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My easy chicken birria tacos deliver rich, comforting flavor with minimal effort! Made using classic ingredients and a simple method, these tacos are a weeknight win that feels super indulgent.
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If you're as taco-obsessed as I am, you need to try these chicken birria tacos. They're inspired by traditional Mexican birria de pollo, and bring serious depth thanks to a spicy, rich consome that tastes straight out of your favorite taqueria.
My family and I have been enjoying birria tacos as a household staple for years now, but I wanted to experiment with other kinds. I picked up a giant pack of chicken thighs with taco night coming up, and thought, why not chicken birria?
I tell you, it was a huge hit. Chicken birria tacos have all the flavor of rich, earthy birria, plus super tender chicken that's budget friendly and easy to prepare. With that beautiful sheen of flavorful fat at the top to dip tortillas in, every step of making chicken birria is filled with the anticipation of a delicious dinner!
I know you're going to love my chicken birria recipe, and it's just so fun to make chicken birria tacos! Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments below and with a rating!
What is Birria?
Birria (sometimes misspelled as birra, e.g. chicken birra tacos) is a traditional Mexican stew or soup typically made using chili peppers, goat meat, and seasonings such as cumin, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.
However, there are now many versions of birria using other proteins, including beef birria and, of course, chicken birria! The seasonings and preparation in this birria chicken tacos recipe are similar to traditional birria.
Ingredients in Chicken Birria Tacos
- Bone-in chicken thighs: You can also use boneless skinless chicken breast, but I find the flavor and texture of the thighs.
- Neutral, high-heat cooking oil, such as grapeseed oil
- Onion: I prefer yellow or sweet onion. Avoid red onion.
- Tomatoes: You can use any kind; but I prefer heirloom tomatoes for their superior flavor!
- Garlic
- Guajillo chiles: These can be found dried in the grocery or International section of the grocery store.
- Chiles de arbol: If you can't find chiles de arbol, you can use other types of dried chile.
- Bay leaves
- Oregano: If you can find it, try using Mexican oregano.
- Paprika: Smoked or sweet paprika will work great. I like smoked paprika when I can get it for the rich smoky flavor.
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cumin
- Salt
- Chicken broth
- Corn tortillas: You could use small flour tortillas too. I find corn tortillas have the best flavor.
- Melting cheese, such as Oaxaca or Monterey Jack
- Onion: Red onion or white onion are ideal.
- Cilantro
How to Make Chicken Birria Tacos
- Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add oil. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place in the pot. Add 2 of the onion quarters. Cook until chicken begins to brown, about 5 minutes on each side, then remove pot from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the chiles for the sauce: Remove the seeds and stems from the dried chiles. Place chiles in a pot along with the remaining half onion, tomatoes, and one bay leaf. Cover with about 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Prepare the sauce: Using a slotted spoon, move the chiles, tomatoes, and onion to a blender. Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and salt to the blender. Add one cup of the water from the pot, strained with a sieve, to the blender. Top off with 1 cup of chicken stock. Whirl until well blended. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the pot with the chicken back on the burner on medium heat. Pour sauce over the chicken. Toss in the remaining bay leaf. When the sauce begins to bubble, turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. (Internal temperature should be 165°F). Turn off heat. Remove then discard the bay leaf.
- Take out the chicken from the pot and allow to cool for a few minutes. Remove the bones and skin, and shred the meat. Return chicken to pot and stir to coat.
- Make the tacos: Bring a skillet to medium heat and add about a teaspoon of cooking oil. Dip a tortilla in the fat layer floating to the top of the birria sauce, then place in the skillet. Cook 30 seconds then flip. Add some shredded chicken, cheese, diced onion, and pinch of cilantro to one side of tortilla.
- Fold in half and cook for 30 seconds on each side, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla begins to crisp up. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Repeat for each taco.
- Serve tacos warm with a side of birria consome for dipping. Enjoy!
Mexican Recipes
If you love Mexican recipes, try my cozy breakfast Chilaquiles, or mouthwatering Beef Quesabirria Tacos!
Isabel's Top Tips for Making Chicken Birria Tacos
- The chicken birria sauce can be prepared ahead of time if preferred. By storing it in the refrigerator to use later, the fat will rise to the top, making it even easier to use the fat to fry the tortillas! Just scoop it off cold fat and place it right in the skillet to use as the frying oil.
- You can use flour tortillas if you prefer, but smaller tortillas work best and corn tortillas fry very nicely.
- To make the sauce thicker, cook it with additional tomatoes and slightly reduce the water used. You can also use chicken stock, which is thicker.
- Use a cast iron or non-stick skillet when frying the quesabirria tacos so you can use less oil and they won't stick to the pan.
- You can use a different type of meat if you like. Try beef, pork, or the traditional goat or mutton.
- Chicken breasts can be used to make this dish. However, bone-in chicken thighs will add additional flavor to the broth when cooking, and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture that's hard to pass up.
- If you can't find guajillo chiles, other mild dried red chiles work just as well. Try Hatch peppers, California peppers, or Anaheim peppers. You can even use chipotles in adobo!
FAQ
The flavor of birria can be described as savory, smoky, somewhat sweet, and slightly spicy. Whether you prepare it with chicken or beef will change the flavor, but the adobo complements both meats well and breaks them down so they are fall-apart tender.
After cooking birria, remove the meat from the broth and shred it. Dip the corn tortillas in the Birria fat. Then, the meat to corn tortillas with Mexican melting cheese such as Oaxaca cheese, along with onion and cilantro. Fry the birria tacos in a pan using a little bit of oil so they are crispy and the cheese is melted. Dip tacos in leftover birria sauce served on the side.
Birria sauce is best enjoyed as a stew, soup, or on the side of birria tacos as a dipping sauce. You can also pair it with rice and beans with tortillas on the side, as a quesadilla, or with tamales.
How to Store Chicken Birria
- Refrigerator: Separate the birria sauce and meat into two containers, then store in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 4 days. The sauce will taste even better the next day.
- Freezer: Separate the sauce and the meat, then place the birria in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 4 months. The chicken should be stored separately in a bag or other container with very little air; it will last 3-4 months.
- Thawing: Thaw leftovers in the fridge overnight or by placing the frozen chunk of sauce in a pot over low heat and letting gradually heat until bubbling, then add in the chicken.
- Reheating: Scoop out some of the hardened fat from the birria and place it in a skillet to toast tortillas in, then heat up the sauce and chicken in the microwave or stove until heated through.
What to Serve with Chicken Birria Tacos
- Elote
- Fluffy rice
- Street Corn Casserole
- Street Corn Dip
- Pickled Onions
- See my guide on How to Warm Tortillas!
I promise, you are going to love every bite of these chicken birria tacos. They are a total game-changer for taco night, but they're also amazing for special occasions. It is guaranteed to be as popular as my chicken chili recipe.
Chicken Birria Tacos
Equipment
- 1 Non-stick pan or cast iron skillet
- 1 large dutch oven or pot
- 1 Slotted spoon
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon neutral - high-heat cooking oil (like grapeseed oil)
- 1 medium onion - quartered
- 2 roma tomatoes - quartered
- 4 cloves garlic - smashed
- 3 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried chiles de arbol - or more if you like spicy
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chicken broth
For the tacos:
- 16 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded mexican melting cheese - like Oaxaca, or monterey jack; I used pepper jack
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add oil. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste, and place in the pot. Add 2 of the onion quarters. Cook until chicken begins to brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Then remove pot from heat and set aside.2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs,1 tablespoon neutral,1 medium onion
- Prepare the chiles for the sauce: Remove the seeds and stems from the dried chiles. Place chiles in a pot along with the remaining half onion, tomatoes, and one bay leaf. Cover with about 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.1 medium onion,2 roma tomatoes,3 dried guajillo chiles,2 dried chiles de arbol,2 bay leaves
- Prepare the sauce: Using a slotted spoon, move the chiles, tomatoes, and onion to a blender. Add the garlic, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and salt to the blender. Add one cup of the water from the pot, strained with a sieve, to the blender. Top off with 1 cup of chicken broth. Whirl until well blended. Add more salt and pepper to taste.4 cloves garlic,2 teaspoons oregano,1 teaspoon paprika,½ teaspoon ground cinnamon,½ teaspoon ground cumin,1 teaspoon salt,1 cup chicken broth
- Place the pot with the chicken back on the burner on medium heat. Pour sauce over the chicken. Toss in the remaining bay leaf. When the sauce begins to bubble, turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. (Internal temperature should be 165°F). Turn off heat. Remove and discard the bay leaf.2 bay leaves
- Remove chicken from the pot and allow to cool for a few minutes. Remove the bones and skin, and shred the meat. Return chicken to pot and stir to coat.
- Make the tacos: Bring a skillet to medium heat and add about a teaspoon of cooking oil. Dip a tortilla in the birria sauce then place in the skillet. Cook 30 seconds then flip. Add some shredded chicken, cheese, diced onion, and pinch of cilantro to one side of tortilla.16 corn tortillas,1 cup shredded mexican melting cheese,½ cup chopped cilantro,½ cup finely diced onion
- Fold in half and cook 30 seconds on each side, until cheese is melted and tortilla begins to crisp up. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Repeat for each taco.
- Serve tacos warm with a side of birria sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- The chicken birria sauce can be prepared ahead of time if preferred. By storing it in the refrigerator to use later, the fat will rise to the top, making it even easier to use the fat to fry the tortillas!
- You can use flour tortillas if you prefer, but smaller tortillas work best and corn tortillas fry very nicely.
- To make the sauce thicker, cook it with additional tomatoes and slightly reduce the water used.
- Use a cast iron or non-stick skillet when frying the quesabirria tacos so you can use less oil and they won't stick to the pan.
- You can use a different type of meat if you like. Try beef, pork, or the traditional goat.
- Chicken breasts can be used to make this dish. However, bone-in chicken thighs will add additional flavor to the broth when cooking.
- If you can't find guajillo chiles, other mild dried red chiles work just as well. Try Hatch peppers, California peppers, or Anaheim peppers
Nicole says
Loved this recipe! I felt like I was eating restaurant food! I subbed out the dried chiles for chipotles in adobo sauce and it came out delicious. I also strained the sauce after blending to get the seeds out and it was perfect.
Isabel Laessig says
Nicole, thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear this!
Happycook says
Turned out delicious. I added chicken bouillon to the stock base, a little more salt and fish sauce. My whole family loves them!
Isabel Laessig says
I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe and love that you made it your own! ❤️ Until next Sunday Supper… keep gathering, keep cooking, and keep making memories. – Isabel