Crispy Chicken Birria Tacos with gooey melted cheese, crispy corn tortillas and amazing rich consommé sauce. The shredded chicken is slow cooked in the crock pot for abundant flavor and incredible texture!
I’ve been such a huge fan of my classic Crock Pot Birria Tacos that it didn’t dawn on me until recently that I could make a chicken version. I’m so thrilled I thought to do so, because the chicken rendition is just as impressive!
Traditional birria tacos are made with beef or goat meat, and they include a wildly rich dipping sauce, which sets them apart from any other taco. We’re taking all of the classic elements of these much-loved tacos and swapping out the meat for chicken.
Sinking your teeth into a birria taco is difficult to adequately describe in words. We have the crunch of the tortilla, the molten cheesy goodness and warmly-spiced shredded chicken launching flavor into our very being.
The way I see it, this easy chicken birria recipe is ideal for those times you’re entertaining guests and are looking for a fun culinary experience. While the chicken requires a chunk of time to cook, all of the preparation is both fun and simple.
Let’s discuss the basic ingredients for birria chicken!
Ingredients for Chicken Birria Tacos:
Dried Chilis: The combination of ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, and arbol chiles produces a sweet, smoky, slightly spicy birria sauce. Most grocery stores carry a variety of dried chiles, so there is no need to go to a specialty market.
Boneless Chicken Thighs: Pick up boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts. For the best flavor and texture, I recommend sticking with thighs.
Spices: Black peppercorns, coriander seed, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, dried Mexican oregano, ground cumin, and sea salt are our birria spices. None of them are spicy, and each imparts its own unique flavor.
Chicken Broth: Used to blend up the reconstituted chiles, we need some liquid. Chicken broth brings nice depth of flavor, and beef broth works here too.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds a little tang and sour flavor to the consommé to round out the flavors. White wine vinegar works too.
Tomato Paste: Brings a tiny amount of tomato flavor that is nearly imperceptible. Tomato paste also helps thicken the birria sauce.
Corn Tortillas: Our caravan for deliciousness! Fresh corn tortillas become extra crispy during the pan frying process for the optimal crunch.
Grated Cheese: Use oaxaca cheese, asadero cheese, or mozzarella cheese. I use mozzarella cheese because it is easy to find at any grocery store, whereas the others require a special trip to the Mexican market or carniceria. If you don’t want to make quesabirria tacos, skip the cheese.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make chicken birria tacos!
How to Make Chicken Birria Tacos:
Prepare the Birria Chicken:
Transfer the dried chili peppers to a saucepan and fill with water. Bring the water to a full boil. Turn off the heat and allow the chilies to soak for at least 10 minutes. This reconstitutes the chilies to unleash their flavor and to soften them for blending.
While the chilis are soaking, toast the spices. Place the black peppercorns, coriander seed, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick in a small skillet and heat over medium heat.
Allow the spices to toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring or shaking the skillet frequently to avoid burning. Wrap the spices in cheesecloth and bind the spice sachet with twine.
Once softened, use a slotted spoon to remove the chiles from the hot water. Allow them to cool enough to handle, then remove the stems and seeds.
Transfer the chilies to a high-powered blender along with the chopped onion, garlic, and chicken stock. Blend until smooth.
Place the boneless chicken thighs in the bottom of your crock pot. Pour the birria sauce through a fine mesh strainer to stain out the pulp. Press on the pulp with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
Add the spice sachet to the crock pot along with the cider vinegar, tomato paste, dried oregano, ground cumin, and sea salt. Give everything a big stir. It’s okay if the tomato paste is a bit clumpy…it will dissolve during the slow cooking process.
Secure the lid on the crock pot and cook on Low heat for 8 hours (recommended) or High heat for 4 hours.
Once the slow cooking process has finished, use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Place the chicken back into the crock pot with the sauce.
Make the Tacos:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough avocado oil to generously coat the surface. Give the skillet a few minutes to heat up.
Carefully place 2 to 3 corn tortillas in the hot skillet (depending on how much room you have), and sprinkle the surface of the tortilla with grated cheese.
Allow the cheese to melt most of the way before adding your desired amount of shredded chicken to half of the tortilla. Use a spatula to fold the tortilla in half.
It is easiest to fold the side without the chicken over the side with the shredded chicken. Spoon the crock pot juices (birria sauce) over each taco. Allow the corn tortilla to crisp up for another minute or two before flipping.
Continue pan frying and flipping until both sides of the taco have reached your desired level of crisp. Transfer the tacos to a plate and serve immediately for the best results.
Use a ladle to transfer some of the crock pot juices to a ramekin to be used as consommé for dipping the tacos.
Repeat this process for the remaining chicken. Dip the crispy tacos into the reserved sauce for the perfect bite. Serve them with your choice of side dishes, such as Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice, black beans, refried beans, fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, and guacamole!
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Recipe Tips:
- I make this recipe using 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs, which is enough to feed 3-4 hungry individuals. You can make this stretch to 5 or 6 if your folks aren’t very hungry. For feeding larger crowds, double or triple the recipe. I like making a big batch to end up with leftovers!
- For the best results, serve crispy chicken birria tacos fresh off the griddle. Because the taco shells get soggy as they sit, I recommend only making what you know will be eaten and save the leftover chicken for future tacos.
The next time you’re craving birria and you’ve got chicken lovers in the house, whip up this easy slow cooker chicken birria tacos recipe!
If you love authentic Mexican food recipes, also try out some of my other favorites.
More Mexican Food Favorites:
- Crock Pot Al Pastor
- Carne Asada
- Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
- Crock Pot Carnitas
- Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce
- Shredded Chicken Tostada
Enjoy these crispy, melty cheesy bites of pure bliss!
Crock Pot Chicken Birria Tacos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 dried ancho chilis
- 2 dried guajillo chilis
- 2 dried arbol chilis
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp coriander seed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
For Serving
- Corn Tortillas:
- Mozzarella cheese or oaxaca cheese or asadero cheese
- Cilantro
Instructions
Prepare the Birria Chicken:
- Transfer the dried chili peppers to a saucepan and fill with water. Bring the water to a full boil. Turn off the heat and allow the chilies to soak for at least 10 minutes.
- While the chilis are soaking, toast the spices. Place the black peppercorns, coriander seed, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick in a small skillet and heat over medium heat. Allow the spices to toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring or shaking the skillet frequently to avoid burning. Wrap the spices in cheesecloth and bind the spice sachet with twine.
- Once softened, use a slotted spoon to remove the chiles from the hot water. Allow them to cool enough to handle, then remove the stems and seeds. Transfer the chilies to a high-powered blender along with the chopped onion, garlic, and chicken stock. Blend until smooth.
- Place the boneless chicken thighs in the bottom of your crock pot. Pour the birria sauce through a fine mesh strainer to stain out the pulp. Press on the pulp with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Add the spice sachet to the crock pot along with the cider vinegar, tomato paste, dried oregano, ground cumin, and sea salt. Give everything a big stir.
- Secure the lid on the crock pot and cook on Low heat for 8 hours (recommended) or High heat for 4 hours.
- Once the slow cooking process has finished, use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Place the chicken back into the crock pot with the sauce.
Make the Tacos:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough avocado oil to generously coat the surface. Give the skillet a few minutes to heat up.
- Carefully place 2 to 3 corn tortillas in the hot skillet (depending on how much room you have), and sprinkle the surface of the tortilla with grated cheese. Allow the cheese to melt most of the way before adding your desired amount of shredded chicken to half of the tortilla. Use a spatula to fold the tortilla in half. It is easiest to fold the side without the chicken over the side with the shredded chicken. Spoon the crock pot juices (birria sauce) over each taco. Allow the corn tortilla to crisp up for another minute or two before flipping. Continue pan frying and flipping until both sides of the taco have reached your desired level of crisp. Transfer the tacos to a plate and serve immediately for the best results.
- Use a ladle to transfer some of the crock pot juices to a ramekin to be used as consommé for dipping the tacos.
- Repeat this process for the remaining chicken. Dip the crispy tacos into the reserved sauce for the perfect bite. Serve them with your choice of side dishes, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I have to toast the spices?
For the traditional cooking method, toasting spices are a must. That said, you can easily replace the whole spices with the ground version.
Use 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon. If you go this route, simply mix the spices into the sauce before you begin the slow cooking process.
Is this recipe easy for anyone to make?
Yes! These easy chicken birria tacos are perfect for all cooking levels. As long as you are comfortable blending things in a blender and flipping a taco in a hot skillet, you are well-prepared to make this easy recipe.
Can I use flour tortillas?
Absolutely! If you prefer flour tortillas over corn, feel free to make the switch. The taste and texture is slightly different, but they still turn out great.
Are birria tacos spicy?
Because chiles de arbol are considered hot, we end up with a rich sauce with smoky flavor and a little heat. To reduce the amount of heat, swap out the arbol chiles for a milder version, such as more ancho chiles.
Can I prepare the chicken in a Dutch oven or in the Instant Pot?
Yes, absolutely. You can use other cooking methods besides the slow cooker.
For the Instant pot, pressure cook on high heat for 30 minutes, then naturally release for at least 20 minutes.
For the stove top, bring the pot to a full boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat until the tender chicken reaches your desired texture.
