Pozole Rojo de Pollo Chicken and Hominy Soup

Bring a medium pot with 400 ml water and a pinch of salt to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and keep covered.

While the rice cooks, remove stems and seeds from the guajillo chiles. Place them in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes until softened.

Drain the soaked chiles and transfer to a blender. Add 2 garlic cloves, half the onion (roughly chopped), 100 ml chicken broth, cumin, and oregano. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.

Pour the chile sauce into the pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly thickened.

Add the remaining chicken broth (650 ml), the drained hominy, and the seared chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily (internal temperature 75°C).

Remove the chicken from the pot, shred the meat with two forks, and return the shredded chicken to the pot. Stir in salt to taste.

Serve the pozole in bowls over rice. Top with thinly sliced radishes, shredded cabbage, diced avocado, and a squeeze of lime. Offer extra lime wedges on the side.