Mexican chicken recipes: 10 different ways to prepare it

Chicken is, without a doubt, the most versatile protein in Mexican cooking. Affordable, accessible and neutral in flavour, chicken is radically transformed by the sauce, the cooking method and the accompaniments you use. In Mexico, each region has its own chicken recipes that reflect local ingredients and the culinary traditions of generations.

In the UK, chicken is equally popular, and Mexican chicken recipes are a perfect way to introduce new flavours to an ingredient you already know. Here we present 10 completely different ways to prepare chicken Mexican-style, from the simplest to the most elaborate.

1. Chicken tinga

Tinga poblana is one of the most popular chicken preparations across Mexico. Originating in Puebla, it combines shredded chicken with a tomato-and-chipotle sauce that is smoky, slightly spicy and absolutely addictive.

Recipe:

1. Cook 2 chicken breasts in water with salt, onion and garlic for 25 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of broth. Shred the chicken.
2. Blend 4 ripe tomatoes, 2-3 chipotles in adobo (adjust the heat), half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic.
3. Saute 1 julienned onion in oil until translucent.
4. Pour in the blended sauce and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
5. Add the shredded chicken and half a cup of broth. Cook for 10 more minutes.
6. Season with salt, oregano and a pinch of sugar if the sauce is too acidic.

Serve on tostadas, in tacos, in tortas or over rice. Tinga is perfect for meal prep because it improves the next day.

2. Chicken in mole poblano

Mole poblano with chicken is the celebration dish par excellence in Mexico. It is complex, rich and deep, with more than 20 ingredients that include dried chiles, chocolate, spices, nuts and seeds.

If making mole from scratch intimidates you, you can buy mole paste in Mexican shops (Doña María is the most common brand). Dissolve 200g of paste in 500ml of hot chicken broth, cook for 15 minutes and bathe the cooked chicken pieces. Accompany with red rice and tortillas. It is the dish Mexicans prepare for the big occasions.

3. Chicken a la mexicana

Chicken a la mexicana features the three colours of the flag: red tomato, green chile (serrano or jalapeño) and white onion. It is one of the simplest, most everyday dishes in Mexican cooking.

Recipe:

1. Cut 4 boneless chicken thighs into strips. Season with salt, pepper and cumin.
2. Brown the strips in hot oil. Set aside.
3. In the same oil, saute 1 julienned onion, 3 cubed tomatoes and 2 serrano chiles (or jalapeños) in slices.
4. Return the chicken, add a pinch of oregano and cook covered for 15 minutes over medium heat.
5. Serve with rice, beans and tortillas.

It is the meal millions of Mexican families prepare during the week: quick, nutritious and comforting.

4. Chicken enchiladas suizas

Enchiladas suizas are green enchiladas bathed in cream and gratinated with cheese. The name "suizas" (Swiss) comes from a Mexican dairy brand (Sanborns popularised them in the 1950s). They are the favourite dish of those who love chicken with cheese.

Recipe:

1. Make green salsa: blend 500g of cooked tomatillos with 3 serrano chiles, cilantro, onion and garlic.
2. Fill 12 corn tortillas with shredded chicken and roll them up.
3. Place the enchiladas in an ovenproof dish, bathe with the green salsa mixed with 200ml of cooking cream.
4. Cover with grated mozzarella or Gouda.
5. Gratinate in the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes until the cheese bubbles.

Serve with sour cream, sliced avocado and pickled red onion.

5. Chicken in green salsa with zucchini

A comforting and healthy home-style stew. The tomatillo green salsa is naturally tart and light, perfect for balancing the mildness of the chicken and the sweetness of the zucchini.

Recipe: Brown chicken pieces (thighs or drumsticks) in a pot. Remove. In the same oil, pour in blended green salsa (tomatillos, serranos, cilantro, garlic). Cook for 5 minutes. Return the chicken, add 2 zucchini cut into half-moons and corn kernels (sweetcorn) if you have any. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Season with salt and epazote (or cilantro). Serve with rice and tortillas.

6. Chicken flautas

Flautas are corn tortillas rolled around a chicken filling and fried until crunchy like a flute (hence the name). They are a classic snack of Mexican street food.

Recipe:

1. Fill corn tortillas with shredded chicken (seasoned with a little green salsa or cream). Roll tightly and secure with a cocktail stick.
2. Fry in hot oil (180°C) for 3-4 minutes, turning, until golden and crunchy.
3. Drain on kitchen paper.
4. Serve bathed in cream, green salsa, chopped lettuce, grated fresh cheese and slices of avocado.

For a healthier version, brush the flautas with oil spray and bake them at 200°C for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.

7. Caldo tlalpeño

Caldo tlalpeño is a chicken soup typical of central Mexico, originating in Tlalpan (Mexico City). It includes shredded chicken, chickpeas, chipotle and vegetables in a substantial broth.

Recipe: Cook a whole chicken in 3 litres of water with onion, garlic, carrots, celery and salt. Remove the chicken and shred it. Strain the broth. Add to the broth: 1 can of drained chickpeas, 2 sliced carrots, 1 cubed zucchini, 1-2 chopped chipotles in adobo and the shredded chicken. Cook for 15 minutes. Serve with avocado, lime, panela cheese (or fresh mozzarella) and tortillas cut into strips and fried (tortilla chips). It is the Mexican equivalent of a hearty stew: comforting and perfect for the cold.

8. Chicken in pipián verde

Pipián is an ancestral pre-Hispanic sauce made with pumpkin seeds. It is creamy, with a unique earthy, vegetal flavour that is completely different from any other sauce.

Recipe:

1. Toast 200g of hulled pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until they begin to pop.
2. Blend with 4 cooked tomatillos, 3 serrano chiles, cilantro, lettuce, garlic and 1 cup of chicken broth.
3. Strain the sauce and cook it in oil for 10 minutes.
4. Add more broth until you reach the desired consistency.
5. Submerge cooked chicken pieces in the sauce. Cook for 10 minutes.

Serve with white rice and tortillas. Pipián is one of the most elegant dishes in Mexican cooking and always impresses guests.

9. Chicken mixiotes

Mixiotes are a preparation from central Mexico in which the meat is wrapped in maguey (agave) leaves and steamed. In the UK, you can substitute baking paper or foil, and the result is still spectacular.

Recipe: Marinate chicken thighs for 2 hours in a mixture of blended guajillo and ancho chiles with garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, vinegar and salt. Wrap each marinated thigh with a piece of nopal, onion and an avocado leaf (or bay leaf) in foil to form a closed parcel. Steam for 1 hour or bake at 180°C for 45 minutes. Open at the table so the aroma makes an impact. Serve with tortillas, green salsa and beans.

10. Chicken tamales in red sauce

Chicken tamales in red sauce are the most popular tamales across Mexico. The corn masa wraps a chicken filling bathed in red guajillo-chile sauce, all steamed in corn husks.

Simplified recipe: Make tamale masa by mixing 500g of corn flour for tamales with 250g of beaten lard, warm chicken broth until you have a smooth masa, salt and baking powder. Spread masa onto soaked corn husks, fill with shredded chicken in red sauce, wrap and steam for 1 hour. It is a weekend project that is absolutely worth it.

Chicken in Mexican cooking is a blank canvas that transforms with each sauce and each technique. From the quick weeknight tinga to the weekend tamales, there is a Mexican chicken recipe for every occasion. Explore more in our Mexican recipes section and find the ingredients you need in our recommended shops.