Authentic Mexican cuisine has always been a popular staple in my diet. Looking back on my childhood, I can remember my mother rolling homemade masa in the palms of her hands, flattening them in the tortilla press, and grilling them in her cast iron skillet until they were golden and perfect for filling with meats like carne asada, marinated pork and shredded chicken. As I grew older, I loved experimenting with these flavors and creating my own takes on some of these traditional favorites.
This week, I’m sharing my recipe for simple, versatile and flavorful beer braised shredded chicken. Using a slow cooker to braise the chicken is a great way to generate a flavorful and moist filling for tacos, enchiladas and more. I like to braise my chicken using a mildly citrusy beer like Freya’s Gold from Odin Brewing in Seattle to accentuate the spices used in this recipe.
Of course, you can use this chicken as a filler for tacos, or use it as a topper for a platter of festive, game-day nachos to enjoy as you cheer on the Seahawks during your Super Bowl XLVIII party this Sunday, Feb. 2, at 3:30pm. Go Hawks!
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus more for prepping additional taco garnishings)
Cook time: 4 hours
Makes enough chicken for about 12 tacos
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 7-ounce can of diced green chili peppers
3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground, black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup Odin Brewing Freya’s Gold
Oil for sautéing
Directions:
In a medium-sized skillet, heat up oil and sauté onion until just sweating. Add garlic and continue sautéing until lightly browned. Add green chili peppers, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, then set aside.
Clean skillet and add more oil. Cook chicken breasts until lightly browned on each side, but not fully cooked (2-3 minutes).
In a slow-cooker, combine onion mixture, chicken, beer and chicken stock. Set on high for three hours. After three hours, chicken will be tender and can easily be shredded using a fork. Shred completely, and continue slow-cooking for one hour.
After the chicken has cooked for an additional hour, strain remaining liquid and serve chicken alongside your favorite taco fillers—I used fresh cilantro, lightly sautéed red onions and avocado slices nestled inside of a warmed corn tortilla.
