Chicken Pozole Verde

• 1/2 lb poblano chiles, halved and seeded
• 1 lb tomatillos (about 9 medium), dehusked
• 1 medium onion, peeled and halved
• 1 jalapeno, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 4 cloves peeled garlic
• 1 cup loosely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tsp Mexican oregano (or substitute regular oregano)
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
• 1 15-ounce can white hominy, drained and rinsed
• Shredded green cabbage, sliced radishes and fried tortilla strips (or crumbled tortilla chips) for garnish
• slices of lime – for squeezing over the pozole (and I often stir 1-2 T of lime juice into the pozole)

Turn the oven to 450 degrees. Place the poblanos, tomatillos, onion, jalapeno and garlic on a sheet pan. Roast for about 20-25 minutes or until slightly charred and softened.

Remove and place everything except the jalapeno in a food processor and pulse until almost smooth, leaving a little texture. Add the jalapeno a bit at a time and taste until it suits your spiciness level.  Add the cilantro and and pulse until the cilantro is finely chopped.

Pour this mixture into a large pot and add the chicken stock. Season generously with sugar, oregano, and kosher salt to taste. Add the chicken and hominy and cook for 15 minutes to marry the flavors. Garnish with the cabbages, radishes, and tortilla strips and serve with a wedge of lime for squeezing over it.