Chicken Pozole Verde

This version of pozole is bright, tangy and verdant with the flavor of tomatillo and green chiles.

7 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 cups water

4 bone-in chicken breast halves, with skin

1 pound tomatillos, husked, cleaned and halved

1 small onion, quartered

2 poblano chiles, seeded and quartered

2 jalapeños, seeded and quartered

4 large garlic cloves, smashed

1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon oregano leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 (15-ounce) cans of hominy, drained and rinsed

1 cup iceberg lettuce or cabbage, shredded

2 radishes, sliced

1⁄2 cup onion, chopped

1 avocado, diced

1⁄2 cup sour cream

8 lime wedges

Instructions: In a large, heavybottomed pot, bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, skin-side down, cover and simmer over very low heat until they’re tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate and shred the meat; discard the bones and skin. Skim any fat from the cooking liquid and set aside. In a blender, combine the halved tomatillos with the quartered onion, poblanos and jalapeños, smashed garlic, chopped cilantro and oregano. Pulse until coarsely chopped, scraping down the side. With the machine on, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Season the tomatillo puree with salt and pepper. In a large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the tomatillo puree and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce turns a deep green, about 12 minutes. Pour the green sauce into the cooking liquid in the large pot. Add the hominy and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the shredded chicken to the stew, season with salt and pepper and cook just until heated through. Serve the pozole in deep bowls, garnished, as desired, with the lettuce or cabbage, radishes, onion, avocado, sour cream and lime.