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Mexican Shredded Chicken

June 5, 2020 By Patrick 11 Comments

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I’ve been getting frequent questions on Shredded Chicken so hopefully this post will shred any doubt you have before making your next batch!  

But please keep in mind that your taste buds are the boss and there are no hard set rules here.  Once you find the cooking style you prefer then you can move on to the good stuff — the flavor!

I’ll go over the two common styles for cooking the chicken, and then offer up some flavor combos that have the potential to change faces at the dinner table 🙂   

Adding shredded chicken to the Tinga sauce

How To Make Mexican Shredded Chicken

There are two common techniques for cooking the chicken.   The first is to poach the chicken.

Cover the chicken breasts with cold water.  Add salt, onion, cilantro and any other aromatics that sound appealing. 

This is a delicious, fiery version of Chicken Tinga. The key is to use both tomatoes and tomatillos, along with plenty of chipotles! mexicanplease.com

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  

Cook until the insides of the chicken register 160-165F.  Normally this takes around 20 minutes, but it will depend on the thickness of the breasts. 

Set aside for a few minutes and cover with foil.  Then use two forks to shred the chicken. 

shredded poached chicken with two forks

The flavor and seasoning of the poaching liquid won’t penetrate into the chicken as much as you might think, so it’s common to add splashes of the poaching liquid back to the shredded chicken to amp it up.   

I used to use this poaching method all the time, but lately I prefer option #2, the brine and bake technique.

Let the chicken rest in some salted water for 30-60 minutes — this will inject seasoning (salt) and moisture throughout the chicken breasts.  

Brining three chicken breasts

In the above pic I am brining three chicken breasts in two quarts of water (half gallon) with 1/2 cup Kosher salt dissolved into the water. 

A typical brine ratio is one cup salt per one gallon of water — sounds like a lot right?!  But only a small portion of the salt makes it into each chicken breast so I usually stick with that ratio. 

Even 30 minutes in the brine is enough for a significant upgrade in flavor, so I do this step whenever possible.   I usually cover it and stick it in the fridge — keep in mind that Kosher or sea salts are best for brining as they don’t have any additives. 

Cooking brined chicken breasts for 20 minutes in 400F oven

Once brined you can pat the chicken breasts dry and plop them in the oven (400F) for 20 minutes or so.   I bake them as is, with no spices or oil, knowing that there is a massively flavorful sauce on the horizon. 

When the insides register 160-165F you can set the chicken breasts aside to cool for a bit, covered with foil. 

Then shred them using two forks and take a taste! 

Adding cream cheese to your taquitos is a massively rewarding shortcut to take! We're also using some Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa in this batch -- so good! mexicanplease.com

I’m always amazed how good this chicken tastes — and it’s only seasoned with salt so far, just wait ’til you add the other flavors 🙂

Okay, so you’ve got some shredded chicken on the counter — now what?!

Well, there are two sauces that I make most often with this chicken.   Either sauce will give you an epic batch so pick the one that is calling out to you.

The first is a spicy Tinga sauce:

Adding Mexican oregano to the Tinga sauce

This is a delicious, fiery sauce that will probably taste familiar to you.  As the chicken is baking in the oven you can build the chipotle infused sauce on the stove-top.

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients for the Tinga sauce (for two chicken breasts):

2 plum tomatoes
4-5 tomatillos
1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves
3 chipotles in adobo
1-2 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano  What is Mexican oregano?
dash of cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Once the chicken is shredded you simply add it to the Tinga sauce and combine well.

This is a delicious, fiery version of Chicken Tinga. The key is to use both tomatoes and tomatillos, along with plenty of chipotles! mexicanplease.com

The combination of the fiery sauce and the well-seasoned chicken means you’ve got an extremely satisfying batch of shredded chicken that can lead to all sorts of delicious meals. 

Tostadas de Tinga are such a rewarding meal for the fam! Be sure to add some tomatillos to your Tinga as it makes a huge difference! mexicanplease.com

Awesome 🙂

Chile Verde is my other go-to sauce for shredded chicken.  

Simmering the Chili Verde sauce

This is a great sauce to make when you’ve got Poblano chiles in the house.   What are Poblanos?

The Poblanos give it a unique flavor but the method is the same as the previous Tinga sauce — simply roast the ingredients and build the sauce as the chicken is cooking.

Roasting poblanos and tomatillos in the oven at 400F 

Here’s a look at the ingredient list for the Chile Verde sauce (for three chicken breasts):

1-2 Pobano chiles
8-10 tomatillos
1-4 jalapeno chiles
1/2 onion
4 garlic cloves
15-20 sprigs cilantro
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Once the chicken is cooked and shredded you simply add it to the sauce and bring it up to temp.   

I've been keeping batches of this Chicken Chili Verde on hand for the past couple weeks -- super easy to make and it leads to all sorts of easy meals! mexicanplease.com

And do lots of taste testing 🙂

Those are the two sauces I make most often with shredded chicken.   Both are great options and making a big batch will give you loads of options for some on-the-fly meals over the coming days.

UPDATE:  I recently made a fiery batch of shredded chicken using just chile powder and adobo sauce for these Chicken Salads. 

Let’s switch gears and talk ratios for a moment…

A single chicken breast will give you a heaping cup of shredded chicken.  And each cup of shredded chicken will need between 1/3 and 1/2 cup of sauce to thoroughly coat it with flavor (depending on how goopy you want it). 

So a good ratio to keep in mind is 1 to 1.5 cups of sauce for three chicken breasts.  Once you have that ratio in mind — 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sauce for each shredded chicken breast —  then you’ll probably find yourself getting quite creative when you don’t have the time (or energy) to build an authentic sauce like Tinga or Chile Verde. 

For example, I had leftover Birria sauce in the fridge this past weekend and used it to make a batch of shredded chicken.  Even though it’s a beef sauce 🙂

Brining three chicken breasts

After giving three chicken breasts a quick brine and bake, I added a heaping cup of Birria sauce to the shredded chicken.

Shredded Birria chicken

And it was epic.

And required almost zero energy 🙂

This unconventional combo is proof that you can get quite creative with the flavors in your Shredded Chicken — especially if the chicken is already well seasoned from the brine! 

Another example…

I usually have leftover Salsa in the fridge, either this Tomato Jalapeno Salsa or a traditional Salsa Verde. 

tomato jalapeno salsa wide shot with ingredients

And yes, in the past I’ve stirred this leftover Salsa into shredded chicken for some quick, no-thinking-involved meals.   

It’s not going to have the depth of the Tinga or Chile Verde, but it’s still an upgrade compared to local takeout options. 

Getting hungry?! 

Let’s talk about ways you can serve up your delicious Shredded Chicken over the coming days…

You can use the Chicken Tinga to make some awesome Tinga Tacos loaded with avocado bits, Cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lime:

These Chicken Tinga Tacos are the real deal and worthy of being called Tingalicious!!! mexicanplease.com

Or you can make Tinga Tostadas that are layered with refried beans, Queso Fresco, and Crema:

Adding Queso Fresco and Crema to the tostada

The Chicken Chile Verde is equally flexible and you can use it to make a batch of Chile Verde Tortas:

I've been pulling Chicken Chile Verde from the fridge all week and whipping up these fiery, delicious sandwiches -- so good!! mexicanplease.com

Or Chile Verde Tostadas made with refried beans, Cotija cheese, cilantro, and Pickled Jalapenos:

I've been keeping batches of this Chicken Chili Verde on hand for the past couple weeks -- super easy to make and it leads to all sorts of easy meals! mexicanplease.com

All of those recipes can be made using the flavored Shredded Chicken that you are now an expert at making.

And the possibilities quickly become endless.  Simply vary the delivery vehicle for your Shredded Chicken:

Tacos
Tostadas
Burritos
Tortas
Quesadillas
Taquitos

Then add garnishes that work for your palate:

Avocado bits
Pickled Jalapenos
Queso Fresco
Pickled Onions
Jack or Mozzarella cheese
Freshly chopped cilantro
Hot sauce (Homemade or Valentina)
Refried beans
Mexican rice
Squeeze of lime

And you’ve got dozens of combos to keep your stomach busy over the coming weeks.  That flexibility is the true advantage of a big batch of Mexican Shredded Chicken!

Okay, I hope this solves shredded chicken for you.  Let me know if you have any questions about making it — once you find your favorite technique it can lead to all sorts of savory, stress-free meals  🙂

Buen Provecho. 

For up-to-date recipes follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

 

Adding shredded chicken to the Tinga sauce

Mexican Shredded Chicken

You'll need about 1 cup of sauce to fully coat 2 chicken breasts worth of shredded chicken. I used a fiery Tinga sauce and brined the chicken for this batch.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: shredded chicken
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 176kcal
Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 plum tomatoes
  • 4-5 tomatillos
  • 1/2 onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 3 chipotles in adobo
  • 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • dash of cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • olive oil

Instructions

  • To brine the chicken, add 1/4 cup salt to a quart of water in a mixing bowl.  Dissolve the salt and add the chicken breasts, letting them brine covered in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.  If the chicken breasts aren't fully submerged then add a bit more water.  Once brined, pat dry the chicken breasts and add them to a baking sheet.
  • Rinse and de-stem the tomatoes and tomatillos.  Add them to the same baking sheet and bake everything at 400F for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside (160F). 
  • Once the chicken has cooled a bit you can shred it with two forks and set aside until you need it. 
  • Meanwhile, roughly chop a half onion and saute in some oil over medium heat.  Add 4 whole, peeled garlic cloves and saute until the onion is starting to brown.  
  • Add the onion-garlic mixture to a blender along with 3 chipotles in adobo and the roasted tomatoes and tomatillos.  I usually scrape out the seeds of the chipotles.   Combine well and take a taste, adding more chipotles if you want more heat. 
  • Add the Tinga mixture back to the same pan you used to cook the onion.  Add 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, a pinch of cumin (optional), 1/2 teaspoon of salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1-2 tablespoons of adobo sauce (optional).   Bring to a simmer and take a final taste for seasoning. 
  • Add the shredded chicken to the Tinga sauce and let simmer until everything is at a uniform temp.  Serve as you see fit, with these Tinga Tacos and these Tinga Tostadas being good options.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

In place of the Tinga sauce you could use this Chile Verde sauce. 
In the past I've even added Tomato Jalapeno Salsa to the shredded chicken.  
I've also used leftover Birria sauce in the past 🙂
More info on working with chipotles in adobo.
UPDATE:  I recently made a fiery batch of shredded chicken using just chile powder and adobo sauce for these Chicken Salads. 
Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

Our latest post is a piping hot batch of Masa Harina Cornbread. 

I used Masa Harina instead of cornmeal in this batch of cornbread and it was delicious! I also used chipotles in adobo for some kick 🙂 mexicanplease.com

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie

    September 27, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    Hi Patrick, I tried your corn tortilla recipe to have with cochinita pibil and it worked a dream with your suggestion of sealing the tortillas 10 seconds each side before cooking them a minute both sides so they get puffy. Everyone loved them! I was wondering whether this shredded chicken recipe will work with canned tomatillos? I’m from Singapore and it’s not easy to get them fresh here.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      September 28, 2020 at 10:20 pm

      Hey thanks much for your feedback Natalie! Yeah you can use canned tomatillos with this recipe and still get a good result. But don’t worry about roasting canned tomatillos — they’ve been resting in liquid and roasting them doesn’t have the same effect, it just kinda disintegrates them. Cheers.

      Reply
      • Natalie

        September 29, 2020 at 2:33 pm

        Thanks Patrick! I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂

        Reply
        • Natalie

          October 9, 2020 at 3:00 pm

          A quick update: Made this last night and they turned out beautifully. Everything was polished up. I’m sure if I could get my hands on fresh tomatillos and roast them, this dish would be even more spectacular. Still, delicious even using the canned ones! Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!

          Reply
          • Patrick

            October 12, 2020 at 4:08 pm

            Ahh good to know, thanks much for the update Natalie, I’m glad it was still a hit! Cheers.

  2. Annie

    June 13, 2020 at 6:34 am

    Love your posts! I usually brine my pork chops in 4 cups of water with 2 bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon each of Maldon sea salt flakes and sugar. Two hours in this solution renders them so juicy and tender once cooked. Have not tried it with chicken though. Your brine uses a lot more salt and no sugar, could I get away with using less salt? Maldon salt is expensive. If I use Himalayan pink salt, do I still use 1/4 cup of it? I just have those two types of salt at home.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      June 18, 2020 at 11:59 am

      Hi Annie! Thanks much for your note as it’s good to hear your pork chop brine method.

      Yeah you can definitely use less salt than I use in this recipe. I’ve settled on that 1 cup per gallon ratio but I would love to test different amounts at some point. I think you could use 1 or 2 tablespoons of salt per quart of water with the chicken and still get an awesome upgrade in flavor.

      I don’t really use that pink salt but I feel like you could use a similar ratio as the other salts and get an equally good result. Cheers.

      Reply
  3. Karen Trumbull

    June 6, 2020 at 6:26 am

    5 stars
    Easy, Yummy, Versatile

    Reply
    • Patrick

      June 8, 2020 at 1:37 pm

      Thanks Karen!

      Reply
  4. Chef Mimi

    June 6, 2020 at 2:33 am

    I can’t wait to try the brine and bake method. This is a new one for with with chicken breasts. I’m excited!!!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      June 8, 2020 at 1:45 pm

      Thanks Mimi!

      Reply

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