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How to Make Birria de Pollo (Chicken Birria) - A Step-by-Step Guide

Birria de Pollo, or Chicken Birria, is a traditional Mexican dish that originated in the state of Jalisco. It is a flavorful and hearty stew, typically made with chicken, chilies, and a blend of spices. The dish is known for its deep red color and rich, complex flavor profile.

While birria is commonly made with goat or beef, chicken birria is a popular alternative that offers a lighter, but equally delicious, version of the dish. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld tog...

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Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 dried de árbol chile, stemmed and seeded (Optional)
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 1 medium white onion, quartered, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup crispy tortilla strips (Optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
  • 6 lime wedges, for serving

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Additional Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
  • Servings: 6

  • Gather all ingredients.
  • Add chicken broth to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high. Remove from heat and add dried chiles. Cover and let sit until chiles have softened, about 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 3 of the onion quarters, reserving the last quarter for later use, and garlic to pan. Cook, flipping once, until charred, about 6 minutes.
  • Remove from heat (do not wipe out the pot), and transfer onion and garlic to a blender. Add chicken broth, chiles, tomatoes, vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, and cloves. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl.
  • Season chicken with remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil in to the large pot; heat over medium-high. Add chicken; cook, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
  • Pour blended chile mixture over meat chicken and top with bay leaf. Cover and cook over medium-low until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, chop remaining onion quarter. Set aside.
  • Uncover pot, discard bay leaf, and remove chicken from chile mixture and shred. Divide shredded chicken evenly among 6 bowls, and ladle in the soup over chicken in bowls. Top with reserved chopped onion, tortilla strips, if desired, cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

    • Nutrition

    275 cal.

    • Total Fat: 10g
    • Saturated Fat: 1g
    • Cholesterol: 70mg
    • Sodium: 1684mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 19g
    • Dietary Fiber: 5g
    • Protein: 30g
    • Potassium: 593mg

    Categories

    Appetizer recipes
    Main recipes
    Mexican recipes
    Chicken recipes
    Slow cooker recipes