Mexican Shredded Chicken
This delicious Mexican pulled chicken can be used in many dishes, from empanadas to tortillas to sandwiches. Try it in an empanada, tortilla, or sandwich.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic cloves finely chopped
- 400 grams diced tomatoes 400 grams diced tomatoes
- 70 grams tomato paste small can
- 1 tbsp Mexican spice mix
- 400 grams chicken thighs or chicken breast
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Mexican Spice Mix:
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp chili powder or ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp oregano
Instructions
- If you don't have a ready-made spice mix, prepare the mix using the ingredients listed above. You will only need 1 tablespoon, but you can store the rest in a jar until you want to make another Mexican dish.
- In a large frying pan, add olive oil and finely chopped garlic. Fry briefly, then add the diced tomatoes, tomato purée, and Mexican spice mix. Mix well.
- Add the chicken thighs to the sauce. Make sure they are completely covered with the sauce. Add a dash of water if necessary. Cover the pan and simmer on low-medium heat for 25 minutes. Turn the chicken thighs halfway through.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the sauce and pull them apart with two forks to make pulled chicken. Remove at least half of the sauce from the pan; otherwise, the pulled chicken will be too wet.
- Add the pulled chicken back to the sauce in the pan along with a tablespoon of brown sugar. Fry everything together for another five minutes on high heat. Your pulled chicken is now ready! Taste it and add a little extra salt, chili powder, or brown sugar if you'd like. Then, use your Mexican pulled chicken in a dish.
Tips
I store leftover sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer once it has cooled down. You can add it to minced meat, for example, along with some vegetables. Cook some rice to go with it, and you have a complete meal for the next day. Or, if you like extra sauce on your wrap, you can use the sauce for that, too.Vary the spice mix by adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika powder.
How to store
You can store the pulled chicken in the refrigerator for up to two days. It's often even better the next day because the flavors have had time to develop. You can freeze the pulled chicken for up to three months.