Red Chicken Pozole

Name: Red Chicken Pozole
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded (see the crispy roast chicken recipe); 4 cups chicken stock; 15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed; 1 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce; 2 (15 oz) can white hominy, drained and rinsed; 1 medium white onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 bay leaves; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 3 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish; 1 large avocado, sliced, for garnish; 2 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish; cilantro, minced, for garnish; cotija cheese, crumbled, for garnish

October 27, 2025

This red chicken pozole uses dried guajillo and ancho chiles with chipotle peppers to create a rich, smoky Mexican soup with leftover crispy roast chicken. The dried chiles give pozole rojo its signature red color and complex flavor. Along with thed dried chiles, I’m using canned hominy and fire roasted tomatoes to make this recipe quickly out of mostly pantry ingredients.

For a green pozole variation, substitute fresh tomatillos for the fire roasted tomatoes and use fresh poblano and jalapeño peppers instead of the dried guajillo and ancho chiles. This creates pozole verde with bright, tangy flavors instead of the smoky depth of the red version.

The key to this recipe is the chile salsa base - dried chiles are rehydrated and blended with sautéed aromatics, then strained for a silky-smooth foundation. The Instant Pot’s slow cooker function develops the chile broth without overcooking the pre-cooked chicken.

4 servings

30 mins

45 mins

75 mins

Ingredients

1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded (see the crispy roast chicken recipe)
4 cups chicken stock
15 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
2 (15 oz) can white hominy, drained and rinsed
1 medium white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish
1 large avocado, sliced, for garnish
2 lime, cut into wedges, for garnish
cilantro, minced, for garnish
cotija cheese, crumbled, for garnish

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Instructions

Soak dried chilesRemove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles. Place them in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 20 minutes until softened.
Shred the pre-cooked chickenWhile the chiles are soaking, shred the pre-cooked chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
Sauté aromaticsSet the Instant Pot to "Sauté" mode and heat the vegetable oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.
Blend chile sauce with aromaticsDrain the soaked chiles and transfer to a blender. Add the sautéed onion and garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, 1 cup of chicken stock, the chopped chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin. Blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any large pieces.
Cook the chile baseReturn the Instant Pot to "Sauté" mode. Add the strained chile mixture to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture darkens and thickens significantly.
Add stock and hominyAdd the remaining 3 cups of chicken stock, drained hominy, and bay leaf. Stir to combine and switch the Instant Pot to "Slow Cook" mode on medium heat.
Slow cook the pozoleCover and slow cook on high heat for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Add the shredded chicken in the last 10 minutes to heat through.
Season and serveAdd the juice of half of a lime. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Garnish and enjoyServe hot in bowls with garnishes on the side. Each diner can add sliced radishes, avocado, lime wedges, cotija cheese, and red pepper flakes to taste.