Chicken Birria Taco Recipe
User Reviews
3.6
-
Prep Time
30 mins
-
Cook Time
30 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr
-
Servings
12
-
Calories
342 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Mexican
Chicken Birria Taco Recipe
Description
The recipe begins by blending chipotle peppers in adobo, crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion, and a combination of spices including ancho chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, cloves, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar into a paste. This sauce is thinned slightly with water and used to braise seasoned chicken thighs in an electric pressure cooker. Browning the chicken first develops flavor and seals moisture before pressure cooking for rapid tenderness.
After cooking, the chicken is removed, shredded, and the sauce is strained to smooth out solids, allowing any fats to rise for easy removal. The tacos are assembled by dipping corn tortillas in the birria broth and frying them lightly with cheese until melted and slightly crisp on the edges. They are topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion, served with lime wedges for brightness.
This approach offers a flavorful alternative to traditional birria that uses chicken instead of red meat. The layering of smoky chipotle and warm spices with the acidity of vinegar and tomatoes creates a complex sauce that deeply seasons the meat. These tacos work well as a filling meal or festive snack.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2-3 pounds chicken thigh boneless
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt coarse
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves ground
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Tacos:
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 12-14 corn tortillas small
- 2 cups Monterey jack cheese or Oaxaca cheese
- 1 cup cilantro chopped, fresh
- 1/4 cup white onion , chopped
- lime fresh, wedges
Instructions
Chicken:
- In a large food processor or a large bowl with an immersion blender, combine the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, cloves, cinnamon and vinegar. Pulse until you form a paste. Add 2 cups of water and pulse several times. Set aside.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil over sauté in the instant pot.
- Add the chicken, browning on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add the reserved sauce. Place the lid on, lock in place and set to manual high pressure for 13 minutes. Use quick release method.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to a bowl and use 2 forks to shred, discarding any large bits of fat.
- Pour the sauce through a mesh sieve or colander to remove larger pieces. Allow the fats to settle on top.
Tacos:
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Dip 2-3 corn tortillas (how many will fit in the skillet) in the birria broth and directly into the hot skillet.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoons of cheese in each tortilla, then 2-3 tablespoons of shredded chicken. Fold over the tortilla to form a taco. Sear on each side for 1-2 minutes or until browned.
- Remove and serve with fresh cilantro, onion, lime wedges and extra birria consommé for dipping.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 342 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 342kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 19g | 38% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 91mg | 30% |
| Sodium | 605mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 310mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 648IU | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 187mg | 19% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
3.6
You'll Also Love
