Hominy Pozole Verde

Broil the verde vegetables. Move an oven rack to the upper third and heat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil if you want easy cleanup (tomatillos get juicy). Add tomatillos, jalapeños, half the chopped onion, and 2 garlic cloves. Broil 6 to 10 minutes, turning once, until the tomatillos are blistered and soft and the peppers have some char. Let cool 5 minutes.

Blend the sauce. Add broiled tomatillos, jalapeños, onion, and garlic to a blender. Add cilantro, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 cup broth to help everything blend smooth. Blend until smooth. Optional: strain for a silkier broth, but I usually skip it because I like a little texture.

Sear the chicken for flavor. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt (start modestly, you can always add later) and optional pepper. Sear 2 to 3 minutes per side until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate. It will finish cooking in the soup.

Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Simmer. Pour in the blended verde sauce and stir for 1 minute to warm it through. Add remaining broth, then return chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F.

Shred the chicken. Remove chicken to a cutting board, shred with two forks, then return it to the pot.

Add hominy and finish. Stir in drained and rinsed hominy. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes so the flavors mingle. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust with salt, and add optional pepper if you want. If you want it looser, splash in a little more broth.

Serve like you mean it. Ladle into bowls and go big on toppings: cabbage, radish, onion, avocado, cilantro, and lots of lime. Crunchy chips on top are highly encouraged. A pinch of dried oregano at the table is also very classic.