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    Home » Mexican Recipes » Taco Recipes » Chicken Birria Tacos Instant Pot or Stove and Video

    Chicken Birria Tacos Instant Pot or Stove and Video

    Date: May 2, 2023 by Christian Guzman • This post may contain affiliate links. See Privacy Policy below.

    Chicken Birria Tacos are quicker and easier than beef, but just as tasty. Indulge your tastebuds with the signature homemade adobo to dip your fried tacos for extra flavor.

    • Are chicken birria tacos a thing?
    • Making birria tacos crunchy
    • Is birria a goat meat?
    • What do you serve with birria?
    • Recipe
    24Bite: Chicken Birria Tacos Quesabirria Tacos recipe by Christian Guzman
    Birria tacos are served with a rich red chile sauce on the side for dipping.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    If you’re wondering, yes, these are those delicious looking crispy tacos that you’ve been seeing all over the internet. You can’t even search tacos without seeing a plate of tacos served with a little bowl of consomme for dipping.

    Maybe we could describe it as the French dip of Mexico! Work with me here.

    Is There Such A Thing As Chicken Birria Tacos?

    The word birria means “braised meat”. The most typical meat used is goat and many die-hard connoisseurs will insist that you can’t have birria if it’s not made with goat.

    If you are visiting Mexico, you will find birria served in a bowl like a stew or in tacos like the ones here. If looking for chicken, you would ask for “birria de pollo”. It’s not quite as popular as beef, but is popular in many kitchens because chicken is less expensive and doesn’t require a long cook time.

    Using chicken makes everything easier and quicker. Since it’s less expensive, you can also enjoy it more often.

    birria tacos on a round charcuterie board

    How Do You Make Birria Tacos Crunchy?

    After working with it several times, I’ve found that the temperature of the frying oil must be high enough that it fries the tortillas instead of soaking into them.

    If you are getting soft tortillas, try turning up the heat to fry them more quickly. Be careful to protect yourself from the hot oil, but you will definitely need to use the higher temperatures so the grease doesn’t have a chance to soak into the tortilla.

    Make sure that you’re using fat instead of trying to fry them in the chile sauce alone. Keep vegetable oil or lard handy so you can replenish the fat in the skillet, as necessary.

    close up of straining the chiles with a whisk
    Use a spoon or whisk to strain the liquid from the red chiles.

    Do I Have to Use An Instant Pot?

    While I love using the Instant Pot, I know that not everyone has one. It makes a tender, juicy chicken. But, you could just as easily make this chicken birria on the stove or in the crockpot or even in the oven, if you wanted.

    Ingredients

    Because the red chile sauce is made from scratch, there are several ingredients. Once you get the sauce out of the way, though, you’ll simply braise the chicken thighs and assemble your tacos.

    ingredients for chicken birria tacos on a countertop

    Although the more traditional birria is made with goat or lamb, or more recently, beef, I’ve decided to change the rules a bit. I’m using less expensive chicken, which also has the benefit of taking less time to cook.

    What Chiles To Use In Birria Red Sauce?

    For this chicken birria, I didn’t want something super spicy. I used a large handful of dried red Anaheim chiles, also known as California chiles. They smell sweet and fruity-ish. I’ve also used three Ancho chiles for a smoky flavor and only three small Chiles de Arbol since they’re pretty spicy.

    Have a browse at all
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    to customize your own search.

    Anaheim chiles aren’t spicy at all. To me, I feel like they’re like green bell peppers. They’re usually the same peppers in cans of mild diced green chiles.

    I tried to add a little more heat by using the El Pato sauce. Although this sauce is spicy alone, it didn’t really turn out to give much heat when mixed in with the birria sauce.

    If you want to add more heat, but still want to stick to the red color, try using a can of chipotle salsa instead.

    can of San Marcos chipotle salsa, alone, on a countertop

    You can also use Guajillo chiles or more Chiles de Arbol. Check out my Scoville Heat Scale to learn more about each of the chiles and how spicy they can be.

    If you want, just shake in some cayenne pepper. That will definitely give it some kick.

    What Cheese In Quesabirria Tacos?

    I guess I should explain the difference between birria tacos and quesabirria tacos first. It’s easy. Quesabirria means that the tacos are made with meat and cheese. Queso=cheese.

    Traditional Mexican Oaxaca cheese on a wooden plate © marcoscastillo vis 123rf.com
    Oaxaca cheese is a traditional Mexican cheese that melts easily.

    Although I’ve used Chihuahua cheese (Menonita), you can use any melty cheese you can find. Oaxaca would be great, but it’s not available around here.

    Try Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack for a spicy alternative. Mozzarella cheese could be used as well.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is birria a goat meat?

    Birria is braised or steamed meat, traditionally made from goat or lamb. More recently, it’s made with beef roast, but it can be made with any meat.

    What should birria taste like?

    Birria is a a mixture of flavors, filled with sweet, savory, spicy seasonings. Each bite is a taste explosion.

    Where is birria from?

    Birria comes from the town of Cocula in the State of Jalisco, Mexico. You are probably already familiar with the capital of Jalisco… Guadalajara. My great grandmother is from Guadalajara!

    How Long Does It Take To Make Birria?

    There are quite a few steps to making birria. It’s especially time consuming if you need to cook the beef two or three hours until tender.

    To shorten the time involved, I’m using chicken, but there are still a lot of steps.

    Like my tamales recipes, I’ve learned to do things by splitting up the steps. My tip? Make the sauce first, even the night before.

    If you make the sauce the night before, the fat will set on the top, making it easier to remove and use to fry the tortillas the next day.

    closeup of chicken birria taco being dipped into bowl of sauce

    Using An Instant Pot

    I’ve used an Instant Pot to braise the chicken in the red chile sauce. The Instant Pot is a great way to steam meat and tamales, making it great for Mexican food.

    I’ve included instructions on using a covered skillet as well. It’s easy to use either one here.

    puring red chile sauce from the blender into the Instant Pot
    The Instant Pot is optional. You could also use a covered skillet.

    Have a look at this Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System (aff link) at Amazon. It’s the one we use and includes the blender, a food processor bowl and two to-go cups.

    Can This Recipe Be Used For Beef?

    It’s very easy to make these tacos with beef instead of chicken. Instead of a 10-minute cook time, you’ll need 70 minutes with natural release for a 2.5-3 pound chuck roast.

    What To Serve With Birria?

    If you decide to eat the birria as a stew, you can serve it with any typical sides. Check out my list of things to serve with tamales. You can use any of these.

    If you decide to serve the meat assembled as chicken birria tacos as I’ve done, I don’t mind telling you that you don’t need any sides. I could easily eat them without anything else.

    Okay, if you really want to add some sides, a little side salad and sliced avocado would be delicious. My Spanish rice recipe would be excellent as well.

    I was able to find more history on birria and how birria became the hottest new taco trend.

    Now, you’ll be able to jump on this trend right in your own home!

    24Bite: Chicken Birria Tacos Quesabirria Tacos recipe by Christian Guzman

    Recipe

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    Chicken Birria Tacos Instant Pot or Stove +VIDEO

    Tap to leave a star rating
    4.81 from 123 votes
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 376kcal
    Author: Christian Guzman
    Save or Print
    Chicken Birria Tacos are quicker and easier than beef, but just as tasty. Indulge your tastebuds with the signature homemade adobo to dip your fried tacos for extra flavor.

    For more information, be sure to check the recipe details in the attached 24Bite® post.

    Equipment

    • 6-quart Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (or covered skillet)
    • or Large Deep Skillet (see notes)
    • or Dutch Oven
    • or Crockpot

    Ingredients

    Red Chile Sauce

    • 9 Red Anaheim Chiles, can be other dried red chiles; i.e. California or Guajillo
    • 3 Ancho Chiles
    • 3 Chiles de Arbol
    • 6 Garlic Cloves, half a head of garlic, peeled
    • ½ large Onion, other half is used later
    • Water, about 6 cups, plus more as needed

    Chicken

    • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
    • 2.5 pounds Chicken Thighs, with skin and bone, or any other chicken
    • 7.75 ounces El Pato Jalapeno Salsa, green can or whichever El Pato desired
    • 1 teaspoon Oregano
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, chicken flavor, or other chicken bouillon (check for gluten free, if desired)
    • 2 Bay Leaves

    Assembly

    • 12 Corn Tortillas
    • 8 ounces Queso Quesadilla Cheese, about 2 cups shredded, any white melty cheese can be substituted like Oaxaca or Monterey Jack
    • ½ large Onion, diced, for topping
    • Cilantro, for garnish
    • Limes, sliced or quartered

    Instructions

    NOTE: Instructions for Instant Pot here. See end of recipe card for crockpot, skillet and Dutch oven.

      Red Chile Sauce

      • Carefully split all dried chiles, remove seeds and membranes. Using a firm brush, wash the chiles under cool water. Place washed chiles, garlic and ½ onion in Instant Pot.
      • Check the Instant Pot lid to ensure the seal is in place and nothing is blocking the vent. Place lid on top, turn and set lever to Sealing. Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button on the Instant Pot and set to high for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes of pressure, natural release for 5 minutes then quick release the remaining by turning off the sealing valve. Entire process should take about 20-25 minutes. Once pressure is fully released, remove lid and strain out the liquid.
      • With tongs, remove chiles, garlic and onion and place in blender with 1 cup fresh water. (Discard cooking water.) Blend until smooth.
      • Place a metal mesh strainer over a large bowl or 1-quart measuring cup. Pour the sauce through the strainer to remove the solids. Swirl a metal whisk or spoon in the sauce, gently scraping the sides and bottom of the strainer so the liquid will go through. Discard the solids. Add enough water to make 1 quart (or 4 cups). Set aside.
      • Note: You can either continue directly to the remainder of the recipe or store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before preparing the remainder.

      Chicken

      • Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in Instant Pot and press saute. Allow to heat for about one minute. Place chicken thighs, skin side down in Instant Pot. As you place them, move them around a little in order to distribute the olive oil. Sear chicken for about 4 or 5 minutes for a golden brown then remove to a plate and set aside. If your saute feature tends to run too hot, it's okay to hit cancel and let it cool down a little bit before continuing the saute button. Once seared, press the Cancel button on the Instant Pot to reset and remove chicken to a plate. Set aside.
      • Place Red Chile Sauce, El Pato, Oregano, Cumin, Salt and Bouillon in Instant Pot. Stir lightly to incorporate. Place Chicken and Bay Leaves in Instant Pot.
      • Check the Instant Pot lid to ensure the seal is in place and nothing is blocking the vent. Place lid on top, turn and set lever to Sealing. Press the Manual (or Pressure Cook) button on the Instant Pot and set to high for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes of pressure, natural release for 5 minutes then quick release the remaining by turning off the sealing valve. Entire process should take about 20-25 minutes. Once pressure is fully released, remove lid. It will be HOT.
      • Remove chicken thighs to plate. Remove skin and bones then shred or cut into pieces to fit into tortillas. Remove all cooking sauce to a separate bowl or container to make things easier for assembly. You'll want it to be big enough to dip the tortillas.

      Assembly

      • Skim some of the fat from the cooking liquid (chile sauce) into a skillet on medium high heat. Depending on your cut of chicken, you may not have much fat in the sauce. You may need to supplement by adding some other fat (i.e., oil or lard) to the skillet. Dip a tortilla into the cooking sauce then place in hot skillet. This will splatter so use caution. Don't be tempted to turn down the heat. This requires the heat in order to make crispy tacos. If you cook it too slowly, it will be more like enchiladas and soak up too much of the sauce.
      • Once one side of the tortilla is fried for about 30 seconds to one minute, turn it over. After another 30 seconds or so, add two tablespoons (or more) chicken and two tablespoons shredded cheese. Using two spatulas, fold over the tortilla in the middle. Press lightly and continue cooking about 30 seconds. Turn over and continue cooking. For more red color, spoon over more red sauce on each side while frying. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Repeat the frying until all tacos are used. Add more fat as needed.
      • Dice the remaining ½ onion and open the tacos slightly to add the onion and chopped cilantro. Place extra sauce for dipping into little bowls. Stir in about a teaspoon diced onion and a pinch of chopped cilantro into each bowl of sauce. Place pieces of lime on the side to squeeze over the tacos. Serve immediately.



      Note: If there is a video, it will not display while there is an adblocker.

      Video

      Notes

      This is an involved recipe. If you want, you can make the sauce ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator.
      It’s actually easier that way anyway since the fat will rise to the top making it easy to remove and use for frying the tortillas.
      If you prefer to cook the birria on the stovetop, cook the red chile sauce in a medium saucepan until softened then process in the blender. Use a large skillet with a cover. Sear the chicken in oil, add the required ingredients. Bring to a boil on medium high heat, reduce to simmer, cover and cook  for about 20-25 minutes, or until chicken temperature is 165℉. Follow the remaining instructions as written.
      After searing the chicken, you can also cook in the Crockpot or in the oven with a Dutch oven baking pan.
      NOTE: This recipe has been updated 5/2/23 to make it more streamlined.
      Nutrition Facts
      Chicken Birria Tacos Instant Pot or Stove +VIDEO
      Amount Per Serving
      Calories 376 Calories from Fat 216
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 24g37%
      Saturated Fat 8g50%
      Sodium 450mg20%
      Carbohydrates 17g6%
      Fiber 3g13%
      Sugar 2g2%
      Protein 22g44%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
      Course Main Course
      Cuisine Mexican
      Keyword Birria de Pollo, Birria Tacos, birria tacos dorados, instant pot birria tacos, instant pot chicken birria, Quesabirria Tacos
      ______________________



      Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. All amounts are estimates and 24Bite® takes no responsibility for actual figures since calculations vary by packaging and supplier. Please calculate the amounts yourself based on package labeling if you have specific dietary requirements. 24Bite®, Kim Guzman or Christian Guzman shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.

      © 2019-2023 Kim Guzman and Christian Guzman. All rights reserved. Subscribe to 24Bite email newsletters.



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      24Bite: Chicken Birria Tacos Quesabirria Tacos recipe by Christian Guzman
      24Bite: Chicken Birria Tacos Quesabirria Tacos recipe by Christian Guzman
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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says

        September 15, 2021 at 7:12 am

        5 stars
        It might take a while to follow all the steps, especially for someone making this recipe for the first time, but it is so worth it! Excellent step by step instruction; I have to give it a go!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 17, 2021 at 7:23 am

          Oh, yes, I agree! It took awhile but definitely worth it. Thank you for visiting!

          Reply
      2. Gwynn Galvin says

        September 15, 2021 at 7:51 am

        5 stars
        I’m excited to make Birria Tacos with a chicken filling! I love this twist on the traditional Birria!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 17, 2021 at 7:22 am

          I love it too! I may love it more than beef. Thank you for visiting!

          Reply
      3. Linda says

        September 15, 2021 at 1:19 pm

        5 stars
        Yes…I’ve been seeing these all over the place and yours looks equally amazing. So glad you broke down the steps and love that you made this quicker with chicken. Can’t wait to try this recipe!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 17, 2021 at 7:21 am

          Thanks so much! I’m sure you will enjoy it.

          Reply
      4. Brianna says

        September 15, 2021 at 8:05 pm

        5 stars
        Cheesy, spicy, saucy tacos! The Instant Pot made the chicken super tender.

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 17, 2021 at 7:21 am

          Yes, everything was so wonderful and the flavors were absorbed well into the chicken when pressurized. So good! Thank you for visiting.

          Reply
          • Sara says

            September 21, 2022 at 2:39 pm

            5 stars
            I’ve made this exact recipe no tweaks 6 times now, my family loves it! I’m again making it today but instead of chicken I’m using beef and switched the chicken bouillon for better than beef, the sauce tastes fantastic! I can’t wait to try, will update after dinner tonight!

            Reply
            • Christian Guzman says

              September 21, 2022 at 10:35 pm

              That’s really great! It’s definitely one of my favorite things. I like to use it for tamales too. Any chance I get to make it is a good day. Thank you for visiting!

              Reply
      5. Lindsay says

        September 16, 2021 at 7:54 am

        5 stars
        I have been waiting to try birria tacos at home and this recipe is perfect! Definitely going to be making these again and again.

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 17, 2021 at 7:20 am

          Great! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Thank you for visiting.

          Reply
      6. Angela says

        September 24, 2021 at 6:36 pm

        5 stars
        Everyone loved them in my family. Could use a little more heat for my tastes, but I will experiment next time. Not difficult. Made them on a weeknight. Hardest part is the splatter when pan frying.

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 25, 2021 at 9:53 am

          I agree! That splatter is the worst. About halfway through, I put a little more of the sauce in the pan which helped with the splatter but made them less fried. I may need to start wearing body armor. 😉

          Reply
      7. Thomasina says

        March 23, 2022 at 9:23 am

        How long do you cook the chicken when using a crockpot? And temperature?

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          March 26, 2022 at 5:40 pm

          Usually my crock pot will cook chicken in 2-3 hours on high or maybe 4-5 hours on low. I usually always use high, though, especially with chicken. Personal preference. Thank you for visiting!

          Reply
      8. John C. says

        September 08, 2022 at 12:07 am

        5 stars
        Stumble across this process decades ago using chicken marinaded in fajita sauce (you know why I was using a marinade). After 8 hrs in the fridge the oil was red from the infusion of spices and it flowed out into the skillet when filling one side of the tortilla. It has that light crisp to the outside of the masa and the flavors are outrageous. I’ve been making variations of this for decades. I grow my own peppers, tomatillo, even some cheeses, etc., many sauces, salsa.

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 08, 2022 at 8:18 am

          That sounds delicious! I try to grow as many things outside as possible but I’ve never tried to make my own cheese. Sounds like a great project.

          Reply
      9. Misty says

        November 04, 2022 at 7:43 pm

        4 stars
        Made tonight and family loved it… but I did have to add salt and pepper It was really really lacking. Added Oaxaca cheese and cabbage. Everyone wanted seconds. Had to fry twice they liked it so much… said better than pork!!!!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          November 06, 2022 at 11:44 am

          That’s great! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it. Thank you for visiting!

          Reply
      10. Sara says

        April 18, 2023 at 1:22 pm

        5 stars
        I’ve made this recipe exactly as written several times now, I always double it as I have a heard to feed. my family absolutely loves these! I sometimes switch the meat but the sauce is always as the recipe states. don’t change a thing and give it a try, you won’t regret it. I’ve accidentally used flour tortillas before and while not as good as corn tortillas it’s still pretty dang tasty!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          April 19, 2023 at 2:06 pm

          That’s really great. I’m glad that it’s working out so well. Definitely my favorite too. Thank you for writing!

          Reply
      11. Elena says

        May 20, 2023 at 12:56 am

        5 stars
        This recipe is a game-changer! I loved how easy it was to make both in the Instant Pot and on the stove. The chicken turned out incredibly tender and flavorful!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          May 20, 2023 at 8:17 pm

          Thanks so much! I’m glad it worked out well for you. Thank you for writing!

          Reply
      12. Rikki says

        September 20, 2023 at 10:31 pm

        Could you use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          September 21, 2023 at 1:16 pm

          Yes, you can! Even though chicken breast is more dry than chicken thigh, since this is a braised dish, there will be enough to keep it moist throughout.

          Reply
      13. Rita says

        October 21, 2023 at 11:32 am

        Just out of curiosity, how much water do you put in with the peppers as to not get a burn notice on my IP?
        making this his for dinner tonight it looks amazing!

        Reply
        • Christian Guzman says

          October 21, 2023 at 12:58 pm

          I added about six cups but you could probably get away with 4 or 5 cups if everything is covered. Thank you for writing!

          Reply

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