Forget Tuesday! Tacos are meant to be enjoyed any day of the week! And for good reason. I’ve literally never met another human who just flat-out did not like tacos. There are so many different variations and flavor combos, that there’s something for everyone.
We do eat a lot of tacos in this house because:
- They’re something we can all agree on most days
- Healthy variations are plentiful
- They’re a meal I can whip up without a lot of planning or preparation
This recipe for shredded chicken tacos is a family favorite. The chicken braises in a delicious sauce until it practically falls apart. It’s tender, juicy and smoky with a little kick. I also love piling over nachos, burrito bowls and salads!
Here’s what you need:
This recipe works for 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of chicken breasts. If you have a large dutch oven, you could double the recipe and make a really big batch and freeze it. It reheats beautifully for a quick, busy night dinner which makes my life so much easier. Small victories.
As always, have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before beginning to avoid any panic prepping later on. Heat a dutch oven or heavy bottomed, lidded pot over medium-high heat and allow to fully preheat, which will take a few minutes. Pour in a couple tablespoons of olive oil and wait until it just begins to smoke before adding in the chicken. You do all of this to ensure proper browning, and it will prevent the chicken from sticking when you go to flip it.
Make sure your chicken is dry before searing.
Any time you sear meat, it is crucial to pat it dry very well on both sides first. If you add something with a lot of excess moisture to a hot pot, it will create steam and not brown. Also be sure to season both sides of the chicken with salt before searing. These little steps really make a huge difference in the finished product.
If the surface area of your pot is quite small, brown the chicken two at a time. Just make sure each breast has its own space and they are not all crowded together.
Once the chicken is browned on both sides, remove them from the pot and turn the heat down to medium. They won’t be cooked through at this point, but they will finish cooking in the braising liquid later on.
Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and sauté for roughly 3 minutes, until they are slightly translucent.
Add the garlic, tomato paste and spices and sauté for a couple minutes more. Pour in the chicken broth and use your wooden spoon to scrape loose any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those little bits are what makes the sauce taste so good!
Return the chicken breasts to the pot and bring the sauce to a steady simmer. Put the lid on and braise for 45 minutes. I check it occasionally in case I need to adjust the heat.
After 45 minutes, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce. When it’s ready, it will be thick and glossy. There should be enough sauce to coat the chicken once it has been shredded.
Turn off the heat. Place the chicken on a cutting board and use two forks to shred it. Place it back in the pot and toss with the sauce.
This shredded chicken is very savory and goes perfectly with a bright, refreshing salsa. I have several salsa recipes that go so well with it such as:
- Easy Fresh Pico de Gallo
- Fresh Pineapple Salsa
- Grilled Peach and Hatch Chili Salsa
- Roasted Green Chili-Tomatillo Salsa
Other recipes to try:
The Best Shredded Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 to 2 lbs chicken breast boneless, skinless (about 3-4 breasts, depending on the size)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 yellow onion small diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth unseasoned
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- olive oil
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot to medium high heat. Pat the breasts dry on both sides and sprinkle all over with salt. Add a couple tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and then the chicken but be sure the pot is hot before adding them. Make sure the breasts have their own space to brown. You may need to do two at a time. Once the breasts are browned turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and sauté with a pinch of salt for a couple minutes. Add the garlic, spices and tomato and continue to sauté a couple minutes more. Add the broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits clinging to the bottom of the pot. Stir the sauce and bring it to a steady simmer. Add the breasts back to the pot, put the lid on and simmer for 45 minutes. Check about halfway through incase the sauce is reducing too quickly and adjust heat if needed. After 45 minutes is up, remove the lid and let the sauce finish reducing. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. This sauce should be thick and glossy and should look to be about 3/4 cup (just eyeball it.)Turn off the heat and remove the breasts and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken and place it back into the pot. Toss it in the sauce until well coated. Squeeze the juice from one lime all over and toss.