These Mexican birria de pollo tacos, or chicken birria tacos, are rich, flavorful, and smoky. They would taste delicious with fresh chopped tomatoes and avocado!
Ingredients
- chicken broth: 4 cups
- guajillo Chilis: 4 piece (seeded, dried)
- ancho Chilis: 4 piece (seeded, dried)
- de árbol Chili: 1 piece (seeded, dried, optional)
- canola oil: 4 Tbsp (divided)
- medium white onion, quartered: 1 piece (divided)
- garlic: 4 clove
- fire-roasted diced tomatoes: 1 can (14.5 ounce can)
- apple cider vinegar: 2 Tbsp
- kosher salt: 2 tsp (divided)
- ground cumin: 2 tsp
- oregano: 1 tsp (dried)
- ground black pepper: 0.5 tsp
- ground cloves: 0.25 tsp
- ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts: 1 piece
- bay leaf: 1 piece
- corn tortillas: 12 piece (6 inch)
- fresh cilantro: 2 Tbsp (to taste, chopped)
- Lime wedges: 12 piece (for serving)
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Add chicken broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high. Remove from heat and add dried chiles. Cover and let sit until chiles have softened, about 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 3 of the onion quarters, reserving the last quarter for later use, and garlic to pan. Cook, flipping once, until charred, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat (do not wipe out the pot), and transfer onion and garlic to a blender. Add chicken broth, chiles, tomatoes, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, and cloves. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.
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Season chicken with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil in to the large pot; heat over medium-high. Add chicken; cook, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Pour blended chile mixture over meat chicken and top with bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium-low until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
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Meanwhile, chop remaining onion quarter. Set aside.
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Uncover pot, discard bay leaf, and remove chicken from chile mixture and shred. Transfer shredded chicken to a large bowl and top with 1 cup of the chile mixture; leave remaining mixture in the Dutch oven pot over medium-low.
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Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working with 1 tortilla at a time, quickly dip tortilla into sauce until well coated. Transfer to skillet and top with 1/4 cup of the chicken. Repeat process with as many tortillas as will fit on in skillet. Cook until tortillas are golden brown and beginning to crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold tortillas in half and transfer to a plate. Repeat process with remaining sauce, meat chicken and tortillas.
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Divide tacos evenly among 6 plates. Top with reserved chopped onion and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
