Go Back

Chicken Birria Tacos

Chicken birria tacos with crispy fried tortillas dipped in vibrant red consomé, then filled with shredded chicken. Cook the chiles into a smooth sauce, simmer chicken until very tender, and assemble for a hot, steam-rising dip-ready taco.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
dried guajillo chiles
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles
dried ancho chiles
  • 3 dried ancho chiles
dried chipotle chiles
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles
onion
  • 1 onion
garlic
  • 1 garlic
apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
cumin
  • 1 tbsp cumin
oregano
  • 1 tsp oregano
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
chicken broth
  • 6 cup chicken broth
corn tortillas
  • 12 corn tortillas
oil for frying
  • 1 oil for frying
shredded cheese
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
diced onion
  • 0.5 cup diced onion
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
soaking liquid
  • 1 cup soaking liquid
shredded chicken
  • 1 shredded chicken

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the chile sauce
  1. Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, pressing lightly until fragrant and slightly darkened. Transfer to a bowl and soak in hot water for 10 minutes until softened and pliable.
  2. Blend the softened chiles with the onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, and 1 cup soaking liquid until smooth. Stop once the sauce looks fully blended with no visible chile pieces.
  3. Strain the sauce into a pot to remove solids, then add olive oil. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens slightly and dark red color looks vibrant.
Simmer the birria and prepare consomé
  1. Add the chicken thighs and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Keep the surface moving gently so steam is visible but it doesn’t boil hard.
  2. Cook uncovered for 60 minutes at a steady simmer, until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Skim off any foam if it forms at the edges.
  3. Shred the chicken in the pot, mixing it back into the red broth. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste so the consomé is balanced.
  4. Strain the consomé into a serving bowl so it’s smooth and pourable for dipping. Adjust seasoning again with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Fry, dip, and assemble tacos
  1. Heat oil for frying in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry each corn tortilla for 10-20 seconds per side until crisp, turning golden and blistered.
  2. Dip each fried tortilla into the hot consomé briefly, just until coated and glossy. You should see steam rise from the tortilla immediately after dipping.
  3. Fill each dipped tortilla with shredded chicken, then top with shredded cheese, diced onion, and cilantro. Serve immediately with a cup of consomé for dipping.

Notes

Pro tip: strain the sauce for a silky consomé, then keep it hot so the dipped tortillas stay crisp at the edges. Refrigerate leftovers in sealed containers up to 3 days; reheat the consomé on the stove and re-fry tortillas for best texture. Freezing is not recommended for the tacos, but you can freeze the consomé and shredded chicken up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use chicken breast instead of thighs, noting the texture will be slightly less rich.