Chicken Chile Verde

Tender, juicy chunks of chicken simmered in a bold chile verde sauce. Serve it over rice or load it up in a burrito! It’s so flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth scrumptious!

I love this even more than our pork chile verde which means I must be going crazy! Usually I’m all about a bunch of tender, shredded pork but there’s just something so good about this chicken dinner recipe that calls my name! I especially love it with rice and beans but my family is starting to prefer it in a freshly made tortilla from our most recent cookbook, Raised in the Kitchen.

Whichever way you eat it, you’re going to devour this yummy Mexican chicken dinner.

What is Chile Verde?

The term “chile verde” translate to “green chile” or “green chili” and is a Mexican stew that is traditionally made with chunks of pork that is simmered until tender in a roasted tomatillo and green chile sauce. For this recipe we are swapping out the pork for chicken.

We have a salsa verde recipe on the blog that is inspired by this same flavor profile. It is so yummmmmmmm!

The Ingredients You Need for Chicken Chili Verde Recipe

I’m going to break up the recipe ingredients into two parts – ingredients for the verde sauce and ingredients for the chicken. Here is your shopping list:

For the Verde

• Vegetable Oil – used to roast the veggies
• Tomatillos – those green tomato looking things in the produce section that have a papery layer on the outside. They are used a lot in Mexican recipes and are so tasty!
• Poblano Chiles – large, mild peppers popular in Mexican cuisine
• Red Onion – these get blended into the sauce and add so much flavor
• Garlic Cloves – flavor of course
• Jalapeño – roasted jalapeño adds heat and tons of flavor to the sauce
• Pepper – flavor
• Cilantro – freshness and flavor

For the Chicken

• Chicken Thighs – boneless, skinless and cut into bite size chunks
• Kosher Salt – helps dry brine the chicken
• Bacon – flavor
• Chicken Broth – helps deglaze the pan after cooking the bacon and adds moisture to the chicken
• Dried Oregano – flavor
• Cinnamon – may seem strange in a savory dish, but trust me!
• Cumin  – it has to be in pretty much all Mexican dishes
• Ground Cloves – again, trust me here!
• Sugar – enhances the flavor
• Bay Leaves – flavor
• Orange Juice – acidity and tenderizing the chicken
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Chicken Birria Taco Recipe

If you’re craving a delicious Mexican dinner, this chicken birria taco recipe is exactly what you need. With savory shredded chicken and a crispy cheesy shell, they’re hard to resist and so easy!

So the kids and I did a little thing. I was making our totally viral cafe rio copycat for sweet pork tacos and accidentally made too much sauce. I poured it into a ziploc and threw it in the freezer for another day. A couple of weeks later I snagged one of those handy packages of pulled rotisserie chicken from Costco and the light went on… birria chicken tacos. The rest is history.

The chicken already is moist and flavorful thanks to the slow roasting, but then throw on some seasoning and pan cook it so you’ve got a few crispy pieces, smother everything in sauce and it’s hands down some of the best chicken you’ll ever put in a taco.

But like all Birria tacos, this tortilla should be cooked in a little oil and sauce, stuffed with meat (cheese if you’re awesome) and then dipped in a little extra sauce or sprinkled with pico de gallo for the ultimate chicken taco experience.

Recommended Equipment

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Tongs

Before You Begin…

You’ll want to have two things ready before you get too far into this recipe. First, have your chicken ready. I love to buy the packages of pre-shredded rotisserie chicken at Costco. If you want to save a bit of money, buy a whole rotisserie chicken and break it down yourself saving the breast and thigh meat. Shred it using two forks or toss it into your stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to break up the chicken.

Second, make the sweet sauce from our sweet pork recipe mentioned above. It only takes a few ingredients and is so tasty!

What is Birria?

Birria is a rich stew originating in Jalisco, Mexico that simmers on the stove all day and is so tasty. It typically made with goat or lamb and has a flavorful rich broth (or consommé). It is eaten like a soup, and no tacos are involved at all. Haha! People find that sort of shocking since birria tacos have been taking the world by storm the last few years.

What are Birria Tacos?

Some genius somewhere decided to take the tender, juicy meat from the birria and stuff it into a taco and then use the consommé as a dipping sauce for the taco. And the birria taco was born!! The corn tortillas are fried in a little oil and some of the saucy broth to create the tastiest tacos ever.

So in its most basic definition, a birria taco (also called quesabirria taco) is a braised juicy meat stuffed inside a corn tortilla (along with some cheese if you’re smart) th

Mexican Chicken Burrito Bowl

This Mexican chicken burrito bowl starts with delicious cilantro lime rice topped with our sticky Mexican chicken and then pile on all the toppings! I’m here for allllll the toppings — corn, peppers, onions, tomatoes, avocado, cheese and avocado cilantro lime dressing! Drooling!

For some reason, I’m bowl obsessed. There’s something about all the flavors and textures that makes me all giddy. It just feels so exciting to me! It’s also a family-friendly, affordable, healthy and easy weeknight meal.

What is a Burrito Bowl?

It seems like Chipotle was the restaurant to make the burrito bowl popular, but now you can find them almost everywhere. A burrito bowl is basically the filling of a burrito put into a bowl instead of wrapped in a tortilla. They are lower in carbs without the tortilla making them quite popular and also gluten free. And they are so versatile, you can make them exactly how you want them.

Ingredients for a Chicken Burrito Bowl

This recipe is a little different than our usual recipes because you start with three of our other favorite recipes to assemble a whole bowl. I will briefly describe each of those recipes (head to those individual posts for the full recipes). and then finish off with the ingredients to make these burrito bowls.

Cilantro Lime Rice

• Ingredients: rice, water, unsalted butter, chicken bouillon, garlic, cilantro, lime, and green chiles
• Time: 25 minutes
• PRO TIP: This is a copycat recipe for the rice served at Cafe Rio. It’s so easy to make at home!

Sticky Mexican Chicken

• Ingredients: chicken breasts, taco seasoning, olive oil, green onions, honey, and lime juice
• Time: 10 minutes
• PRO TIP: You only need 6 ingredients for this simple recipe, and the flavor is phenomenal!

Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

• Ingredients: avocado, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, tomatillo, garlic, apple cider vinegar, honey, coriander, olive oil, Kosher salt, and water
• Time: 5 minutes
• PRO TIP: Can be made up to a day ahead of time. The flavor actually gets better if it sits for a few hours before serving.

Toppings

• Greens: feel free to choose whatever is your favorite — mixed greens, all romaine lettuce or green leaf
• Corn: fresh corn on the cob with the kernels sliced off is best, but you can also use frozen corn if needed, adds sweetness and crunch
• Red and Orange Bell Peppers: seeds removed and diced, adds flavor, color and texture
• Red Onion: adds flavor, color and texture
• Jalapeno: adds heat and flavor
• Avocado: adds a creaminess and healthy fat
• Cherry Tomatoes: adds brightness, col

One Pan 10-Minute Sticky Mexican Chicken

This one pan sticky Mexican chicken recipe only needs 6 simple ingredients and you’ll be eating the most flavorful chicken dinner in just 10 minutes! I love the combination of the citrus from the lime, a hint of sweet from the honey to counteract the spicy seasoning. It’s a perfectly balanced chicken recipe!

I love quick and easy chicken recipes! Chicken tends to take over in the quick dinner category which is funny because ground beef is actually faster to cook, but alas, here we are. Ok, so I’ve fallen in love and I need everyone to join me. I love this sticky Mexican chicken recipe and I really think it will be your back pocket recipe as well.

Where This Recipe Came From

This recipe started with a dying lime.

It was breathing it’s last few wispy breaths from the fruit basket I detest and I just knew that it was time for a little cpr. With only 6 ingredients I busted out dinner in just 10 minutes and now I can’t stop using the Mexican chicken in everything from tacos to rice bowls, and salads to soups, plus everything in between.

I really think the key is to use either our homemade taco seasoning or the Kinders brand, which I buy at Costco. I wouldn’t recommend the little taco seasoning packets as they don’t boast as much flavor. But if you must, the recipe will still be delicious.

I’d love to hear how you use the chicken! Reach out and share your recipes and photos on instagram @ohsweetbasil

Ingredients for Sticky Mexican Chicken

Sometimes the best recipes come from the most simple ingredients combined in just the right way. Here are the 6 ingredients you will need:

• Chicken Breasts: cut into bite size pieces, the chicken breasts can also be cooked whole if you prefer (see recipe notes for instructions)
• Taco Seasoning: we like to use our homemade recipe, but you can use store bought (we recommend Kinders)
• Olive Oil: used to cook the chicken and keep it from sticking
• Green Onions: greens only, chopped in 1″ pieces, adds flavor
• Lime Juice: adds a bright citrus flavor
• Honey: adds natural sweetness and balances the seasoning

The measurements for all the ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• One Pan: the whole recipe is made from start to finish in one pa