Mexican Pulled Chicken
A delicious and flavorful dish featuring tender, shredded chicken cooked in a rich, spicy sauce with lime juice, spices, and tomato sauce. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or over rice.
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cooking Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth Can substitute with vegetable broth.
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and allow it to heat up.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it's soft.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring to prevent burning.
- Sprinkle in ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, ground cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon.
- Add the lime juice and tomato sauce, stirring to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cooking
- Place the chicken breasts in the skillet, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the sauce.
- Cover the skillet with a lid, lower the heat, and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165°F).
- Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Let it simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve hot!
Notes
For extra flavor, marinate the chicken breasts in lime juice and spices for a few hours before cooking. Adjust the spice level by adding more cayenne pepper or using mild chili powder. If you don’t have chicken broth, vegetable broth can be a good substitute. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.