Mexican shredded chicken is brilliantly versatile, easy and fuss-free. Simple ingredients, one-pot and family friendly – a winner in our house!
Chicken gently simmers in a rich tomato sauce with warm spices until it becomes tender enough to fall apart with a fork. The result is juicy, saucy chicken that’s perfect tucked into tacos, piled onto nachos, stuffed into enchiladas or layered into rice bowls. Better still, it makes a generous batch, so leftovers can easily become tomorrow’s lunch or a quick dinner later in the week.
Other Easy Mexican Recipes
- Mexican Beef Bowls
- Spicy Corn Salsa
- Mango Avocado Salsa
- Mexican Spice Mix
- Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa
- Corn Salsa with Lime Dressing
Mexican Chicken Recipe Ingredients
Aromatics: Onion and garlic
Herbs and spices: Smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and oregano
Sauce: Tomato paste, passata, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper and lime juice
Protein: Chicken breasts
How to Make Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large cast iron or heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add the garlic, paprika, coriander, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant and the onion has softened.
Step 3: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.
Step 4: Add the passata, water, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Step 5: Add the chicken, cover and simmer for 60 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts over and cook, covered, for a further 30 minutes. Ninety minutes works well for thick, large chicken breasts, producing meat that is tender, easy to shred and not dry. If the chicken fillets are thin, reduce the cooking time to prevent them drying out.
Step 6: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks.
Step 7: Return the shredded chicken to the sauce, add the lime juice and taste. Adjust with extra salt, sugar or lime if needed.
Serve in tacos, sliders, bowls, enchiladas, toasted sandwiches or piled onto nachos.
Feedback and More: Have you tried the Mexican shredded chicken recipe? Leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or comment below to share your thoughts. Cheers, Elby!
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might like some of my other Mexican-style dishes.
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Mexican Shredded Chicken
*Note: Adjusting servings will not adjust the ‘light grey’ quantities
Ingredients
- 40 ml vegetable oil - approx. 2 tbsp
- 1 onion - brown, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced or finely chopped
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp coriander - ground
- 1 tsp cumin - ground
- 1 tsp oregano - dried
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper - this is a family friendly quantity, increase if you want more of a kick
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 680 grams passata
- 240 ml water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 kg chicken breasts - approx. 3 large singles, leave whole
- 1 tbsp lime juice - fresh
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron or heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic, paprika, coriander, cumin, oregano and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant and the onion has softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the passata, water, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add the chicken, cover and simmer for 60 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts over and cook, covered, for a further 30 minutes.90 minutes is perfect for thick, large chicken breasts. The meat will be just tender, easy to shred, and not dry. If your chicken fillets are thin, reduce the time or they will dry out.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the sauce, add the lime juice and taste. Adjust with extra salt, sugar or lime if needed.
- Serve in tacos, sliders, bowls, enchiladas, toasted sandwiches or piled onto nachos.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition and calorie figures are estimates only.
