Chicken Birria

shredded chicken with birria broth in bowl topped with diced onions and cilantro

4.58 stars (7 ratings)

Make THE BEST Chicken Birria with juicy, tender, slow cooked chicken and a rich flavorful broth, made with chiles, tomatoes and vinegar. This authentic, flavorful recipe can be served as a soup or stew, or made into chicken birria tacos with consommé for dipping. It’s an incredibly versatile Mexican recipe that’s hearty, spicy and bursting with flavor!

Servings: 10 people

Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 5 40

Author: Whitney Bond

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Chicken Birria

12 dried guajillo chiles
8 dried arbol chiles, add more to make it spicier, omit these chiles for less spice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
7 ounces chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 cups chicken stock, or broth
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves

For Tacos

30 thick corn tortillas
2 pounds oaxaca cheese, or monterey jack cheese (shredded)

Instructions

Rehydrate the dried chiles.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
Turn off the heat, add the guajillo chiles and arbol chiles to the hot water, cover and soak for 15 minutes.
After you’ve soaked the guajillo and arbol chilies, remove them from the water, and set aside one cup of the chili soaking water.
Cut off the stem of the chiles, slice them open and remove the seeds.

Prepare the sauce.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Transfer the onions and garlic to a blender.
Add the entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the entire can of crushed tomatoes, and apple cider vinegar to the blender.
Add the salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, cloves and cumin to the blender.
Add the soaked chiles and cup of chili soaking water to the blender. Blend until smooth.

Sear the chicken.

Heat a large skillet on the stove over high heat.
Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet and sear on both sides for 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the seared chicken thighs to a large slow cooker, or Crock Pot.

Slow cook the birria.

Pour the sauce from the blender into the slow cooker.
Add the chicken stock, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.

Shred the chicken.

After the cook time, remove the lid from the slow cooker. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, and discard them.
Use tongs to remove the chicken thighs from the liquid and place them on a cutting board.
Use two forks, or meat claws, to shred the chicken.

Make chicken birria tacos.

Heat a large skillet, or cast iron griddle, on the stove over medium-high heat.
Coat the skillet with cooking spray, or brush the skillet with vegetable oil.
Dip a corn tortilla in the consomé (broth) from the birria, making sure it’s covered on both sides.
Add the tortilla to the hot skillet. Cook for 30 seconds, then flip.
Add ¼ cup shredded chicken birria to one side of the tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons of shredded oaxaca cheese, then fold the tortilla over the chicken and cheese.
Cook for 30-60 seconds, or until the cheese melts in the tacos.
Remove the chicken birria taco from the skillet and repeat, making as many tacos as you’d like.
Optionally serve topped with diced onions and fresh cilantro, with lime wedges, and warm consomé in a small bowl on the side for dipping.

Notes

The birria can also be served more traditionally as a soup or stew, instead of making it into tacos. If serving traditional chicken birria stew, after shredding the chicken, add it back to the broth and use a ladle to serve the stew in bowls, topped with cilantro and onions.
The nutritional information provided is for just the chicken birria, and does not include the tortillas or cheese to make the tacos.
This recipe has a medium spice level. To make it more spicy, add more arbol chiles. For a mild spice, omit the arbol chiles.
Store leftover birria in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the chicken birria in the braising liquid, place it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Reheat for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken and liquid are hot and bubbling. If reheating the chicken without the liquid, I recommend wrapping the shredded chicken in foil. Reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. This will prevent the chicken from drying out.
To make the chicken birria in the oven, follow these instructions:
1. Rehydrate the dried chilies using the instructions above, then add them to a blender.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and cook the onions for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Transfer the onions and garlic to the blender with the chiles.
4. Add the chipotle peppers, vinegar, crushed tomatoes, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, ground cloves and cumin to the blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Add the chicken thighs to a large, deep casserole dish.
6. Pour the prepared marinade from the blender over the chicken thighs in the dish. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours to marinate.
7. After the chicken is marinated, use tongs to remove each of the chicken thighs from the marinade. Do not discard the marinade! The chicken will be braised in the marinade and chicken broth. Heat a large pot, or cast iron dutch oven, on the stove over high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear on all sides for 1-2 minutes. Depending on how big the pan is, you might have to do this in two batches.
8. Once all of the chicken is browned on all sides, pour the marinade from the casserole dish over the chicken in the pot. Add chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add bay leaves and a cinnamon stick.
9. Cover the pot with a lid, or if you don’t have a lid that fits, cover it tightly with foil. Transfer it to an oven, preheated to 350°F, and cook for 2 hours.
10. Remove the birria from the oven after 2 hours. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Use tongs to remove the chicken thighs from the liquid and place them on a cutting board to shred before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 293kcal (15%)Carbohydrates 13g (4%)Protein 39g (78%)Fat 9g (14%)Saturated Fat 2g (10%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 175mg (58%)Sodium 1121mg (47%)Potassium 829mg (24%)Fiber 3g (12%)Sugar 6g (7%)Vitamin A 1800mg (36%)Vitamin C 9mg (11%)Calcium 62mg (6%)Iron 3mg (17%)

Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!