Chicken and hominy stew recipe

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When it’s cold outside, I crave warm stews like this chicken and hominy recipe. This stew is a traditional Mexican dish known as Pozole. The red chiles give it the heat and color. Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list! You can find all the ingredients in your grocery stores’ ethnic aisle.

This spicy stew is perfect with a little lime when you are all stuffed with a cold. Don’t worry! You can control the heat and still enjoy a bowl if you don’t like spicy food. It’s usually made with pork, but I make it with chicken because I’m allergic to pork.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb chicken or 4 lb country-style pork ribs (not lean)
10 cups water
1 1/2 heads of garlic, peeled
1 white onion, quartered, plus 1/2 cup, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I grow this in my garden!)
Salt and pepper
2 oz dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles (6 to 9), stems removed
1 1/2 oz dried ancho chiles (2 to 4), stems removed
3 (15-oz) cans hominy, rinsed and drained
Thinly sliced iceberg or romaine lettuce
Sliced radishes
Lime wedges
Dried oregano

Directions

Bring chicken or pork and water to a boil in a large pot, skimming froth, and then reduce heat to a simmer.
Add garlic cloves, quartered onion, oregano, pepper and 2 teaspoons salt and continue to simmer, uncovered, till meat is cooked through.
Meanwhile, grab a small pot, add water and the chiles, and bring to a boil. To control the spiciness, remove the seeds before boiling till the chiles become pliable.
Transfer cooked onion, garlic, and chiles to a blender with 1 1/2 cups broth. Puree until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). You can also use an immersion blender on the onions and garlic. Make sure to remove the chicken (or pork) before blending.
Strain the puree through a sieve to get rid of any seeds and return to pot. At this point you can shred the chicken or pork if you like, but it’s not necessary.
Add the hominy and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe serves 8 to 10 hungry people. To serve, ladle the stew in a bowl add lettuce, lime juice, sliced radishes, chopped onion and more oregano if you like.

What’s your go to recipe for the chilly months?