Instant Pot Pozole (Chicken)

A hearty, comforting, and flavor-packed version of pozole rojo using chicken thighs and a variety of dried chiles—all pressure-cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot. Great for meal prep or feeding a crowd!

🛒Ingredients:

• 2–3 lbs chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless)

• 2 (15.5 oz) cans of hominy, rinsed

• 2 onions (1 diced, 1 for topping)

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 8 cups chicken stock or bone broth

• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

• 2 (4 oz) cans green Hatch chiles

• 2 dried New Mexico chiles

• 2 dried California chiles

• 2 dried guajillo chiles

• 2 dried pasilla chiles

• 2–4 dried arbol chiles (optional, for spice)

• 1 tbsp oregano

• 2 tbsp Knorr chicken bouillon

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 2–4 limes (for juicing and garnish)

• Salt to taste
  
  Optional toppings:

• Diced onion

• Chopped cilantro

• Avocado slices

• Sour cream or crema

• Tostadas on the side

🔥Instructions:

1. Sear the chicken:

   Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Sear chicken thighs on both sides until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté onions:

   Add 1 diced onion to the pot and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

3. Build the base:

   Add the bone broth, tomato paste, green Hatch chiles, and minced garlic. Stir to combine.

4. Add hominy and spices:

   Rinse and drain the hominy, then add to the pot. Stir in oregano, cumin, and Knorr bouillon.

5. Prepare the chiles:

   Cut open all dried chiles and remove the seeds. Add them directly to the pot—no need to rehydrate separately.

6. Pressure cook:

   Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 40 minutes, with the Keep Warm setting on. Allow the pressure to naturally release.

7. Finish the soup:

   Once pressure is released, open the lid. Use tongs to remove and discard the dried chiles. Remove the chicken, shred it in a separate bowl, and return the meat to the pot.

8. Adjust flavors:

   Juice 2–4 limes into the soup. Use more lime for brightness and acidity. Adjust salt and bouillon to taste.

9. Serve & enjoy:

   Ladle into bowls and top with diced onion, cilantro, avocado, and a dollop of sour cream or crema. Serve with crunchy tostadas on the side.

Tag me @RomeMealPrep when you make this! I love seeing how y’all put your spin on it. 🙌

🔎 MACROS:

Estimated Macros for Entire Recipe (Full Batch):

• Calories: ~2,840

• Protein: ~263g

• Fat: ~129g

• Carbs: ~213g

Estimated Yield:

• About 8 servings

Per Serving (With Toppings):

• Calories: ~355 kcal

• Protein: ~33 g

• Fat: ~16 g

• Carbohydrates: ~27 g

Notes

• You can reduce fat/calories by using less sour cream or avocado, or skipping the tostadas.

• You can bump up protein even more by using more chicken.