Description
This chicken birria tacos recipe is easy, quick, and packed with flavor—perfect for busy weeknights. Made with rotisserie chicken, a smoky adobo sauce, and melty cheese, these crispy tacos bring restaurant-quality taste to your home kitchen in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4–6 pound fully cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
- Small corn tortillas
- 1 white onion, diced
- Fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
- 8 ounce Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella cheese
- Optional lime wedges, for serving
Adobo sauce
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prep Ingredients
Shred the rotisserie chicken and chop the onion and cilantro. Set them aside. Make sure the chicken pieces are small enough to fit easily in the tortillas.
Make Cornstarch Slurry
In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Stir until smooth. This will help thicken the sauce.
Cook the Adobo Sauce
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the broth (or water), adobo sauce, tomato paste, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, ground cloves, and the cornstarch slurry. Stir well and let simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5–7 minutes.
Coat the Chicken
Add about ½ cup of the warm sauce to the shredded chicken and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip & Fill the Tortillas
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each tortilla into the adobo sauce, coating both sides, and place it flat in the skillet. Add a sprinkle of cheese, then layer chicken, onion, and cilantro on one side. Top with a little more cheese, then fold the tortilla in half.
Sear Until Crispy
Press the taco down with a spatula and cook for about 1 minute per side, until crispy and golden brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
Serve
Serve the tacos hot with extra adobo sauce on the side for dipping, and lime wedges for a bright finish.
Notes
Make Ahead: The adobo sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
Cheese Swaps: If you can’t find Oaxaca cheese, use shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack for great meltability.
Heat Level: Adjust the spiciness by reducing the amount of adobo sauce or adding more broth to mellow the flavor.
Crispy Factor: Use a non-stick skillet or well-seasoned cast iron pan to get the crispiest tacos.
Freezer Friendly: Leftover filled tacos can be frozen in a single layer, then reheated in a skillet or air fryer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Easy Chicken Recipes
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: chicken birria tacos recipe easy, rotisserie chicken tacos, birria tacos, birria tacos skillet, easy taco recipe, adobo chicken tacos, cheesy birria tacos