Protein prep just got a lot easier. This Mexican chicken is made by mixing chicken with fajita seasoning and your favorite cooking liquid before baking and broiling. It makes juicy and tender pulled chicken with tons of crispy edges.
The broiling step is key. You get browning and flavor development like you would by browning the chicken before braising, but you don’t have to take the extra steps or cook them in oil. This Mexican chicken will save you time AND calories.
Serving Ideas
You can’t go wrong with chicken burrito bowls. Pictured below you will see the pulled chicken served alongside fajita veggies, Mexican rice, and black beans. Garnishes include lime and lemon wedges. cilantro, queso fresco, and salsa verde.
I used my roasted fajita vegetables recipe but made them in an air fryer instead of an oven. Just slice 2-3 bell peppers and a red onion into strips, toss with a tiny bit of oil, and a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Air fry as hot as you can for 10-15 minutes, tossing a few times, and you should be good to go.
Tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and burritos are all great ways to serve this chicken.
If you want to get a bit more creative, check out my chicken wraps or crispy baked tacos.
You will find the full recipe card below, which you can print or save to your device. I’ve also included a visual recipe walkthrough below the card in case you need to see what you’re looking for at any point in the recipe.
Mexican Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 2 packets Chicken Fajita Seasoning*
- 12 oz Non-Alcoholic Beer, or any cooking liquid – see notes**
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Add the chicken thighs to a Dutch oven or oven safe dish along with the seasoning packets and cooking liquid. Mix everything together and cover the pot.
- Bake the chicken on the middle rack of a 350ºF oven for 1 hour or until the chicken shreds easily.
- Shred and broil the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a bowl or carefully shred the chicken in the pot. Set your oven to a low broil and place the Dutch oven back in the oven uncovered. Broil for 15-20 minutes until the shredded chicken starts to turn crispy golden brown.
- Stir and serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Let’s Make Mexican Chicken (Recipe Walkthrough)
With three ingredients and essentially four steps to cook the chicken, this is a certified easy recipe.
The Three Ingredients
Don’t think these are the only products that work. Any fajita seasoning and beer will work.
If you want to make a homemade seasoning, check out this recipe. You can also use this method with different flavor profiles like bbq or fire roasted tomato (great for tacos).
Step 1: Add boneless skinless chicken thighs to a Dutch oven with chicken fajita seasoning and your choice of cooking liquid.
Don’t have a Dutch oven? You may be able to fit everything into a large braising pan or stainless steel sauté pan. If not, a baking dish with a foil cover should work. Just be sure it’s oven safe up to 550ºF if you plan to use it under your oven’s broiler.
Step 2: Cover and bake at 350ºF for 1 hour.
The chicken should fall apart when poked with a fork. If it still has some resistance, don’t be afraid to cover and cook a bit longer. Chicken thighs are very forgiving, and you’ll have a tough time overcooking them.
Step 3: Shred the chicken.
I recommend transferring the chicken to a separate bowl to pull. That should prevent any accidental contact with the hot Dutch oven or scratches to the enameled cast iron if you’re shredding the chicken with forks.
There are, however, large meat claws designed for shredding that would allow you to safely shred the chicken right inside the pot.
Step 4: Place the uncovered Dutch oven under a low broil on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes until crispy golden brown.
Just keep an eye on the chicken. Every oven is different and you don’t want to burn the chicken. Once you’re happy with the level of browning, you can either stir the chicken to get more browning on pieces at the bottom of the pot or stop there and serve.
If you have any questions about making this Mexican chicken, leave it in the comments below. I’d be happy to help you out!
I’ve made a lot of pulled chicken with Mexican seasonings, and I’m surprised how well this one holds up with such a minimal ingredient list. No dicing onions, searing chicken in olive oil, or really any work at all required. Great option for the lazy days.
Hello! These look delish. Would it work with chicken breasts instead of thighs? Thank you!
It’s a matter of personal preference. If you’re the type that doesn’t mind shredded chicken breast, go for it. The method should work fine just like other slow cooked and shredded chicken breast recipes. Broiling will work similarly once it’s shredded, but the extra fat in thighs may create a bit more browning. So be careful not to burn chicken breast instead of browning. Hope that helps!