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    Chicken Birria Tacos Recipe

    Published: Jun 11, 2023 · Modified: Nov 6, 2024 · By: Brendan Cunningham

    Jump to 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!

    For birria tacos overlapping one another on a oval serving dish and a gray counter.

    Table of Contents

    • The Best Chicken Birria Tacos
      • Why You'll Love This Chicken Birra Tacos Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • How To Make Chicken Birria Tacos
      • Tips To Make The Best Recipe
      • How To Store Chicken Birria Tacos
      • FAQS About This Chicken Birria Taco Recipe
        • What is chicken birria made of?
        • What makes birria tacos different?
        • What to serve with chicken birria tacos?
    • More Chicken Recipes
    • Chicken Birria Tacos Recipe
      • Ingredients
      • Instructions
      • Nutrition
      • Did you make this recipe?

    The Best Chicken Birria Tacos

    Nothing beats authentic Mexican street tacos, but this chicken birria taco 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 birria sauce 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 or fideo soup to go alongside the tacos!

    Four Birria tacos overlapping one another and a white bowl filled with consomme on an oval serving dish. Behind it is a Dutch oven filled with consomme.

    Why You'll Love This Chicken Birra Tacos Recipe

    Effortless to make. All you have to do is combine the ingreidents in a pot, let them cook, and assemble the tacos.

    Authentic. These birria de pollo tacos have an authentic flavor that is just so good. You'll think they came from a restaurant!

    The consomé. The birria sauce in this recipe is perfectly rich, smoky, and savory, giving the tacos a flavor like no other.

    Crowd-favorite. Everyone who likes chicken tacos says these are a thousand times better than anything they've had before, so you're guaranteed to satisfy everyone who eats them.

    A hand holding a birria taco that has a bite out of it over a serving dish with three birria tacos on it.

    Ingredients

    This chicken birria taco 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 tacos so incredible. 

    Here's everything you'll need:

    • 4 Chicken Thighs: or chicken 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: Flour tortillas or corn tortillas
    • 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 in the birria sauce for dipping.

    Oh, and you can use corn tortillas or flour tortillas to make birria tacos. Both work great in this recipe.

    By the way, you can use the recipe for the shredded chicken to make these BBQ chicken sliders for a show-stopping appetizer.

    How To Make Chicken Birria Tacos

    1. Cook seasonings: Heat a deep pot to medium high and add the olive oil. Add the cumin powder, garlic cloves, bay leaves, garlic powder, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant.

    A Dutch oven filled with Consomme ingredients.

    2. Cook veggies and chicken: Add the red onion, tomatoes, red and poblano chilis, vinegar, oregano, salt, and water. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 1 hour at low heat. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it with two forks.

    Four chicken thighs and consomme ingredients in a Dutch oven.

    3. Make the birria sauce: Use an immersion blender to blend the broth directly in the pot. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Alternatively, you can transfer everything from the pot to a blender and blend to combine.

    A hand holding an immersion blender in a Dutch oven filled with consomme ingredients.

    4. Assemble the tacos: Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high and heat the tortilla shells. Add a bit of chicken and mozzarella cheese, let the cheese melt, then fold the shell and take it out of the hot skillet. Serve tacos warm with the birria sauce for dipping and chopped cilantro.

    Shredded mozzarella cheese on top of shredded chicken on half of a tortilla in a skillet. There are two of these in the skillet and behind it as part of a Dutch oven filled with consomme.

    Tips To Make The Best Recipe

    • Add adobo sauce, chili sauce, sliced jalapenos, or guajillo chiles to the tacos to make them spicier.
    • Add your favorite taco toppings like onion, lime juice, avocado, or pico de Gallo.
    • Use oaxaca cheese to make the best quesabirria tacos.
    • Dip the shells in the sauce before frying them on the pan for the best flavor.
    An oval serving dish with for Berea tacos on it and part of a white bowl filled with consomme.

    How To Store Chicken Birria Tacos

    In the fridge: Transfer the chicken and birria sauce to separate airtight containers and store them in the fridge for about 4 days.

    In the freezer: Store the cooked chicken and leftover sauce in freezer-safe containers and keep them in the freezer for about 4 months.

    Reheating: Warm the chicken in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until thoroughly warmed. Heat the sauce in a pot over medium heat, stirring frequently, then assemble each chicken taco. Let the frozen chicken and sauce thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

    Two Birria tacos overlapping one another with another one on top with a bite out of the front of it, another taco behind that, and part of a white serving bowl filled with consomme behind the tacos all on a grey serving plate..

    FAQS About This Chicken Birria Taco Recipe

    What is chicken birria made of?

    Chicken birria tacos are made of fall apart tender chicken cooked in a delicious adobo sauce. The chicken is layered in crisped tortilla shells with melty cheese, and served with the sauce on the side.

    What makes birria tacos different?

    The stew meat for birria tacos is cooked in the sauce that is then used to tip the tacos in. It makes for a flavorful taco experience like no other. The tacos are made with chicken, beef, and sometimes goat meat. 

    What to serve with chicken birria tacos?

    They're delicious with a side of Chipotle cilantro lime rice, Mexican street corn casserole, or tortilla chips and this Moes queso.

    More 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
    • Baked chicken tacos
    • 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!

    Print

    Chicken Birria Tacos Recipe

    An oval serving dish with for Berea tacos on it and part of a white bowl filled with consomme.
    Print Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 15 reviews

    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!

    • Author: Brendan Cunningham
    • Prep Time: 15 minutets
    • Cook Time: 1 hour
    • Total Time: 0 hours
    • Yield: 8 tacos 1x
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mexican

    Ingredients

    Scale

    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 

    Assembling the tacos: 

    8 Tortilla Shells 

    1 cup Mozzarella Cheese 

    Fresh cilantro 

    Instructions

    1. Heat a deep pot to medium high and add the olive oil. Add the cumin powder, garlic cloves, bay leaves, garlic powder, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant.
    2. Add the red onion, tomatoes, red and poblano chilis, vinegar, oregano, salt and water. Cook for 10 minutes.
    3. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 1 hour at low heat.
    4. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks.
    5. Use an immersion blender to blend the broth directly in the pot to make the consommé - season with salt and pepper if needed (alternatively you can transfer everything from the pot to a blender and blend to combine).
    6. Heat a cast iron skillet to high and heat the tortilla shell. Add a bit of chicken and mozzarella cheese, let the cheese melt then close the shell and take it out of the skillet.
    7. Serve with the consommé and fresh cilantro.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 serving
    • Calories: 181
    • Fat: 9
    • Carbohydrates: 11
    • Fiber: 1
    • Protein: 16

    Keywords: chicken birria tacos, chicken birria tacos recipe, how to make chicken birria tacos, birria tacos, birria tacos recipe, chicken birria tacos ingredients, chicken birria tacos easy chicken birria tacos easy recipe, chicken birria tacos recipe easy, shredded chicken birria tacos recipe, chicken birria tacos recipe with consommé, birria tacos recipe chicken,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @ImHungryForThat — we can't wait to see what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bella

      March 18, 2022 at 3:25 pm

      Gahh these were so delicious!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Jason

      March 18, 2022 at 6:16 pm

      Fam loved them.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Bob

      March 19, 2022 at 6:35 pm

      Best homemade chicken birria tacos I’ve made yet.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Felix

      March 20, 2022 at 10:04 am

      Perfect tacos! Thanks guys.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Nicole

      March 20, 2022 at 12:15 pm

      These were super good! I'd make this recipe again!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Jane

      March 20, 2022 at 5:35 pm

      5 ⭐️‘s

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Kelly

      March 21, 2022 at 9:41 am

      Yum!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    8. Avery

      March 22, 2022 at 11:19 am

      Yum!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    9. Travis

      March 22, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      Excellent!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    10. Amy

      March 23, 2022 at 12:43 pm

      New fav taco night recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    11. Devin

      March 28, 2022 at 10:30 am

      I would make this recipe again.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    12. Marisa

      March 31, 2022 at 8:45 am

      Authentic tasting and delish!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    13. John Parkinson

      May 05, 2022 at 10:55 am

      Are you using dried Poblano and red chilis (Chils de Arbol?)? Or are you using fresh chilis?

      Reply
      • Brendan Cunningham

        May 08, 2022 at 1:33 pm

        Either work great!

        Reply
    14. Terry

      July 19, 2022 at 12:34 pm

      The elements in this recipe are all fantastic. It is authentic.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    15. Gary

      July 21, 2022 at 12:13 pm

      Great tacos

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    16. Dylan

      June 15, 2023 at 4:44 pm

      Loved these chicken barrio tacos.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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