Chicken Birria Tacos Recipe

These Chicken Birria Tacos are an explosion of flavor yet take so little time to make! The juicy chicken is cooked in a broth of spices and chiles until it's fork-tender, then tucked into a warm tortilla and topped with cheese and cilantro. Then, you can dip the tacos in the consommé for an extra burst of flavor!

 

THE BEST CHICKEN BIRRIA TACOS

Nothing beats authentic Mexican street tacos, but this chicken birria tacos recipe comes pretty darn close. 

And what I love about these tacos is that they're so easy to make, and the result is tender chicken that absorbs all those deep spices and flavors so beautifully.

Also, I have to say, the break-out star of this dish is the dip. I think birria tacos are incomplete without a delicious consommé to dip them in. Even though the tacos are insanely delicious on their own, pairing them with the consommé is another level of flavor. 

As for the toppings, I love keeping it simple with shredded mozzarella cheese and fresh cilantro, but I encourage you to get creative! Try some diced avocado, finely chopped onions, crumbled queso fresco, or even a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

By the way, one of the best things about this recipe is the fact that most of the cooking time is hands-off since you'll simply be letting the meat simmer for an hour. And you can use that idle time to make this Instant Pot Spanish Rice to go alongside the tacos!

Ingredients

This recipe has quite the spice list, but nothing too out there, I promise! Honestly, most of them are pantry staples, and they really help to achieve the full flavor profile that makes these chicken birria tacos so incredible. 

Here's everything you'll need:

• 4 Chicken Thighs or Breasts
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil 
• 2 tsp. Cumin Powder 
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped 
• 2 Bay Leaves 
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder 
• 1 Cinnamon Stick 
• 2 tsp. Peppercorns 
• 1 Red Onion, sliced 
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped 
• 2-4 Red Chiles, sliced 
• 1 Poblano Chili, soaked in water for at least 2 hours 
• 2 tbsp. Vinegar 
• 1 tsp. Salt 
• 6 cups water
• 1 tbsp. Mexican Oregano 

And for assembling the tacos: 

• 8 Tortilla Shells 
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese 
• Fresh cilantro 

Now, if you don't like spice, you can leave out the red chiles and Poblano chili peppers. But I definitely recommend using them. They really contribute to that signature birria taco flavor.

How to Make Chicken Birria Tacos

To make things easier, I suggest measuring out all of your spices before you cook. This way, you won't have to pause in the middle of things to measure out more.

By the way, don't hesitate to double or triple this recipe. The leftovers taste even more amazing in the next day or two because the spices have time to really meld together. Throw them into a salad, turn them into a big fat burrito, or spoon over some rice and beans - you can't go wrong.

Ready to make some of the best tacos of your life? Let's get to it!

Step 1: Cooking the Chicken

First, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Then add in the cumin powder, cloves, garlic, bay leaves, garlic powder, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and bay leaves.

Give it all a good stir and cook for about 5 minutes until everything is fragrant.

Then, add the onions, oregano, red chiles, poblano chilis, tomatoes, salt, and water. Let everything cook together in the pot for 10 minutes.

Finally, add the chicken thighs and bring the mixture to a simmer. Then, let everything cook for 1 hour on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Once done, remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks, then set aside. And you can make it as chunky or as fine as you'd like.

Step 2: Making the Consommé

Now that the chicken is out of the pot, it's time to make the consommé.

And you can do this in two ways. The first is to use an immersion blender and just blend everything in the pot until smooth. 

The other is simply pouring all the broth from the pot into a blender and blending until smooth. 

By the way, if you want, you can strain the liquid through a fine sieve, but I prefer to leave it as is. But, I don't mind the tiny bits of onion and chile pepper in my sauce.

Step 3: Assembling the Tacos

So, now it's time to assemble the chicken birria tacos!

First, heat a skillet (I use cast iron) over high heat and warm the tortilla shells for about 10-15 seconds per side.

Then, fill each shell with a few spoons of the chicken and some mozzarella cheese. Once the cheese melts, fold the shell and take it out of the skillet. Lastly, serve with cilantro and the consommé.

Alternatively, you can dip the tortilla shells into the consommé first, then let it fry in the skillet for a couple of minutes before filling and folding them. That's another popular way to assemble barria tacos.

Either way, they'll taste out of this world, so enjoy!

How to Store Chicken Birria Tacos

This birria tacos recipe will make enough to fill 8 tortilla shells. So it's perfect for a big family dinner or meal prep for the week. 

Having said that, if you end up with any leftovers you'll want to make sure to store the chicken separately from the tortillas.

I don't recommend storing the tacos assembled because they will get soggy.

To store, cool down the leftover chicken completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Then, you can keep the chicken in the fridge for 3-4 days.

And for the leftover consommé, you can store it in an airtight container or sealable jar for up to 3-4 days in the fridge as well.

How to Reheat Chicken Birria Tacos

Now to reheat the chicken birria tacos, warm the chicken in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until thoroughly warmed. And make sure to add some chicken broth - or water - so it doesn't dry out.

Then, heat up the tortilla and add the chicken, mozzarella cheese, and any other topping you want! Serve with a side of consommé for dipping, and enjoy!

Wrapping It All Up

Well, that is how to make chicken birria tacos! They are nothing short of amazing, and I know you'll love them!

They're perfect for any gathering - from Cinco de Mayo to your Super Bowl party or just a regular ol' Tuesday night dinner.

And the great thing about them is that you can make them ahead of time, so all you have to do is heat them up and layout the tortilla and toppings when it's time to eat.

You can also customize them as you wish - use pork or beef (just adjust the cooking time), make 'em spicier, or try different toppings like sour cream, lettuce, cabbage, avocado, or salsa. Really just add whatever you like, and make them your own!

Well, I hope you enjoy this chicken birria tacos recipe as much as I do! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.

EASY CHICKEN RECIPES

If you like chicken and want some more recipes and ideas of how to cook it, we have a ton of recipes on the blog!

Give one of these a try next:

• Huli Huli Chicken
• Chicken Tempura
• Chicken Bryan
• Chicken Tocino
• Instant Pot Enchiladas
• Instant Pot Japanese Curry

And, of course, if you enjoyed today's recipe you can find more delicious recipes - just like this one - on our YouTube channel!

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