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When I first moved to the Southwest, I was introduced to posole—a traditional Mexican soup made with hominy and meat. I had never even tasted hominy before, but one spoonful of this hearty soup and I was hooked.
Now, this slow cooker chicken posole soup is a regular in my kitchen. It is warm, flavorful, and easy to customize with your favorite fresh garnishes. Best of all, it’s WW-friendly and simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Onion — yellow or white, finely chopped.
- Green salsa — store-bought or homemade; adds tang and gentle heat.
- Chicken broth — reduced-sodium for better flavor balance.
- Cooked chicken breast — shredded; rotisserie chicken is perfect here.
- White hominy — canned, rinsed and drained; chewy and traditional.
Optional Garnishes: shredded cabbage, shredded jicama, slivered radishes, chopped onion, chopped avocado, diced tomato, cilantro, lime wedges.
What is Hominy?
Hominy is made from dried whole corn kernels that have been soaked in a lye, or lime, solution to soften the tough outer hulls. They get big and puffy and are a bit chewy. You can find canned hominy in the grocery aisle.
WW Points and Nutrition
According to my calculations, each generous 1-3/4 cup serving has:
- Calories: 174
- WW Points: 0
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) - Old Points: 4 PointsPlus
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine Ingredients
In a 4–5 quart slow cooker, stir together the onion, salsa, chicken broth, shredded chicken, and hominy.
Step 2: Cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–6 hours, until hot and flavors have blended.
Step 3: Garnish and Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes — avocado, cabbage, cilantro, and lime wedges are especially good.
Recipe Notes and Serving Suggestions
This soup is light yet filling, especially when loaded with fresh toppings. I like to serve it with warm corn tortillas or a side salad for a complete meal. You can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them in single portions for easy future meals.
If you’ve made this 5-Ingredient Crock Pot Chicken Posole, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Posole Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped (about 1 medium)
- 1 cup green salsa
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 2 cans (about 15 ounces each) white hominy, rinsed and drained
For the garnishes, any or all of the following are great:
- Shredded cabbage
- Shredded jicama
- Slivered radishes
- Chopped onion
- Chopped avocado
- Chopped tomato
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-Quart.
- Stir together the onion, salsa, stock, chicken and hominy in your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 6 hours.
- Serve hot with optional garnishes.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 4 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More WW-Friendly Soups You’ll Love
If you’re a fan of easy, cozy soups, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Craving Italian flavors? My Slow Cooker Chicken Pasta Fagioli is loaded with veggies and pasta in a comforting broth.
- For a hearty, meatball twist, try my Slow Cooker Mexican Meatball Soup — satisfying and flavorful.
- When I want something simple and rustic, Slow Cooker Spanish Potato Onion Soup always hits the spot.
Discover More WW-Friendly Recipes
Make dinnertime easier with my Slow Cook Yourself Slim Ultimate eBook Bundle. It is packed with easy, healthy, WW-friendly recipes designed for busy cooks who love comfort food without the guilt.
My family liked this recipe a lot. Has a lot of flavor And is simple to make. Will definitely make it again.
can you just use raw chicken since you are slow cooking for hours? why already cooked?
Hi Em, yes raw chopped chicken would also work. Hope this helps. ~Martha
Sounds great and I will make it soon. The hominy will make the soup have smart points. Hominy was a zero point food for about one minute. It was reevaluated and determined that there are 2 points for a 1/2 cup. The recipe is still very low but not zero points.
OMG, Martha! This is my new favorite soup! I had prepared a whole chicken in my Instant Pot so I had delicious homemade chicken broth and chicken to use up. Even though it is late July in Phoenix, I was hungry for a (heart)warming soup. This hit the spot!
I missed you last Fall when you came to the West Valley. I heard good things from WW members and that you were delightful. I hope when you return to Phx that you visit with us again.
Hi Sharon, So glad you liked it! Sorry I missed you last fall. It was such a
pleasure to be out and about with some of my favorite folks on the planet – Weight Watchers Members!!
does it hurt to cook it longer? just thinking that if I cook it while at work all day, it would be on for about 9 1/2 hours. I don’t have a timer on my slow cooker to have it start after I leave for work. thanks in advance!
Hi Sara,
I think it would be okay provided your slow cooker doesn’t cook too hot. The only thing that might be overcooked would be the chicken. You might want to add this in when you get home from work since it’s already cooked chicken. Hope this helps.
I made this soup a few days ago, and it was a hit with my husband…who can be hard to please sometimes.
Glad you liked it Danielle.
I made this soup last week and it was wonderful. I had to tell my fb friends how good it was so I posted a yummy picture of the soup. Thanks for this recipe. I will make this a cold weather staple recipe.
Made this again for the second time today. Actually had been craving it for over a week and finally remembered to pick up more hominy. Must say that it is just as delicious today as the first time. I think this is one of those recipes I am addicted to and will have to start keeping the ingredients on hand at all times. Thanks again!
Hi Teresa. It’s one of my favorites too!! I love recipes that are good and good for you!!
Made this tonight for the first time. All I can say is “Mmmmm, Mmmmmm, good!” It is delicious on its own, without garnishes, but I chose to top mine with chopped tomatoes. My teenager, who doesn’t need to worry at all about her weight, topped hers with a small serving of shredded Mexican blend cheese. Another winning recipe!
Thanks Theresa! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Super delicious. I will be making this again. Thanks!
So, glad you liked it Allie!