Tantalizing Barbacoa Chicken: An Authentic Mexican Comfort Food Recipe

Picture a table filled with platters piled high with warm, aromatic, and flavorful barbacoa chicken. The fragrant, succulent tomato-hued dish with its endearing Mexican flavor is delightfully captivating. Barbacoa is part of Mexico’s culinary heritage, valued by many families and communities. Asking grandmas around the dinner table what their best-kept barbacoa recipes are will reveal numerous details, ingredients, and instructions.

This authentic and tasty dish works as the main dish for special occasions or for dinner feasts but can also be prepared for more relaxed family gatherings and get-togethers. The great thing about Mexican cuisine is that it doesn’t take a lot of ingredients to make a dish a success, and this barbacoa chicken dish is no exception—in addition to being simple to make, this recipe is both delicious and versatile.

Barbacoa Chicken: An Authentic Mexican Dish for Any Occasion

Barbacoa chicken is an iconic Mexican dish traditionally prepared in an underground oven dug into an earthen space. But fortunately, modernizing this recipe has allowed many of its followers an easier way to enjoy it with the same unique flavor.

This comforting dish has everything you might require in an authentic Mexican recipe—it has a delightful mixture of tomato, garlic, chiles, onion, cilantro, and a few other ingredients to create an amazing, colorful taste sensation. With this recipe, the vegetables, herbs, and spices all come together in harmony to give the dish a unique and delightful flavor.

But what really gives barbacoa its special flavor is the slow cooking method. By braising the chicken in its own juices, the resulting flavor afterward is tender, juicy, and aromatic. And cooking the recipe in a slow cooker is the best and easiest way to bring all of that tantalizing flavor together.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 chopped poblano peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt together.
2. Rub the chicken thighs with the mixed spices.
3. Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
4. Add the garlic, poblano peppers, onion, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and tomato paste to the slow cooker.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
6. Once it’s done cooking, shred the chicken with two forks.
7. Garnish with the freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

Enchanting Flavors, Easy to Make, and Great for Sharing

Barbacoa chicken is one of those classic Mexican dishes that has managed to win the hearts of many. It’s quite easy to make, and the wonderful depth of flavors is sure to delight any dinner guest. It’s a great addition to a dinner table, whether it’s a large gathering or a family reunion, and is the perfect meal to kick off any Mexican or Latin American-inspired celebration.

If you’re looking for an easy yet captivating dish that can be prepped in no time, then look no further! Barbacoa chicken is the perfect example of Mexican heart-warming comfort food—tortillas and guacamole not included; but any Mexican feast isn’t complete without them, right? Enjoy!