Chicken Birria Tacos

Tacos have always been one of my favorites, but birria tacos will make you fall in love with Mexican cuisine all over again. Filled with juicy meat and cheesy as you eat with a side of amazing consome.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken

• 4 chile de arbol

• 4 chile ancho

• 6-7 chile guajillo

• 8-10 cloves of garlic

• 4 bay leaves

• 6-7 black peppercorns

• ½ onion halved

• ⅓ onion (finely diced)

• 3-4 cups water

• 1 tbsp adobo

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp onion powder

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• ½ tbsp paprika

• 1 tbsp bouillon (1 cube)

• ½ tbsp mexican oregano

• Salt to taste

• Corn tortilla

• Cilantro (finely chopped)

• Oaxaca cheese (shredded)

• Lime (for garnish)

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add in the chicken and half of the seasoning (adobo, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, salt, bouillon, mexican oregano). Mix well and let marinate sit for an hour.

2. In a non-stick pan, add 2-3 tbsp of oil and add the marinated chicken in. Cook on medium heat on all sides until it's golden brown.

3. Once the chicken is golden brown add in water, chiles, onion, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns and let it boil for 15 mins.

4. Once the chiles have softened using tongs remove the chiles, onion, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns and transfer it into a blender. Add in the rest of your seasonings with a cup of the water from the pot the chicken has been cooking in and blend till smooth.

5. Transfer the blended puree back into the pot with chicken and let cook for another 30 mins.

6. When the chicken is fully cooked remove it shred. I like to add a cup of the cooked consomme sauce to not let the chicken be too dry.

7. In a bowl mix the finely chopped onion and cilantro.

8. Take a corn tortilla and dip it quickly into the consomme and coat thinly.

9. Take the tortilla and put it on a non-stick pan. Add in the shredded chicken, and cheese. Fold the tortilla and cook on both sides until crispy tortilla is formed.

10. Take a ladle of consomme into a bowl and add in the onion/cilantro mixture for dipping the tacos in.

Notes:

• Deseed all the chiles before adding them into the chicken. If you like it extra spicy you can keep them the way they are but i prefer removing half of them.

• After blending you can strain the puree to make it even more smoother and thinner.

• You can add onion/cilantro mixture into the tortilla with chicken and cheese if preferred.