Charred Chicken Thigh and Smoked Chile Posole

This posole starts with a hard sear: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs hit a screaming-hot pan until the skin blisters and crackles, rendering deep, smoky fat. That fat becomes the flavor base for toasted dried ancho chiles, whole cumin seeds, garlic, and onion, which bloom right in the drippings before everything goes into the slow cooker with hominy, broth, and warm spices. Hours later, the chicken falls off the bone and the broth has turned rich, smoky, and slightly sweet from the anchos — a true low-and-slow reward for a few minutes of active stovetop work upfront. Because every component is naturally gluten-free — hominy, dried chiles, fresh aromatics, and a broth built without flour or soy-based thickeners — this posole is safe for anyone following a strict gluten-free diet, including those managing celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Just double check your broth and any garnishes (like tortilla strips) are certified gluten-free before serving. Ladle the finished posole into deep bowls and let everyone build their own bowl with shredded cabbage, radish, lime, and cilantro. It's a hands-off dinner that tastes like it simmered all day — because it did — while you only spent twenty minutes actually cooking.</long_description> <parameter name="meta_description">Seared chicken thighs and smoky ancho chiles slow-simmer with hominy into a rich, gluten-free posole. Hands-off comfort food with deep flavor.

Ingredients

• 6 piecebone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2.5 lbs
• 1.5 tspsalt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 4 piecedried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tbspCumin seeds
• 1 largeWhite onion, chopped
• 5 piecegarlic cloves, minced
• 1 tspdried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
• 1 tspsmoked paprika
• 6 cupgluten-free chicken broth
• 2 can (29 oz)White hominy, drained and rinsed, certified gluten-free
• 2 piecebay leaves
• 2 piecelime, cut into wedges, for serving
• 1 cupShredded cabbage, for serving
• 4 pieceradishes, thinly sliced, for serving
• 0.5 cupfresh cilantro, chopped, for serving
• 1 tbspAvocado oil

Method

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear, undisturbed, until the skin is deeply browned and crackled, about 7 minutes. 7:00
3. Flip the thighs and sear the other side for 3 minutes, then transfer the chicken to the slow cooker, leaving the rendered fat behind in the skillet. 3:00
4. Add the dried ancho chiles and cumin seeds to the hot fat in the skillet and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the chiles darken slightly, about 1 minute. 1:00
5. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 5:00
6. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and smoked paprika and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 0:30
7. Pour in about 1 cup of the chicken broth to deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, then pour the entire mixture into the slow cooker with the chicken.
8. Add the remaining chicken broth, hominy, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine, making sure the chicken is mostly submerged.
9. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the broth is deeply flavored, about 6 hours. 360:00
10. Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board, discard the bay leaves, and shred the meat off the bones, discarding skin and bones if desired. Return the shredded meat to the posole and stir to combine.
11. Taste the posole and adjust salt as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cabbage, sliced radishes, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.