Easy Mexican Shredded Chicken - Quick and easy Mexican style shredded chicken done in under 20 minutes! This shredded chicken is perfect for making tacos, enchiladas, salads, burritos, chili and more.
If you are looking for a super fast and easy dinner recipe, this is the recipe for you. I linked some of my favorite easy dinner ideas using my Mexican shredded chicken below.
*This recipe makes about 4-5 cups of cooked shredded chicken. If you are cooking for a crowd, simply double the recipe.
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Chicken Thighs - or breasts (boneless, skinless)
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lime Juice
- Cilantro (Fresh)
Tools to have on hand:
How to make my super easy Mexican Shredded Chicken:
Add whole chicken thighs (or breasts) to a dutch oven or medium saucepan with lid. Season chicken with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Pour ¼ cup water over chicken.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes. Flip chicken over halfway through.
When done, chicken will be easily shreddable with a fork. Remove from heat and shred chicken with two forks.
Season with lime juice and fresh chopped cilantro (optional).
You are ready to serve! Serve with tacos, burritos, enchiladas, taquitos, chili, salads and so much more.
Here are some of my favorite recipes to make with my easy shredded chicken:
Easy Mexican Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. chicken thighs or breasts
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4-6 teaspoon lime juice
- 2-3 tablespoon cilantro chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Add whole chicken thighs (or breasts) to a dutch oven or medium saucepan with lid. Season chicken with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Pour ¼ cup water over chicken.
- Cover and cook over a low simmer for 15-20 minutes. Flip chicken over halfway through.
- When done, chicken will be easily shreddable with a fork. Remove from heat and shred chicken with two forks.
- Season with lime juice and fresh chopped cilantro (optional).
- You are ready to serve! Serve with tacos, burritos, enchiladas, taquitos, chili, salads and so much more.
Maret
Easy and tasty! I had 2 large chicken breasts, so it took longer to cook. But the result was great. I wasn't sure whether the cooking liquid was stirred into the shredded meat, but I figured that would make it too runny. So, I pitched the cooking liquid. The chicken nicely absorbed the flavorings.
Tricia
Have you ever tried using chicken broth instead of water to boil it with?
Amanda Cooks & Styles
Yes!! You can definitely use broth. :)Amanda
Anna
This turned out perfectly!
Amanda Cooks & Styles
Woo!! It's one of my favorites :)Amanda