Green Posole Soup

One of my favorite go-to meals on a cold night is Green Posole Soup, a recipe by Sarah Moulton that I tweak to suit my mood. It's mind numbingly easy, and it requires little in the way of preparation and even less in the way of shopping. Hopefully, you generally have the basics in your pantry.

Green Posole Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
Large pinch red pepper flakes (if you like heat)
1 medium white or yellow onion
1c green (tomatillo) salsa
6c chicken broth + 2c reserved in case you prefer a more liquid soup
1 cooked rotisserie chicken, meat removed and shredded, bones discarded or saved to use for stock
1 28oz can hominy (found in the 'Mexican' section of almost any supermarket), drained and rinsed

Garnishes:

Diced radishes
Minced cilantro
Sliced avocado
Sliced green onion
Halved cherry tomatoes
Shredded cheese
Whatever your imagination comes up with, as long as it's in season and not shipped to your local store from Tierra del Fuego

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large (5q) soup pot/dutch oven. When hot, add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatillo salsa and pepper flakes and cook, stirring for another 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Add shredded chicken and hominy and simmer another 10-15 minutes to heat through and to allow the flavors to meld. Add more stock if the soup is too thick for your liking. Serve up in big bowls and garnish to your heart's desire. (Though I must add it's still delicious without any garnishes at all). Serve with a warm tortilla. Slurp away!

Serves 4

Note: I usually roast or grill a whole chicken the night before for dinner. The Mr. and I each have a portion for dinner and then after it cools, I remove and shred the remaining meat to use in the soup. In other words, use what you have. If you have leftover cooked chicken breasts or thighs or whatever, use them in here. You don't have to have a whole chicken, but adjust or bulk out the soup accordingly.