Description
If you’ve been wanting a chicken version of those famous crispy birria tacos that everyone talks about, this recipe is the one you’ll keep coming back to. Tender shredded chicken is soaked in a deep red smoky chile sauce, tucked into a cheesy tortilla, and pan fried until golden and irresistible. It is comfort food with bold flavor, slow simmered richness, and that dramatic dip into warm consommé that makes every bite unforgettable.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 9 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 10 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 half cinnamon stick
- 5 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 8 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1.5 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Kosher salt to taste
- 3.5 pounds bone in, skin on chicken breasts
- Water to cover
- 2 bay leaves
- Corn tortillas
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound shredded melty cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, allspice berries, peppercorns, cinnamon, ancho chiles, and guajillo chiles. Cook 5 to 10 minutes until softened. Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Transfer mixture to a blender. Add cumin, oregano, and salt. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve and set aside.
- Rinse the pot and add chicken. Cover with water and add bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1 to 1.5 hours, skimming foam as needed.
- Pour the strained sauce into the pot with the broth. Stir and simmer 1 hour until slightly thickened. Remove bay leaves.
- Remove chicken, discard skin, and shred. Place shredded chicken in a bowl and mix with 2 to 3 cups consommé to coat.
- Warm tortillas until pliable. Dip each tortilla into consommé, fill with shredded chicken and cheese, fold in half, and fry in heated oil 2 to 4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Serve hot with extra consommé for dipping.
Notes
Adjust chile amounts to control heat level. Make the chicken birria ahead for easy weeknight assembly. Straining the sauce creates the smoothest and most luxurious consommé.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg