Irresistible Chicken Birria Tacos

Prepare to revolutionize your Taco Tuesday with a dish that delivers an explosion of flavors: Chicken Birria Tacos. If you’re a connoisseur of bold, tangy, and smoky notes, perfectly crispy taco shells, irresistibly melty cheese, and exceptionally tender, juicy chicken, then these chicken birria tacos are about to become your new culinary obsession. This restaurant-quality creation, often considered a gourmet experience, is surprisingly straightforward to master in your own kitchen. It yields a generous batch, making it ideal for feeding a lively gathering or providing delicious leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Ditch the mundane and embrace the vibrant, saucy, and utterly satisfying world of chicken-stuffed birria tacos!

Crafting Your Chicken Birria Tacos: A Step-by-Step Guide

Refer to the recipe card below for a comprehensive list of measurements, ingredients, and detailed instructions.

Step 1: Building the Rich Birria Sauce Foundation

The heart of these birria tacos lies in their incredible, deeply flavored sauce. Begin by heating a neutral-flavored oil (such as avocado or vegetable oil) in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat until it shimmers. Carefully add the rehydrated dried chiles, quartered roma tomatoes, a small yellow onion, Mexican cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns. Give the ingredients a quick stir to ensure they are lightly coated and begin to release their aromas. Pour in enough water to generously cover all the ingredients. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil, allowing the flavors to meld and the chiles to soften further. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let everything simmer gently for about 10 minutes. This simmering period is crucial for infusing the water with all the wonderful flavors from the spices and vegetables. After 10 minutes, carefully remove and discard the bay leaves and the cinnamon stick, as their strong flavors can become overpowering if left in too long during the blending process.

Step 2: Achieving the Perfect Sauce Consistency

Once the initial simmering is complete and the bay leaves and cinnamon stick are removed, it’s time to transform the softened ingredients into a smooth, vibrant sauce. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer all the remaining solid ingredients from the pot into a high-powered blender. Next, add one cup of the flavorful cooking liquid from the pot to the blender; this liquid is packed with chile essence and will help achieve the desired consistency. Discard any remaining water from the pot and set the pot aside for later use. Now, add the remaining sauce ingredients: rich chicken or beef broth, tangy distilled white vinegar, freshly minced garlic, aromatic ground cumin, authentic dried Mexican oregano, a pinch of ground cloves, and salt to taste. Blend all these ingredients together on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and velvety. It should have a rich, uniform color and no discernible chunks.

Step 3: Refining the Sauce to Silky Perfection

For an exceptionally smooth and refined birria sauce, straining is a critical step. Position a fine-mesh sieve directly over the pot you used earlier (ensure it’s clean). Carefully pour the blended sauce mixture into the sieve. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, gently but firmly press the mixture against the mesh. This action extracts as much flavorful liquid as possible, leaving behind any fibrous chile skins or tiny seed fragments that a blender might miss. The goal is to separate the silky-smooth sauce from the pulp. Once you’ve extracted all the liquid you can, discard the solids caught in the strainer. Place the pot of beautifully strained birria sauce back on the stovetop over high heat, preparing it for the chicken.

Step 4: Simmering the Chicken to Tender Perfection

Bring your exquisite birria sauce to a boil. As soon as it reaches a rolling boil, immediately reduce the heat to low. Carefully add the pieces of bone-in chicken to the pot, ensuring they are fully submerged and covered by the fragrant sauce. This is where the magic happens, as the chicken slowly absorbs the incredible flavors of the birria. Place a lid on the pot and let the chicken gently simmer in the sauce until it is cooked through and fork-tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the size and cut of your chicken pieces, but typically expect it to take between 30 to 45 minutes. Once the chicken is perfectly cooked, transfer it to a clean cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This resting period helps the juices redistribute, ensuring incredibly moist and flavorful shredded chicken. After resting, use two forks to shred the chicken, discarding any bones.

Step 5: Assembling Your Irresistible Birria Tacos

Now for the grand finale: assembling your incredibly flavorful birria tacos! Heat a large skillet (a cast-iron skillet works exceptionally well for achieving crispiness) over medium heat and add a tablespoon of neutral-flavored oil. Let the oil get hot and shimmery. One at a time, take a corn tortilla and dip it into the rich birria sauce, allowing any excess sauce to drip back into the pot. This gives the tortilla its signature reddish hue and infuses it with flavor. Place the dipped tortilla into the hot skillet and pan-fry it for approximately one minute, or until the bottom turns golden and slightly crispy. Flip the tortilla over, and immediately sprinkle a generous layer of shredded fresh mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese onto one half of the tortilla. Cover the skillet with a lid to allow the cheese to steam and melt perfectly. Once the cheese is delightfully gooey, remove the lid and arrange a hearty portion of your tender shredded chicken over just one half of the cheese-covered tortilla. Continue cooking until the bottom of the tortilla is beautifully browned and crisp. Finally, carefully fold the tortilla in half, enclosing the savory chicken and melted cheese, to form your exquisite birria taco. Repeat this mouthwatering process with the remaining corn tortillas and chicken. Serve your magnificent chicken birria tacos immediately, accompanied by your favorite toppings such as diced onion, fresh cilantro, a dollop of salsa, and, crucially, plenty of that intoxicating birria sauce for dipping. Each bite promises a symphony of textures and flavors, from the crispy, sauce-infused tortilla to the rich, tender chicken and gooey cheese.

Why You’ll Fall in Love with This Chicken Birria Taco Recipe

• An Unforgettable Flavor Journey: Chicken birria tacos are an absolute celebration of taste, with every component bursting with an incredible depth of flavor. This is primarily thanks to the magical birria sauce, which is a culinary masterpiece in itself. It’s a complex blend of tangy, bold, and subtly smoky notes, meticulously crafted from two distinct types of dried chili peppers (guajillo and ancho), ripe roma tomatoes, savory yellow onion, aromatic bay leaves, and a thoughtful array of rich, earthy spices. Each ingredient plays a vital role in building a deeply satisfying and authentically Mexican flavor profile that will tantalize your taste buds.
• Surprisingly Simple, Yet Impressively Gourmet: While the end result might look like it came straight from a high-end Mexican eatery, the process of making your own chicken birria tacos at home is remarkably easy and approachable for any home cook. The sauce begins with a straightforward boiling of ingredients, followed by a quick blend into a perfectly smooth mixture. This flavorful concoction then becomes the simmering liquid for your chicken, infusing it with unparalleled tenderness and taste. From there, it’s just a matter of shredding the chicken using your preferred method (two forks work wonders!) and assembling the tacos. The steps are intuitive and rewarding, leading to a gourmet meal without the gourmet effort.

Creative Recipe Variations to Suit Every Palate

• Cool the Heat: If you find the chile kick in the birria sauce a bit too intense, a simple dollop of cooling sour cream or Mexican crema on top of your finished tacos can beautifully balance the heat and add a delightful creaminess. Fresh avocado slices or a scoop of guacamole also offer a refreshing counterpoint.
• Embrace a Softer Experience: For those who prefer a less crunchy texture, or simply want to save a step, you can easily substitute the corn tortillas with soft flour tortillas. Skip the pan-frying process altogether! Chicken birria soft tacos are just as delicious and equally satisfying, offering a slightly quicker and easier preparation while still delivering all the incredible birria flavors.
• A Delicious Vegan Alternative: Transform this savory dish into a plant-based delight by replacing the chicken with tender, shredded jackfruit. Jackfruit’s fibrous texture makes it an excellent substitute for shredded meat, absorbing flavors beautifully. For a detailed guide on creating this plant-powered version, visit my other site, Easy Healthy Recipes, where I share my magic vegan birria tacos recipe, walking you through every step to achieve a truly flavorful and satisfying vegan meal.

Recipe By: Cheryl Malik

Chicken Birria Tacos

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Crispy, flavorful tacos stuffed with tender seasoned chicken and all your favorite toppings!

Cheryl Malik

Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

• Large, heavy-bottomed pot with lid
• Large wooden spoon
• Slotted spoon
• Standard blender
• Fine mesh sieve
• Internal meat thermometer
• Tongs
• Cutting board
• 2 forks
• Large cast-iron skillet with lid
• Spatula

Ingredients

For the Chicken Birria

• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc.)
• 12 guajillo chiles (washed, stems and seeds removed)
• 6 ancho chiles (washed, stems and seeds removed)
• 2 large roma tomatoes (approximately 2 ounces each)
• 1 small yellow onion (quartered)
• 1 4-inch long Mexican cinnamon stick
• 2 large bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Water (to fill pot)
• 4 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons minced fresh garlic (approximately 5 large cloves)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 1 5-pound whole chicken (cut into pieces, or 4–5 pounds chicken pieces)

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

• 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, etc.; plus more as needed)
• 12 corn tortillas
• Shredded fresh mozzarella (or Oaxaca cheese)
• Diced onion
• Diced fresh cilantro
• Salsa

Instructions

For the Birria Sauce

1. Place large pot on stovetop over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil to pot and heat until oil is shimmery.
2. When oil is hot, add 12 guajillo chiles, 6 ancho chiles, 2 large roma tomatoes, 1 small yellow onion, 1 4-inch long Mexican cinnamon stick, 2 large bay leaves, and ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns. Stir ingredients together, then add enough water to fill pot.
3. Bring water to rolling boil, then immediately reduce heat under pot to low. Cover pot with lid and simmer mixture over low heat 10 minutes.
4. After 10 minutes, uncover pot. Remove and discard bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
5. Using slotted spoon, transfer all remaining solid ingredients from pot to blender.
6. After transferring solid ingredients to blender, add 1 cup of water from pot to blender. Discard any remaining water from pot and set pot aside.
7. Add 4 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, 2 ½ tablespoons minced fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and 1-2 teaspoons salt (to taste) to blender.
8. Blend ingredients together on high speed until fully incorporated into completely smooth mixture.
9. Place fine mesh sieve over pot. Pour blended mixture into sieve and gently press mixture through mesh with back of wooden spoon, straining mixture well. Discard any solids caught in strainer.

For the Chicken

10. Place pot of birria sauce on stovetop and increase heat to high. Add pieces of 1 5-pound whole chicken to pot. Stir to incorporate.
11. Bring sauce to boil, then immediately reduce heat under pot to low. Cover pot with lid and simmer mixture 30 to 40 minutes, or until chicken pieces reach 160° to 163° Fahrenheit internally.
12. When target temperature range is reached, transfer chicken pieces to cutting board and set aside. Allow chicken to rest 5 minutes, then shred chicken using 2 forks or method of choice. Discard bones.

To Serve

13. Place large skillet (cast-iron preferred) on stovetop over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil to skillet and heat pan until oil is shimmery.
14. When oil is hot, quickly dip 1 corn tortilla in birria sauce. Let excess sauce drip off tortilla into pot, then place tortilla in skillet.
15. Pan fry tortilla 1 minute or until bottom of tortilla is golden, gently pressing tortilla against bottom of skillet if needed.
16. When bottom of tortilla is golden, flip tortilla over. Top tortilla with even layer of shredded fresh mozzarella then place lid on skillet and fry tortilla until cheese has melted.
17. Remove lid from skillet and top one half of tortilla with shredded chicken. Continue cooking until bottom of tortilla is browned and crispy, then carefully fold tortilla in half, covering shredded chicken completely.
18. Transfer taco to serving platter. Repeat process with remaining tortillas and chicken until all 12 corn tortillas have been made into tacos.
19. Serve birria tacos immediately with diced onion, diced fresh cilantro, salsa, and plenty of birria sauce for dipping.

Recipe Notes:

• Blender: If your blender is on the smaller side, you’ll need to work in batches to ensure everything is blended well and smoothly.

Approximate Nutrition Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 577cal

Protein: 41g

Fat: 32g

Saturated Fat: 8g

Trans Fat: 0.2g

Cholesterol: 136mg

Sodium: 896mg

Potassium: 1326mg

Total Carbs: 33g

Fiber: 13g

Sugar: 18g

Net Carbs: 20g

Vitamin A: 11562IU

Vitamin C: 21mg

Calcium: 66mg

Iron: 5mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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