This slightly spicy Shredded Mexican Chicken is a great recipe to include in your weekly meal prep routine. It comes together in 30 minutes and makes a delicious filling for tacos, quesadillas, burritos and much more!.
Who else loves Mexican food?! Its such an easy option when it comes to meal prep and adding this shredded chicken to your weekly meal prep routine gives you tons of options for later in the week.
It takes 30 minutes to make this one-pot recipe, most of that time is spent cooking. You can make it any day of the week. [feast_advanced_jump_to].
Mexican-inspired chicken dishes are popular for good reason – they are flavorful, easy to make, and versatile enough for tacos, burritos, salads, and more If you love Mexican restaurant-style chicken but aren’t sure how to replicate it at home, this guide will walk you through the simple process step-by-step With just a few basic ingredients and techniques, you can make juicy, tender Mexican chicken worthy of any taqueria.
Choosing Your Chicken
For Mexican chicken recipes, you can use chicken breasts or thighs that are boneless and skinless or chicken pieces that still have bones. Chicken with bones tends to taste better and be more moist, but chicken skins without bones are easier to prepare. Because they have more fat and collagen, thighs will be juicier than breasts. Choose boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the most flavor and tenderness.
Seasoning Your Chicken
Season your chicken before cooking to make it taste like real Mexican food. Here are some simple seasoning combinations to try .
- Lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper
- Orange juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cayenne
- Lime juice, garlic, onion powder, paprika, ground coriander, and salt
Combine the spices you want, then sprinkle them all over the chicken and rub them into the meat. Soak the chicken in the sauce for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight. The acidic citrus juice helps tenderize the chicken.
Getting the Right Color
Browning the chicken well gives it appetizing color and rich, complex flavor. You can pan fry, grill, or broil the chicken to get nice browned exterior while keeping the interior moist. Aim for deep golden brown instead of pale tan.
If pan frying, use a heavy skillet or Dutch oven preheated over medium-high heat. Add just enough oil to lightly coat the bottom and prevent sticking. Cook chicken pieces for 3-5 minutes per side until well browned.
For broiling, place chicken on a baking sheet 4-6 inches from the heating element and broil for 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Move it further away if browning too quickly.
Simmering for Tenderness
Once the chicken is browned, you can finish cooking it by letting it cook slowly in sauce. This makes the meat extra flavorful and keeps it very tender. Try simmering in one of these easy Mexican-style sauces:
- Diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro, and lime
- Tomato sauce, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano
- Salsa verde with tomatillos, garlic, onion, cilantro, and lime
- Enchilada sauce made with chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, and broth
Bring the sauce to a simmer, add the browned chicken, cover, and let cook for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Spoon the sauce over the chicken frequently for maximum moisture.
Serving Suggestions
Your flavorful Mexican chicken is ready to fill tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more. Some fun ways to use it:
- Tacos with diced onions, cilantro, lime wedges, and salsa
- Burrito bowls with rice, beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, and avocado
- Tostadas topped with refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, and pickled jalapenos
- Enchiladas wrapped in tortillas and baked with sauce and cheese
- Salad with mixed greens, corn, black beans, tortilla strips, and cilantro lime dressing
With a few easy tricks like marinating, browning, and simmering in sauce, you can make restaurant-quality Mexican chicken at home any night of the week. Adjust the spices to your taste and get creative with serving ideas. ¡Buen provecho!
Why you’ll love this recipe
I love this recipe because its a one-pot deal! Once the chicken is cooked you just get rid of the liquid and put the shredded chicken back in the pot to mix the seasonings. Limited cleanup. who doesnt like that?!.
The combination of spices creates a fantastic flavor for this chicken. make this chicken super flavorful. This is definitely a great base for many easy weeknight meals!.
This is the perfect recipe to add to your meal prep recipe collection. Read on to learn more about how to make this Pulled Mexican Chicken, or jump straight to the recipe to start cooking!.
This recipe only uses a couple of ingredients, making it easy to throw together at any time. Heres what youll need:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast: I make a pound of this at a time, but you can double the recipe if you need to feed a lot of people. Youll just need a rather large Dutch oven to accommodate two pounds of chicken.
Beer: Youll need 12 ounces of beer. Ideally an amber ale but you can use your favorite type. Just like when you are cooking with wine, use a beer that you would drink.
Chicken broth: Low-sodium chicken broth is the best option for this recipe.
Lime juice: I prefer to use fresh lime juice, but if necessary you could substitute bottled lime juice. Youll need about a tablespoon, so one lime is enough.
Onion: I generally cook with yellow onions, regular, not sweet onions. You could substitute a white onion if thats what you happen to have.
Spices: ground chipotle pepper, dried cilantro, ground cumin, ground black pepper, sea salt
Pantry staples: chicken broth, garlic clove
Pulling this recipe together is a breeze. Really all it takes is cooking the chicken, shredding it, and adding some seasonings.
Step 1 | Cook the chicken. Put the sliced onions in the Dutch oven and then place the chicken breasts on top. Pour in the beer and chicken broth. You should make sure the chicken is covered with liquid. If you are using a very large Dutch oven or the chicken breasts are very thick, you may need to add a little more chicken broth.
Step 2 | Shred and season the chicken. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan and discard the remaining liquid, onions and garlic. Shred the chicken using two forks and then return the shredded chicken to the pan. Add the rest of the seasonings and mix well.
Meal prep tip: I often make this chicken at the beginning of the week to have something on hand for quick dinners or lunches. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 4 days. You can also freeze it in a zip-top freezer bag.
- Make it spicier. To get the level of heat you want, add more ground chipotle.
- Make it saucy. If you want something with a little more sauce, add some salsa. The version with more sauce can still be used in any Mexican dish or eaten by itself.
- Make it cheesy: If you want a really easy meal, add some grated cheddar or broken up Mexican cheese. Afterward, just add rice, and you have a very quick meal.
While you can shred any type of chicken, I think chicken breasts are the best and easiest option when you are making shredded chicken.
Shredded chicken is great for weekly meal prep. It stores well in both the refrigerator and freezer. For the refrigerator, store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days. For the freezer, store in a ziptop freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Dutch oven – A good Dutch oven is really a necessity in every kitchen. A 4 ½ to 5 ½ quart size is an excellent place to start for most home cooks. My personal preference is Le Creuset as I like the coated cast iron, however, there are many great brands of Dutch ovens.
This shredded Mexican Chicken is super versatile! Here are a few ideas for using it:
- One of my favorite lunch ideas during the week is this Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl. This chicken and most of the other things that go into it can be made ahead of time.
- Somewhat better for you than one of my favorite Mexican dishes, these Baked Chicken Flautas
- Put this chicken on a tortilla and top it with your favorite things to make tacos or quesadillas.
- You could serve it on top of this Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice if you want to keep things really simple.
Love chicken? Check out these reader-favorite recipes:
Click here to subscribe to Urban Foodie Kitchens Newsletter for free and fresh small batch recipes right to your inbox!
If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment with a star rating below. You can also take a photo & tag @urbanfoodiekitchen on Instagram.
How To Make Restaurant Quality Mexican Chicken At Home
FAQ
What is 4 ingredient Mexican chicken?
4 INGREDIENT MEXICAN BAKED SALSA CHICKEN This couldn’t be a simpler dinner for a weeknight. It’s made from just 4 ingredients (chicken breasts, taco seasoning, salsa and grated cheese!) and it’s on the table in 40 minutes! Serve with Mexican rice, corn chips, bean salad or a green salad!.
What seasonings do Mexican restaurants use on chicken?
Well the distinctive flavors are going to be cumin and chili powder. (There are all kinds of chili powders: generic mixed, ancho, cayenne, chipotle, etc. ) Possibly fresh chilis (jalapeno, serrano) and dried or preserved chiles (chipoltle, or a sauce like adobo).
How do Mexican restaurants cook their chicken?
Mexican restaurants typically prepare chicken in a variety of ways, with grilling, roasting, and braising being common methods. Flavor profiles often include chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion powder, sometimes with fresh or dried chilies for added heat.
What is Mexican for chicken?
Your Spanish Drops Bite is ready! chicken. el pollo.