With the weather getting so chilly, everyone craves food that is comforting, filling, and just tastes great. Pozole is a classic Mexican dish that is the king of comfort food. Most pozoles are made with pork, but this is the healthier version made with chicken, a high protein version, which you can make even more healthy when topping it with cabbage,sliced radishes, onions, and avocado.
Chicken Pozole (courtesy of EAT THIS,NOT THAT)
1 pound chicken breast
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup canned hominy, drained and rinsed
Transfer the chicken breasts onto a large cutting board and carefully slice them in half so you have thinly sliced pieces. Sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast in a single layer and sear for 1 minute on both sides until golden brown. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for 12 minutes more, flipping the chicken halfway to full cook. Once cooked, set the chicken aside.
Add the chicken broth to a medium Dutch oven and bring it to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, add the bay leaf, thyme, oregano, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, chili powder, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into small pieces. Add the chicken and drained hominy to the Dutch oven. Raise the heat to medium to warm everything through. Taste and add more salt or other seasonings if needed. Discard the bay leaf. Serve the soup in individual bowls with any of the desired toppings.
Nutrition: 238 calories, 4.7 g fat, 875 mg sodium, 8.2 g carbs, 1.5 g fiber, 0.8 g sugar, 39.3 g protein
Enjoy, just make sure to go easy on the chips,salsa, and Mexican sour cream!