How to Make Chicken Hominy Soup
Hominy soup is a traditional dish made with hominy, which is dried corn kernels that have been treated with an alkali in a process called nixtamalization. This process removes the hulls and makes the corn more digestible and nutritious. The soup is known for its hearty and comforting qualities and is often enjoyed in various cultures, especially in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine.
Key Ingredients and Variations
- Hominy: The star ingredient, hominy can be white or yellow. It provides a unique texture and slightly nutty flavor to the soup.
- Broth: Typically chicken, beef, or vegetable broth is used as the base.
- Meat: Commonly includes chicken or pork, but can be made vegetarian or with other meats.
- Vegetables: Onions, garlic, tomatoes, and various chili peppers are commonly added for flavor.
- Seasonings: Cumin, oregano, cilantro, and lime are frequently used to season the soup.
- Garnishes: Often garnished with fresh ingredients like radishes, avocado, shredded cabbage, lime wedges, and fresh herbs.
Cooking Method
The basic method involves simmering the hominy in broth with meats and vegetables until everything is tender and the flavors are well blended. Seasonings are adjusted, and the soup is typically served hot with a variety of garnishes on the side for added flavor and texture.
Cultural Significance
Hominy soup, particularly pozole, is often associated with celebrations and special occasions in Mexican culture, such as holidays and family gatherings. It is a dish that carries a rich tradition and history, often enjoyed communally.
Adding Chicken to Your Hominy Soup Recipe
Adding chicken to your hominy soup can enhance its flavor and make it more substantial. Here are some tips to help you incorporate chicken effectively:
Choosing the Chicken
You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, or even a whole chicken. Thighs tend to be more flavorful and less likely to dry out.
Both pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and raw chicken can be used, depending on your preference and time constraints.
Preparing the Chicken
For Raw Chicken: Sear the chicken pieces in a bit of oil before adding them to the soup. This helps develop a richer flavor.
Cooking in the Broth: Add raw chicken pieces directly to the broth. Simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, usually about 20-30 minutes.
Shredding: Once cooked, remove the chicken, shred it using two forks, and return it to the soup.
For Pre-cooked Chicken:
Shredding: Shred the pre-cooked chicken before adding it to the soup.
Adding Late: Add the shredded chicken towards the end of the cooking process, allowing it to heat through without overcooking.
Chicken and Hominy Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 bunches green onions sliced
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2½ teaspoons paprika
- 10 cups chicken stock
- 14½ ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 roasted chicken meat removed and shredded
- hot pepper sauce to taste
- 45 ounces hominy in juice white or golden
- 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat your soup pot over medium-high heat, add oil and when hot, add the green onions, cumin and paprika. Sauté for about 5 minutes and then add the chicken stock, tomatoes WITH juice, chicken meat and a teaspoon or two of hot pepper sauce. You can add more of the hot pepper sauce toward the end if you want it spicier but it's easier to add less now than suffer from adding too much.
- Using a food processor or blender, puree the hominy with juice until smooth. Add the hominy to the soup and bring it all to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the cilantro, taste and adjust with salt and hot pepper sauce. One thing you might not realize is it is very difficult to adjust seasonings when the soup is as hot as it is at this point. Over a certain temperature, you taste buds are not that effective.I recommend you either wait until the soup cools down a little before adjusting the seasonings or have salt and pepper or hot pepper sauce on the table and let the individual eating the soup make the adjustment. Just be sure to tell them it may need salt.
9 Responses
I can’t wait to try this!
I live in the U.K and had never heard of hominy so I did a bit of research on the internet and found it on a website and it said it was dried maize (corn). Would normal tinned sweet corn be o.k to use because it’s been quite cold recently and this sounds like it would warm me up on these cold dark evenings.
You can use canned sweet corn and I’m sure the recipe would be good but it would not have the flavor or consistancy when using hominy. The hominy gives this soup a very different flavor and worth trying to find some.
I justed wanted to say that the tortilla soup was very delicious. It was so easy to make. I give the tortilla soup a 10+. My family really enjoyed it. thank you.
Thank you Phyllis. It is one of my favorite recipes when the temperatures start going down. Glad you enjoyed it.
It certainly is nice to obtain new suggestions for dishes combined with straightforward approaches to create them. My partner and I put together this dish for our supper a few days ago. All the family loved it, I’ll be cooking it regularly from now on.
Thanks Rose for sharing your results. – RG
Nice chicken recipe.
Thanks – RG
I want to make this tonight but I don’t understand.
PUREE the hominy?
Why not whole?
And since I’m tripling your recipe, I may not wait for a reply and puree half my frozen nixtamal and leave the other half in the soup.
I like all your other touches here.
Hi Brent, so how did your soup turn out? Why puree the hominy you ask? I guess because that’s the consistency and texture they were looking for. If that’s not how you like it, don’t puree it and if you like the results. If not, you can always puree afterwords. Think of recipes as guides but they are not absolutes unless you are baking and then it is much more critical to follow the amounts exactly. – RG
My favorite soup of all time! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I try to make at least once a month. It’s even better the next day and even better the next!