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This flavorful, easy shredded Mexican chicken comes together in 30 minutes, start to finish and is perfect for filling tacos, burritos, taquitos, or loading up on nachos or even into a salad.
All about this Shredded Mexican Chicken…
Tender and flavorful shredded chicken that is perfect for adding to all your favorite Mexican and Tex Mex dishes. This chicken is perfect for loading into tortillas for tacos, burritos and enchiladas. It can also be used on top of nachos or a salad. Some reasons why this chicken is the best shredded chicken out there:
- Cooking Method: a combination of searing the chicken and then poaching ensures we get all the best flavor and also retain all the moisture of the meat during cooking to give us ultra tender shredded chicken in the end.
- Quick and Easy: only 30 minutes is needed to make this chicken on the stovetop, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Flavorful: using a combination of spices and poaching in chicken broth gives wonderful flavor to this chicken.
Ingredients Needed:
Notes on some ingredients:
- Chicken: this recipe can be made using breasts or thighs. Just be sure to use boneless, skinless since it will be shredded.
- Chicken broth: this is used for poaching the chicken, if you don’t have any broth on hand you can use water.
- Oil: extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil are great options.
How to Make (step-by-step):
- Step 1: Prepare the chicken taco seasoning.
- Step 2: Coat the chicken with the seasoning, press it into the chicken with your hands.
- Step 3: Cook in a hot skillet with just a small amount of oil to sear both sides. Pour in some chicken broth, cover the skillet with a lid and let the chicken cook until it reaches 165 degrees and is easily shredded.
- Step 4: Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the remaining seasoned broth from cooking. This gives more flavor throughout the chicken.
Expert Tips:
- Temperature: Always check the internal temperature of your chicken to ensure that it reaches 165℉. Use an instant read thermometer to make this an easy task.
- Shredding: Shredding chicken is easier when it’s warm, so be sure to shred the chicken as soon as it’s done cooking.
- Coat the cooked chicken: Toss the shredded chicken back into the pan to fully coat it in the spices and juices from cooking. This ensures that the chicken is nicely flavored and retains as much moisture as possible.
FAQ’s:
This recipe works great for both chicken breasts and chicken thighs. Thighs will give you some dark meat, while breasts are light meat. Typically thighs do produce a more tender shredded chicken. However, this recipe poaches the chicken, which helps the breasts to retain moisture, and still be incredibly tender!
You can easily shred chicken using two forks to pull the chicken apart. You could also place the chicken into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and use the stand mixer, or a hand mixer on low speed to break apart the chicken.
This chicken is great for meal prep, it stores wonderfully in the refrigerator or freezer. Simply store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
What are some things I can make with this Shredded Mexican Chicken?
Easy Shredded Mexican Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients to make the chicken taco seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Coat the chicken on both sides with the chicken taco seasoning.
- Drizzle the olive oil and heat in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chicken and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Pour in the chicken stock. Cover the skillet and let the chicken cook in the broth for about 15-20 minutes, until the chicken registers 165 degrees internally and is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the skillet, shred using a fork, then return to the skillet. Stir to coat the chicken in the remaining sauce in the skillet. Let sit and keep warm on low heat for about 3-5 minutes, to get good flavor throughout the chicken.
Video
Notes
- Chicken: this recipe can be made using breasts or thighs. Just be sure to use boneless, skinless since it will be shredded.
- Chicken broth: this is used for poaching the chicken, if you don’t have any broth on hand you can use water.
- Oil: extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil are great options.
- Storage: store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe first published March 15, 2019. Updated February 11, 2022 with new images and information. Recipe is unchanged.
Photography by the talented @KJandCompany.co
It was good as it was but I did it this way:
I cut the chicken breast into 3 smaller pieces
I melt a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of oil in a frying pan. Preferably safflower or sunflower. Canola oil could be used, olive oil is kind of bitter tasting.
I sauté the chicken in a frying pan on a gas stove with a lid on medium and I turn it down to low when it simmers intensely, then around 3 minutes or every 3 minutes I flip them (it’s done at 165 in around 9 to 12 minutes, but around twenty if it’s cooked from frozen). I do this until the thickest piece reads a temp of around 145 to 150. You don’t want it at 165 yet. I take the chicken out, then clean the pan. I cut the chicken into thin strips and dice it or cut into small pieces. I lightly sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken until it’s all on there and add it to the pan, then I dump in the bouillon. I mix or stir the diced or shredded chicken until it’s evenly mixed with the seasoning and bouillon. Then I simmer it until the water is gone.
I used this:
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp salt (double if kosher)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
I didn’t use oregano
I put it in hard Taco shells or soft tortillas, I puree salsa (more pronounced flavor and spicier) and use it as taco sauce and add colby cheese, lettuce, sour cream, black olives, etc.
I also fold and tuck it in the tortilla and heat it on a flat cast iron skillet until golden or even darker brown on both sides. I would add the sour cream and possibly salsa after, but you have to open it up.
will love to see a lots of recipes thank you
I’ve been using this recipe several times a month for several years. My girlfriend basically requires this to survive now. The chicken always comes out great and tastes better than most restaurant chicken. Thank you for sharing it. Obviously, we love it!
I love you guys…awesome
You may want to check your nutrition facts…I have 1 serving (if there are 8 servings in recipe) coming to 141.75 calories per serving. Just a heads up. I almost skipped over this because of the cals. but decided to take a better look. excellent shredded chicken recipe!!
This chicken was excellent! I made it for quesadillas and it was absolutely perfect.
I just used water instead of stock. It was a split chicken breast so it had bones and cartilage so It made its own chicken stock plus all the yummy spices. Then I simmered the stock after I shredded the chicken and added some homemade enchilada base (the blended peppers onions spices and tomatoes) and it became instant enchilada sauce. This went into a Dutch oven with layers of corn tortillas and chicken sauce and cheese and then cooked until bubbling. Delish!!
I’ve started using chicken thighs, and instead of shredding you can cut the chicken into chunks after it’s finished.
It taste exactly like Chipotle’s chicken but better.
What a great idea! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe.
I don’t understand the nutrition. 1 gram has 309 calories and 37 carbs??? Where are the carbs coming from? A gram has 309 calories?
I thought the same thing. So I googled a calculator for nutrition based on ingredients. What I got from that made much more sense.
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I make this often. Everyone loves it! It’s easy, delicious. Surprisingly good! So satisfying each time i make it. Tender and the blend of spices is way better than any pre-packaged mix.
Great for enchiladas, tacos, burritos, bowls. I usually double the recipe and then keep using the chicken in different dishes for a few days. It freezes well also.
I wonder if this could be canned.
I’ve never canned chicken before. But it can be frozen for up to 3 months if that helps!