Mexican Chicken and Shrimp Pozole

Name: Mexican Chicken and Shrimp Pozole
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 whole 5 lb chicken; 1 smoked ham hock; 1 white onion, peeled and halved; 1 bulb of garlic; 2 celery stalks; 3 bay leaves; 3 chile de arbol; 1 tablespoon peppercorns; 1 tablespoon salt, plus additional salt to taste; 12 California or guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 tablespoons oregano, plus more for garnish; 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; 4 cups white hominy; 1 1/2 lbs medium uncooked shrimp, cleaned and peeled (leaving tails on is optional); 6 cups cabbage, finely shredded; 2 cups radishes, sliced or diced; 4 Serrano chiles, minced; 2 lemons, sliced into wedges

Save Recipe

Prep 1 hr 15 min
Total 3 hr 0 min
Ingredients 18
Servings 12

Save
Print
Pinterest
Facebook
Email

Ready to make?

Save
Share
Keep Screen On

During the holidays, my family typically gathers to enjoy brunch on Sunday mornings. On the menu is a big pot of Mexican pozole that has spent hours simmering over a low flame. It's warm and inviting, and reminds me of those big family gatherings that lasted all day. For this pozole recipe I added extra vegetables to flavor the broth and also added fresh shrimp, which makes it even tastier.

Ingredients

1 whole 5 lb chicken
1 smoked ham hock
1 white onion, peeled and halved
1 bulb of garlic
2 celery stalks
3 bay leaves
3 chile de arbol
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt, plus additional salt to taste
12 California or guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 tablespoons oregano, plus more for garnish
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 cups white hominy
1 1/2 lbs medium uncooked shrimp, cleaned and peeled (leaving tails on is optional)
6 cups cabbage, finely shredded
2 cups radishes, sliced or diced
4 Serrano chiles, minced
2 lemons, sliced into wedges

Directions

1

In a stockpot with 6 quarts of water, add the chicken, ham hock, onion, garlic bulb (remove 4 cloves for the chile sauce), celery, bay leaves, chile de arbol, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken is tender.
2

Add the California or guajillo chile to a saucepan and cover with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the stove.
3

Take the chicken out of the pot and place onto a baking sheet to cool. Strain the broth, discard the vegetables and ham hock, add 3/4 of the broth back into a Dutch oven pot, and heat to medium.
4

Drain the peppers and transfer to a blender. Add 1 1/2 cups of the remaining broth, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of oregano and the cumin seeds. Blend on high until smooth. Strain through a wire mesh strainer and add to the simmering broth.
5

Remove the bones and skins from chicken, shred the meat and add it to the soup, along with the hominy and 1 tablespoon of oregano. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, taste for salt and continue cooking for 40 minutes.
6

During the last 5 minutes, add the shrimp and cook for just another 5 minutes before removing from the stove. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cabbage, radishes, Serrano chiles, oregano and lemon. Serve with toasted Mexican bolillo bread or tostadas.

Expert Tips

tip 1
For an even more flavorful pozole, prepare it 2 days before you serve it. The flavors intensify.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

During the holidays, my family typically gathers to enjoy brunch on Sunday mornings. On the menu is a big pot of Mexican pozole that has spent hours simmering over a low flame. It's warm and inviting, and reminds me of those big family gatherings that lasted all day. For this pozole recipe I added extra vegetables to flavor the broth and also added fresh shrimp, which makes it even tastier.