Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe

Shredded chicken breast tossed in a killer Mexican sauce, loaded with smokey chipotle flavours. It’s simple, takes 5 minutes to organize and you may make it within the gradual cooker, stress cooker or on the range (instructions offered for all). Use it for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, soup, on rice, quesadillas, sliders – the chances are countless!

I do know there are a gazillion Mexican chicken recipes on the market on this big-wide-cyber-world. I’m throwing my hat into the ring as a result of I believe this can be a little totally different to most.

The factor that {I believe!} distinguishes this chicken recipe from many others is the sauce. The smoky, mildly spicy crimson sauce that’s the finish results of a handful of substances which might be thrown into the gradual cooker.

See? Look. Dinner in three simple steps:

1. Chuck substances in gradual cooker (or stress cooker or saucepan);

2. Shred chicken, whizz liquid to remodel into thick sauce;

3. Serve and appear like a champ. (I like this step one of the best).

A key ingredient on this recipe is Chipotles in Adobo Sauce. To me, that is to Mexican cooking what soy sauce is to Asian cooking. Nicely, not soy sauce. Extra like oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. As a result of Adobo Sauce has much more advanced flavours than soy sauce.

It is available in a can and is dried chipotles in a thick smokey, tangy, spicy, barely candy crimson sauce. It’s not costly, about $3 – and freezes nice! I put it in small ziplock luggage and break bits off as required. Brush onto meat and grill it, add it into sauces – it’s like a secret weapon for a fast blast of Mexican flavour.

Although widespread all through the US, it’s not but mainstream in Australia (i.e. not at Coles, Woolworths), however I’m 20000% assured will probably be within the close to future as increasingly more persons are discovering it’s magic energy. I’ve listed locations I do know that promote it within the recipe (in Australia).

That is what it appears like.

Except for the attractive, wealthy crimson sauce, you might have observed that the shredded chicken has lovely crispy brown bits. Let me be clear – this doesn’t and can not occur from cooking within the sauce! I do an further, optionally available step of browning the chicken.

I actually assume this further step is value it as a result of the browned components are the greatest bits!! The caramelisation provides flavour and texture, plus it makes the huge pile of chicken much more attractive, don’t you assume??

Really, as a result of I normally make this forward, frying up the shredded chicken just isn’t actually an additional step as a result of it’s how I reheat it. 🙂

This Mexican Shredded Chicken is ridiculously versatile, similar to my Gradual Cooker Pork Carnitas, one of the vital widespread recipes right here on RecipeTin Eats (with good purpose! 😉 ). Listed here are a number of concepts:

• Tacos – with all of your favorite trimmings. This could be my favorite method…Right here’s my Guacamole recipe and Pico de Gallo, in case you need them. 🙂

• Enchiladas, Burritos, Sliders, Quesadillas, Taco Stack, Taco Soup, Enchilada Soup

• With Mexican Inexperienced Cilantro / Coriander Rice, or make a Mexican Pink Rice

You’ve gotten the choice to serve this with the chicken tossed within the sauce, or to serve the sauce on the aspect, like within the picture under. I don’t have a choice for both, it actually relies on the event, who I’m feeding (clearly not vegetarians), and the way lengthy I believe the chicken will probably be sitting round for. If I believe the chicken goes to be out for some time, I normally toss it within the sauce as a result of it retains the chicken good and moist (chicken breast tends to dry out shortly when it cools) with out shedding an excessive amount of crispiness.

I actually assume I ought to log out right here. This publish is getting lengthy. Have you ever ever met anybody earlier than who can write over 1,000 phrases a few Mexican chicken? No? Nicely, now you could have. 🙂

Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe

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Serves: 5 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 4 hours 4 hours

Nutrition facts: 297 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb / 750g chicken breast , skinless boneless (~3 halves)
• 1/2 cup Chipotles in Adobo Sauce (4 chillies + sauce) (Note 1)
• 14 oz / 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 1 tsp EACH dried oregano, cumin powder and onion powder (or garlic powder)
• 2 tsp sugar (any)
• 3/4 tsp salt (Note 2)
• Pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil (Note 3)
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

1. Slow Cooker: Place Chicken & Sauce ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on low. The chicken is ready when it can be shredded easily with 2 forks but it should NOT be mushy (i.e. overcooked).
2. Pressure cooker: 35 minutes on high.
3. Stove: Place Chicken & Sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and add 1 cup water. Simmer covered on medium low for 40 – 50 minutes, turning chicken occasionally, until chicken can be shredded with 2 forks.
4. Remove chicken and shred. Set aside.
5. Add lime juice (to taste) and 1 tbsp olive oil to the sauce. Use a stick blender (or transfer to blender) to puree the sauce. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. You should have about 2 cups of sauce.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add 1/3 to 1/2 the chicken and fry until dark golden brown on one side, flip and cook the other side very briefly (don’t brown), then remove. Use 1 tbsp oil for each batch you fry.
7. Toss chicken in the sauce OR serve it on the side.
8. Use for tacos (guacamole and Pico de Gallo, enchiladas, burritos, on green Mexican rice, quesadillas, sliders, on tostadas.

Notes

1. Chipotles in Adobo Sauce is to Mexican cooking what soy sauce is to Asian cooking. It is dried chipotle chillies in a flavoured red sauce that is quite spicy. You can find Chipotles in Adobo in the canned goods aisle in most supermarkets in the US (its widely available there). In Australia, it is sold at Harris Farms, Thomas Dux, The Essential Ingredient in Rozelle (Sydney), Fiji Market in Newtown (Sydney), some Asian groceries and online from Firework Foods. I’m sure it’s available at other speciality stores too, they are just the ones I know.
Do a taste test to check for spiciness because brands can differ, though the brands I use in Australia are fairly similar. The ones I use are spicy but not “blow your head off” spicy. If yours is “blow your head off” spicy, you may want to use less. But note that the spiciness loses it’s edge overnight!
Leftovers freeze perfectly – I pop it in small ziplock bags, flatten it out and it’s easy to break a bit off to use as needed.
If you really can’t find Chipotles in Adobo Sauce but are still keen to try this dish, use 1 1/2 tbsp chipotle powder + 2 tsp SMOKED paprika powder + 1/4 cup sriracha (YES, really, it’s pretty close to Adobo Sauce when combined with chipotle and paprika) in place of the Chipotles in Adobo Sauce.
2. I use table salt. If you use kosher or sea salt flakes, use an extra 1/2 tsp.
3. Use 1 tbsp for each batch of chicken pan fried.
4. The chicken drops a lot of juice while cooking so there will be plenty of liquid in the slow cooker / pressure cooker. For the stove top, extra water is added so it ends up with the same amount of sauce at the end.
5. TO STORE: This makes lots because it keeps well and it’s a bit hard to make the Sauce with less chicken. It keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. To freeze, I shred the chicken and freeze it separate from the sauce before pan frying. Defrost, then pan fry the chicken per the recipe, reheat sauce separately.
6. This makes enough for around 15 to 20 tacos, serving around 5 to 6 people (3 tacos per person).
7. Nutrition per serving, chicken and sauce only (not tortilla wrap and toppings), assuming 6 servings.