Martha Stewart Easy Chicken Posole Recipe

Nobody believes me when I say this chicken soup takes 10 minutes. Martha Stewart’s Easy Chicken Posole brings chicken stock to a simmer, stirs in guajillo chile salsa, canned hominy, sherry vinegar, and shredded cooked chicken, and the whole pot is done in the time it takes to set the table. Six cups of rich, spicy, Mexican-style chicken soup from start to bowl.

I have made a lot of Martha Stewart chicken soup recipes and this chicken posole is the fastest one by far. It is one of Martha Stewart’s easiest chicken recipes because it uses rotisserie chicken and store-bought broth, so there is zero cooking from scratch. The guajillo salsa and sherry vinegar do all the heavy lifting on flavor. A Martha Stewart chicken dish that proves you do not need hours to make a soup that tastes like it simmered all day.

Try More Soup Recipes:

• Chicken Soup
• White Chicken Chili
• Chicken Enchiladas

Why You Will Love This Easy Chicken Posole:

• Ten minutes, not a typo: You simmer the broth, stir everything in, heat it through for one minute, and serve. I have made this after getting home late and still had bowls on the table before anyone complained about being hungry.
• The guajillo salsa is the shortcut: Instead of toasting and blending dried chiles yourself, Martha uses 1/4 cup of jarred guajillo chile salsa. It gives the posole that deep, smoky warmth without any extra work. One jar and you are done.
• Hominy makes it posole: Without the hominy, this is just chicken soup with salsa. The fat, chewy hominy kernels are what make posole posole. I love the texture they add to every spoonful.

Finding The Right Salsa

Martha calls for Frontera guajillo chile salsa, but people who have made this recipe recently say Frontera no longer makes that specific product. I use whatever guajillo-based salsa I can find at the store, or any smoky red chile salsa works in a pinch. The key is finding one with real dried chile flavor, not just tomato and heat. If your grocery store has a Mexican foods aisle, start there.

Easy Chicken Posole Ingredients

• 1 quart chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup guajillo chile salsa, such as Frontera
• 1 (15-ounce) can hominy, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Cilantro sprigs, for serving

How To Make Martha Stewart Easy Chicken Posole

1. Heat the broth: In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Add everything: Stir in the guajillo chile salsa, hominy, sherry vinegar, and shredded chicken. Cook until the chicken and hominy are heated through, about 1 minute.
3. Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with cilantro sprigs.

Recipe Tips

• Use rotisserie chicken: Martha says to use shredded cooked chicken, and I always use a store-bought rotisserie bird. One cup of shredded meat is about one breast’s worth. I shred it with two forks and it takes less than a minute.
• Rinse the hominy: The canning liquid is starchy and can make the broth cloudy. I rinse and drain the hominy before adding it. Takes ten seconds and the broth stays clean.
• Do not skip the sherry vinegar: It sounds like a small amount, but 1 1/2 teaspoons of sherry vinegar adds a brightness that keeps the soup from tasting flat. I would not sub regular white vinegar because the flavor is not the same.
• Build your own toppings bar: Martha keeps it simple with cilantro, but I put out sliced radishes, diced avocado, a squeeze of lime, and crushed tortilla chips. The toppings turn a 10-minute soup into something that feels like a real event.

What Goes Well With This Chicken Posole

I serve this with a big wedge of cornbread and a bowl of guacamole with chips. The cornbread soaks up the broth and the guac keeps the Mexican theme going.

If I want to stretch the meal for more people, I ladle the posole over steamed rice in the bowl. It turns a light soup into something much more filling and the rice soaks up all that guajillo flavor.

How To Store Leftovers

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The hominy absorbs broth as it sits, so the leftovers will be thicker. Add a splash of broth or water when reheating. Freezes well for 3 months.

I reheat this in a saucepan over medium heat and add fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime right before serving. The sherry vinegar brightness fades a bit overnight, so I sometimes add a tiny splash when I reheat. Brings it right back.

FAQs

• What is posole? Posole (also spelled pozole) is a traditional Mexican soup made with hominy and meat, usually pork. Martha’s version uses chicken and takes a shortcut with jarred guajillo chile salsa instead of making the chile base from scratch. I love that she kept the hominy because that is what makes it posole and not just another chicken soup.
• What if I cannot find guajillo chile salsa? The Frontera brand Martha recommends has been discontinued. I use any guajillo-based salsa or smoky red chile salsa I can find. In a pinch, a couple tablespoons of red enchilada sauce thinned with a little chipotle in adobo works. The flavor will not be identical but it will be close.
• Can I make this from scratch instead of using rotisserie chicken? You can poach chicken breasts in the broth first, shred them, then continue with the recipe. It adds about 15 minutes. I do this when I do not have a rotisserie bird handy, but honestly the rotisserie version is just as good and much faster.
• What toppings should I use? Martha serves it with cilantro sprigs. I also put out sliced radishes, diced avocado, lime wedges, sliced jalapenos, and crushed tortilla chips. Traditional posole toppings also include shredded cabbage and Mexican crema if you can find it.

More Soup Recipes:

• Turkey Chili
• Tomato Soup
• Chicken Taco Salad

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 4)

• Calories: 210
• Total Fat: 5g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 680mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 18g
• Protein: 20g