding more salt, pepper, or dried oregano as desired. 
3. Serve the pozole in large bowls and pile on your favorite toppings!

Tips To Making The Best Pozole Rojo & Common Questions

• Use Skinless Bone-In Chicken Thighs and Boneless Chicken Breast For The Best Flavor. Using bone-in chicken helps to create a more flavorful broth. Remember to remove the bones before adding the red chile sauce.
• Lightly Brown The Chicken First. Many people do not do this, but I DO. Browning chicken before cooking helps the chicken to lock in flavor, retain moisture, and reduces the cooking time. It only takes a few minutes and drastically improves the tastes of the stew!
• Use A Variety Of Dried Chile Peppers. You will need to use árbol, ancho, and guajillo peppers. I like to also add pasilla peppers. If You like your pozole rojo spicy, feel free to add habaneros or jalapenos, and more (soaked) arbol chiles when making the sauce.
• Soak The Chile Peppers While The Chicken Is Cooking. To save time and work efficiently, soak the chile peppers while the chicken is simmering in the broth. When the chicken is fully cooked, you can quickly prepare the rojo sauce to add to the stew.
• Rinse The Hominy Before Adding It To The Stew. Because the hominy is soaked in an alkali solution, it. isimportant to rinse it first before using. Otherwise, it will add extra starch to the soup, potentially ruining the texture and flavor.
• Don’t skimp on the toppings. Lime, cabbage, avocado, cilantro, and radishes are a must when serving traditional pozole. The toppings truly elevate the soup and give it a whole new flavor!

What Is Hominy?

Hominy is dried corn kernels (aka maize) that have been soaked in a lye or lime solution, which helps soften the kernels, release their nutrients, and make them easier to digest.

Is Hominy Gluten-Free?

Yes. Hominy is a product of corn and is naturally gluten-free. 

What To Eat With Pozole Rojo | Toppings To Add

Serve your pozole in a large bowl with a side of tortilla chips (optional) and pile it on the toppings! Traditional toppings are:

• Lime Wedges
• Shredded Cabbage
• Chopped Cilantro
• Chopped Green Onion
• Avocado
• Sliced Radishes

I hope you enjoy this Chicken Pozole Rojo Recipe! 

If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.

More Hearty Soups And Stews!

• Pork Pozole Verde
• Vegan Green Goddess Soup
• Best Chicken Soup Recipe
• Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup {GF + DF}
• Creamy Wild Rice Mushroom Soup | Vegan + GF
• Potato Parsnip and Leek Soup