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Pozole Verde Guerrerense (Guerrero Green Pozole)

Name: Pozole Verde Guerrerense (Guerrero Green Pozole)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g Pozole Corn; 800 g Chicken Breast; 150 g Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas); 4 leaves Hoja santa; 4 Serrano Chilli; 300 g Tomatillo (Green tomato); 3 sprigs Epazote; 1 bunch Coriander; 1 White Onion; 4 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Mexican Oregano; 1 tbsp Salt; 3 Lime

120 min (30 prep + 90 cook) Medium 8 servings Guerrero

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Guerrero green pozole with hominy, chicken, pumpkin seeds and green chillies.

About this recipe

Pozole verde guerrerense is a hearty hominy broth with chicken, ground pumpkin seeds, serrano chillies, hoja santa and epazote, creating the vivid green colour this Guerrero classic is famous for.

History & Origin

Guerrero green pozole is considered by many culinary historians to be the oldest pozole in Mexico, with direct roots in Aztec and Nahua pre-Hispanic rituals. Unlike the red pozole that became popular in Jalisco or the white pozole of the north, Guerrero green pozole retains the vegetable base that characterised pre-Hispanic cooking: toasted ground pumpkin seeds, a sacred ingredient for Mesoamerican cultures prized for their high nutritional value and ritual symbolism. The green base is achieved by combining ground pumpkin seeds with serrano chillies, hoja santa, tomatillos, epazote and coriander, creating a thick, aromatic sauce incorporated into the chicken broth alongside bloomed cacahuazintle maize. In Taxco, Chilpancingo and Acapulco, green pozole is the centrepiece of the Independence Day celebrations on 15 September, when thousands of portions are served in the early hours of the morning. Traditional Guerrero toppings include tostadas, dried oregano, onion, lime and, in some variants, chicharrón and avocado. The diversity of preparations within the same state reflects the culinary richness of Guerrero, a state that contributed enormously to defining Mexico's gastronomic identity.

Estimated cost

£9.50

Total cost

£1.19

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

360

Calories

32g

Protein

28g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fibre

620mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Soak the hominy maize in cold water the night before. The next day drain and cook in fresh water for 60 minutes until the kernels bloom open like flowers.
💡 Well-cooked hominy is the base: kernels must open completely like a flower.
2
Cook the chicken in water with half the onion, 2 garlic cloves and salt for 30 minutes. Remove, shred and reserve the broth.
3
Toast the pumpkin seeds on a dry comal until lightly golden. Blend with serrano chillies, tomatillos, hoja santa, epazote, coriander and remaining onion.
4
Strain the green sauce and fry it in hot oil for 5 minutes until it changes colour and thickens slightly.
5
Add the chicken broth to the green sauce. Stir in the bloomed hominy. Bring to the boil.
6
Add the shredded chicken to the green broth. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Adjust salt and consistency with more broth.
7
Serve in deep bowls piping hot. Present the toppings on separate plates: oregano, chopped onion, lime, tostadas and chicharrón.
💡 Guerrero pozole is served with all toppings in the centre of the table so each person helps themselves.