These slow cooked chicken tacos simmer away in a mixture of beer, dried New Mexican chiles, and other aromatics until super tender and shreddable, for the yummiest tacos.
Going through my recipe archives I noticed the glaring omission of a recipe that has become a favorite around our house. I only had two taco recipes on the blog, one for Fried Avocado Tacos and one for Spaghetti Tacos, the first being a somewhat untraditional twist and the second suitable mainly for a gaggle of pre-teens or the indecisive Mexican Italian.
While I am a lover of beef tacos made with traditional beef—ground, shredded, it’s all good in my book—tacos made with shredded chicken have become a favorite at Casa del Larsen and an ode to the shredded chicken tostadas at Venice, CA’s El Tarasco. Their chicken tostadas were a Monday night staple after a weekend of play and an empty fridge yet to be restocked.
The stewed chicken atop a mound of shredded lettuce and doused in salsa made the beginning of the week that much more bearable.
I’ve tried to recreate El Tarasco’s chicken stewey, and while this is similar, it isn’t quite the same but is oh so tasty in its own incarnation thanks to its earthy flavor.
But what I really love about this recipe is that it’s a one pot wonder thanks to a little secret that makes it super easy to make no matter which day of the week.
See, I make this chicken recipe with frozen chicken meat. No thawing, no browning. Just dump the brick of frozen bird breast into the pot with some delicious aromatics, let it cook for a few hours on the stove or in the crock pot and magic things happen.
The chicken comes out amazingly moist thanks to being braised in chicken stock and tenderizing beer. You can sub in wine or omit the alcohol altogether, but I’ve found it does add a tasty layer of flavor when the bird is a little tipsy.
To keep things on the lighter side I usually toast corn tortillas in my toaster oven instead of frying them and then shape them into taco coves upside down on a baking rack to cool.
Or if my talk of tostadas has inspired your taste buds, warm the tortillas but keep them traditionally flat and lather with a layer of refried beans and top with lettuce and chicken and tostada toppings.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Stewed Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound frozen skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 3 whole dried New Mexico chiles
- 4 cloves garlic , peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 bunch of about 15 fresh cilantro stems
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup Pale Ale beer
- small corn tortillas
- shredded lettuce, avocado, diced tomato, cilantro leaves and cotija cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large Dutch oven or large stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 ½ hours. Remove chicken from broth and set aside. Pull stems from cooked peppers, remove bay leaves from the pot and transfer the broth to a blender in batches to blend the sauce. Add the sauce back to the dutch oven, bring to a boil and cook down to 2 cups of sauce.
- While sauce is cooking, shred chicken with two forks or your fingers. Add 1 cup of sauce and chicken to a bowl and combine, adding more sauce if desired.
- Place small corn tortillas in a toaster oven and toast lightly. While hot, carefully bend the tortillas and place in a rack to cool into a curved taco shell shape. Layer chicken, shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, diced tomato, cilantro leaves and cotija cheese and serve with extra sauce on the side.
Nutrition
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Stefanie SANCHEZ
Says to combine all ingredients. That can’t be right. Am I supposed to boil the corn tortillas, too? Is that what makes the sauce kind of thick? If not, I’m assuming I just add ingredients up to the beer. But then why do we blend the sauce? Does that change the texture?
Ann Armstrong
How many people does this serve?
Ann
How many tacos does this recipe make?
El
I made this. And, it was indeed delicious. Plus very easy to make! We are going to have the leftovers over rice.
Eliza
On the stove, cooking away right now – smells incredible, can’t wait to eat this!
Kim in Palm Coast
How long do you cook the bird brick & goodies if using the crockpot?
Ruth
I have taco night about 3 nights a week, hehe, could absolutely live on them! These look so yummy and easy! You’ve sold me- I’m making a variation tonight!
Tracy @ Peanut Butter and Onion
Dinner is served tonight
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
I am literally drooling!!!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
Totally drooling over here! I love these, Heidi!
Emily
So totally adding these tacos to our Taco Tuesday rotation. Mmm…
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
It’s hard to say what I like more about this: the frozen bird trick, the taco shell trick, or just the whole dang taco. Amazing.
Kevin (Closet Cooking)
Nice looking tacos!
Now coming from the taco king that’s a compliment! Thanks Kevin!
natalie @ wee eats
Do you have a specific pale beer that you recommend for this recipe?
Oh yes. My husband’s favorite. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
natalie @ wee eats
these look great. it will be the perfect easy meal for us when we get home from vacation :)
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes
They look delicious!! One pot wonders are the best :)
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Drooling, these are perfect for taco Tuesday!
Giulia
Yummmy! I make something similar by cooking my frozen chicken breasts in the slow-cooker with a block of cream cheese, 2 cups of frozen corn, a can of beans and a jar of salsa. It comes together nicely and works great in tacos or burritos. It’s perfect when you forget to thaw the meat.
Whoa! Now THAT is a recipe. Thanks for sharing, I’ll have to try. I love braising with the frozen birdie. So easy.
Traci
Great job Heidi! These look perfect. I am adding these to my taco collection. I’m always trying out new tacos. I think I have a fettish or something. Is there an addiction meeting for us?
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet
Love these tacos! Gorgeous presentation!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
Tipsy chicken, you say? Tacos, you say?? I’M ALL IN.
Lauren Grier @ (Climbing Grier Mountain)
I am completely smitten with this recipe! I crave Mexican food more than a person should so anytime there’s a delicious one-pot wonder in my sight, I am all over it. Can’t wait to dig in!
carrian
I love your one pot wonder chicken! It looks awesome and who wouldn’t like not having to defrost meat. Especially on the days you realize you forgot to get something out of the freezer.
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
Ha – “the brick of frozen bird” made me LOL. These sound so great!!! I eat tacos WAY too much. Will have to try these in my rotation! :)
You have amazing tacos on your blog, must be the reason you eat them so often. Not hard when you have a taco truck right in your own kitchen.
Tieghan
love these tacos! Yum! I want these for dinner. Why are tacos always so appealing!?!
Cassie | Bake Your Day
This is fantastic, Heidi! I grew up on stewed chicken but this is almost like a grownup version of it. Great flavors!
Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking
I seriously love any kind of taco! This chicken recipe is so easy! I love the idea of just adding cilantro stems. Way to use the whole herb!
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers
I love this idea! Gorgeous photos, so appetizing!
Jen @ Savory Simple
These are going into my recipe box! We have taco night around here all the time and you’ve made me realize I have NO taco recipes on the blog. Unacceptable!
patti
They look so delicious, They’re calling my name.
Azzira
Great stuff for one second I thought it is sizzler. Hmmmmmmm its seems yummy.
Fish store