Chicken Birria Tacos
Tender chicken in a flavorful sauce wrapped in soft tortillas, perfect for any occasion.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or braiser For cooking and braising the chicken.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns or 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds or 1 teaspoon ground
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds or 1 teaspoon ground
- 6 whole cloves or ¼ teaspoon ground
- 0.5 stick cinnamon smashed or ¼ teaspoon ground
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 6 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
- 4 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
- 1 chili de arbol stem and seeds removed
- 4 vine-ripe tomatoes roughly chopped or Roma tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 12 corn tortillas
- 12 ounces Oaxacan cheese or mozzarella separated into strings
- 0.5 white onion chopped
- 0.25 cup cilantro minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Toast the spices and chiles as described, making sure to transfer to a bowl afterward.
- Sear the chicken thighs until browned, then set aside, keeping the drippings in the pot.
- Make the sauce with the sautéed onions, garlic, and the toasted spices and chiles, simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Blend the sauce until smooth, ensuring steam escapes for safety.
- Braise the chicken in the sauce until tender, then shred the chicken after cooling.
- Assemble tacos with the shredded chicken and cheese, cooking until charred and melty.
- Serve the tacos with pico de gallo and the remaining sauce for dipping.
Notes
For a spicier kick, add more chili de arbol or a dash of hot sauce. You can use any cheese you prefer, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack.