Cookbook Club Recipe #12 | Variation #2

This soup delivers both substance and texture while remaining a simple option for lunch.

These soup jars take a little bit more work up front (meal prepping is your friend), but once they’re put together, lunch or a hearty snack is just a kettle of boiling water away. You can find a full breakdown to help you come up with your own flavor combinations in my guide to DIY Instant Soup Jars.

This one takes its cues from pozole, with chewy hominy, shredded chicken, and a broth seasoned with ancho chile and garlic. Canned hominy is already cooked, so it fits neatly into the jar-soup method. Put it down near the bottom with the chicken, then pile the finely shredded cabbage on top.

The flavor pack is especially useful here. Radishes, cilantro, scallions, and Serrano chiles bring crunch and fresh flavor, and a squeeze of lime sharpens the broth. Keep all of that separate until you’re ready to eat.

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Recipe: Chicken and Hominy Soup Jars

Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.

What I love about this recipe:

Canned hominy gives the soup substance and a pleasantly chewy texture.

Rotisserie chicken keeps the preparation simple.

Ancho chile powder adds a fruity chile flavor to the broth.

Finely shredded cabbage softens slightly while keeping some crunch.

Fresh toppings and lime juice give the finished soup brightness and texture.

Yields: 4 small servings or 2 large onesActive Time: 15 minutesTotal Time: About 20 minutes, using cooked and chilled chickenSpecial Equipment: Four wide-mouth, pint-size heatproof jars with lids, or two quart-sized jars; small zipper-lock bags or resealable sauce containers.

Notes: Use jars intended for boiling liquids, following the manufacturer’s instructions regarding temperature changes. Use pure ground ancho chile rather than a chili seasoning blend containing salt and other spices. Slice the cabbage very finely so it softens during the brief steep. If using leftover chicken, count its time in the refrigerator before shredding towards the soup’s storage time.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons concentrated chicken soup base, such as Better Than Bouillon, or to taste

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1 medium garlic clove, finely grated or minced

1 ⅓ cups (200 g) shredded cooked chicken, chilled

2 cups (340 g) drained and rinsed canned hominy

2 cups (140 g) finely shredded green cabbage

2 small radishes, very thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 Serrano chile, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Boiling water, for serving

Method

Add your ingredients to the jar. Combine chicken soup base, ancho chile powder, and garlic. Divide mixture, chicken, hominy, and cabbage evenly between 4 resealable heatproof jars or 2 larger jars, adding them in that order. Divide radishes, cilantro, scallions, Serrano, and lime wedges between 4 small zipper-lock bags (or 2 bags if using larger jars) and seal bags, squeezing out all of the air (or use small resealable sauce containers). Tuck bags into jars and seal. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Serve and enjoy. When ready to serve, remove topping packet and add boiling water to the top of the jar. Cover and let sit 2 minutes. Open jar and stir thoroughly, reaching all the way to the bottom to dissolve the soup base and disperse the chile powder. Stir in radishes, cilantro, scallions, and Serrano, squeeze in lime juice, and serve.

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