Ingredients
Scale
TO RECONSTITUTE THE CHILIES:
- 3 Large Dried Ancho chilies, stems removed and deseeded
- 2–3 Dried Guajillo chilies, stems removed and deseeded
- 2 Garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
FOR THE SOUP:
- 2 Tbsp. Olive oil, divided
- ½ Yellow onion, diced
- 3 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mexican Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (left whole)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 4 Cups Chicken Stock (low sodium)
- 1 (25-oz. can) Hominy, with liquid
GARNISH:
- Sliced Radishes
- Fresh Cilantro
- Squeeze of fresh lime, along with wedges
- Cojita cheese
- Tortilla strips
Instructions
- Place dried chilies and smashed garlic in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the chilies soften, around 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, around 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Add the spices to the mix (cumin, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, and cinnamon). Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 minutes, or just until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the chicken and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the chicken is browned on all sides, around 2-3 minutes per side. Add the bay leaves, chicken stock, and hominy. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rapid simmer.
- Once simmering, transfer the ancho and guajillo chilies mixture to a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth. Add this to the simmering pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover with a lid and cook for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours to give the flavors more time to develop, stirring occasionally.
- Once the soup is flavorful and the chicken is tender, remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using 2 forks. Place the chicken back into the pot and continue until all the chicken has been shred.
- Remove the bay leaves and discard.
- Ladle the soup into a bowl and garnish with radishes, cilantro, Cojito cheese and/or a squeeze of fresh lime.