Spicy Chicken Posole with Lime & Avocado

Posole is one of those soups we crave when it gets to be soup season. Its warm, spicy and wonderful and made with hominy. Hominy is one of those weird vegetables you just never really see or use. Hulled and dried corn that is then reconstituted.

We typically make a version of posole that we found several years ago from Cooking Light that we make with pureed roasted tomatillos. It's superb because it the perfect comfort food soup and it's so easy to make on a work night.

We recently found this spicy red version in Sunset Magazine made with poblanos and new Mexico chile powder.

It was easy too, made with chicken thighs instead of the breasts that we usually use.

We'll be making this version of posole again I'm sure. It was delish. And we especially loved the chicken thighs. Thighs are just so much more flavorful and they gave a new depth of flavor that we both really enjoyed.

RECIPE:

Recipe from Sunset Magazine (linked)

3 large poblano chiles (1 lb. total

6 garlic cloves

1 large onion 

2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) white hominy

1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano*, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 

3 tablespoons ground red New Mexico chiles*

Garnishes: sliced avocado, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler. When hot, broil poblanos on a baking sheet until blackened, turning as needed, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, whirl garlic to mince. Cut onion in chunks and pulse with garlic until chopped; set aside. Drain hominy; set aside.
3. Cut chicken into 1- to 1 1/2-in. chunks and sprinkle with salt and 1 tsp. oregano. Heat oil in a 5- to 6-qt. pan over high heat. Brown half the chicken lightly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onion mixture and remaining 1 tsp. oregano to pan and sauté until onion is softened, 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave broth until steaming, about 3 minutes. Add ground chiles to pan and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
5. Add broth, hominy, and chicken to pan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes.
6. Remove stems, skins, and seeds from poblanos and discard; chop poblanos.
7. Stir poblanos into posole and cook 1 minute. Ladle into bowls; top with garnishes.