Chicken Birria w/rice or tacos
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Category
Chicken
Cuisine
Mexican
Servings
4-6
Traditionally made with goat, lamb or beef. You will love the chicken in this dish cooked in a deep, rich gravy that is not spicy. This Birria sauce can be enjoyed as a stew or make some tacos and use the sauce as a dipping sauce. This can be paired with rice and beans with warm tortillas on the side too.
Author:Audra Reddy
Ingredients
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3 T. Neutral oil
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2 lbs. skinless, boneless check thighs
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1 medium onion, quartered, divided
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4 garlic cloves
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4 cups chicken broth
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4 dried Guajillo chilis, stemmed and seeded (substitute is Pasilla pepper)
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4 dried ancho chilis, stemmed and seeded
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1 dried de arbor Chile, stemmed and seeded (this is the spicy chili)
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1 - 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
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2 T. Apple cider vinegar
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2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
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2 teaspoons ground cumin
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon paprika
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½ teaspoon ground black pepper
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¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground cloves
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1 bay leaf
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Crispy tortillas strips
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½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
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6 lime wedges
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Corn tortillas
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1 cup shredded Mexican cheese (Oaxaca, Monterey, cheddar, pepper jack)
Toppings
Directions
Prepare Chicken
In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in pot. Add ¾ of the onion and 4 garlic cloves and cook until chicken browns on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside. Chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage. Add cooked onion and garlic to a blender.
Prepare the chilis
Add chicken broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the dried chilies. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes until softened.
Prepare sauce
Along with the onion and garlic, add the chicken broth, chilies, fire-roasted tomatoes, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin powder, oregano, paprika, pepper and cloves. Blend until combined and smooth. Pour this through a mesh strainer into a large pot.
Note: be careful if your chicken broth is too hot here. Make sure you remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a towel over the opening.
To finish cooking chicken
Into the sauce, add chicken and bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium-low until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
To Serve
Uncover the pot and remove the chicken from the sauce. Shred chicken and add back to the sauce.
Add rice in a bowl and add shredded chicken and sauce on top. Top with reserved chopped onion, tortilla strips, cilantro, cheese and lime wedge.
Optional - Bring a skillet to medium heat and add 1 tsp. Cooking oil. Dip tortilla in Birria sauce and place in skillet. Cook 30 seconds and flip. Add shredded chicken, chopped onion, cheese and pinch of cilantro to one side of the tortilla. Fold in half and cook 30 seconds on each side, or until cheese is melted and tortilla begins to crisp. Repeat
Serve tacos with a side of Birria sauce for dipping.
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