Big Batch Mexican Shredded Chicken
If you’re going to spend time making a big batch of something on the weekend, it better be worth it. And friends, this Mexican shredded chicken is SO worth it. We’re talking tender, fall-apart chicken thighs coated in a smoky seasoning blend, braised in orange juice, salsa, and chipotle peppers until they’re basically melting. It’s so deeply flavorful that you’ll be pulling it out of the fridge all week long and putting it on literally everything. Tacos, rice bowls, baked sweet potatoes, burritos… you name it! This is the meal prep shredded chicken recipe you’ll have on repeat for easy weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd.
If the idea of meal prep makes you shudder…
Literally same. 🙃
Like, the thought of the five containers of the same breakfast, lunch and dinner for every day of the week gives me the heebie jeebies. BUT, and there’s a pretty big but here, it is undeniably clutch when you have a batch of actually delicious protein prepped and ready to go in the fridge.
Protein that can be made into multiple different meals, ya know? That’s why I love my Korean shredded beef so much, and this Mexican shredded chicken is giving that same energy. You can use it in tacos, burritos, rice bowls, quesadillas, nachos, over a baked potato or sweet potato, in salads, pasta or casseroles. The flavors are definitely Mexican-inspired, but truly, at its core, it’s just really good, really flavorful, perfectly shred-y chicken that can be used in anything.
A few weeks ago, I threw my cousin a surprise birthday pool party and that was actually the inspiration for developing this recipe. I needed a meal to feed 30+ people that was also portable and decided on ‘taco bar’. The Mexican shredded beef from my beef burrito bowls recipe was an easy decision, but I also wanted a chicken option. So, this recipe was born! I also have our summer camping trips looming, and I love recipes like this to prep ahead and feed a crowd.
So use it for dinner meal prep throughout the week, or prep it to serve tacos or rice bowls for a party or camping! A couple minutes of prep and all the heavy lifting is done for ya. 😉
What Ingredients You’ll Need for This Mexican Shredded Chicken:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs are the move here, with fat trimmed. Thighs stay way juicier and are more forgiving than chicken breasts, especially when you’re making a large batch. They also shred beautifully. I usually grab the big packs from Costco. You can use chicken breasts if that’s what you have, but reduce the cook time slightly and expect them to be a little tender.
- The seasoning blend is what gives this Mexican shredded chicken its bold, smoky flavor. Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a little brown sugar for that gorgeous caramelization if you decide to broil it at the end (which I highly recommend!).
- One minced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce adds a little smoky heat without making the chicken overwhelmingly spicy. You can find it in the International or Mexican foods aisle near the other canned goods.
- Orange juice might surprise you, but it adds a subtle sweetness and acidity with the fresh lime juice that balances the smoky spices and helps tenderize the chicken. You could use mango or pineapple juice instead.
- Use your favorite jarred salsa. Mild, medium, hot, whatever your family can handle. It adds body, tomato flavor, and a little more heat to the liquid, if you so choose.
How to Make Meal Prep Shredded Chicken:
In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and trim away any large pieces of visible fat. This helps the seasoning stick better and prevents excess grease in the final dish. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Use your hands to make sure every thigh is evenly coated.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture all over and ensure thighs are well coated.
Place the seasoned chicken in the Instant Pot along with the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and salsa. Use tongs to toss everything together and make sure the chicken is surrounded by liquid. Pressure cook until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
Once it’s done, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks or tongs. It should practically fall apart on its own.
While you’re shredding, switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode and let the cooking liquid simmer until it reduces by about half (~15 minutes). This concentrates all that smoky, citrusy flavor and takes this from good to outrageously good, so don’t skip it.
If you like crispy, caramelized edges, spread the shredded chicken onto a baking sheet and broil for 5-8 minutes. HIGHLY recommend.
Return the chicken to the reduced sauce and toss until everything is coated.
Pile it into tacos, burrito bowls, salads, baked sweet potatoes, quesadillas, nachos, or whatever sounds good that week.
Meal prep: DONE. ✔️ Future you is already so proud.
FAQs
You can! Chicken breasts are leaner, so they’ll have a different texture and will cook a little faster under pressure (closer to 15 minutes rather than 18). They also won’t be quite as saucy and tender as the chicken thighs.
Yes! Refer to the recipe notes for alternative cooking methods.
So many different ways! Shredded chicken tacos are the obvious star, but it’s also incredible in burrito bowls, quesadillas, nachos, salads, enchiladas, stuffed sweet potatoes, pasta, casseroles, wraps, or even scrambled into eggs for breakfast.
Store leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container (after letting the chicken cool) with the juices for up to 4 days in the fridge. The sauce keeps the chicken incredibly moist, so it reheats beautifully.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Portion it into gallon-sized freezer bags for easy weeknight meals.
It does have one chipotle pepper, but this is mostly for depth of flavor and does not make the recipe spicy. I’d rank it a 1.5/5 on spiciness. If you’re spice-sensitive or cooking for kids, use just half a chipotle pepper and skip the extra adobo sauce. And if you want more heat, add a second chipotle pepper or a pinch of cayenne to the seasoning blend.
Watch How to Make The Best Shredded Chicken for Tacos:
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Big Batch Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12–14 4oz servings (about 3.25-3.5lb cooked chicken) 1x
- Category: Chicken, Meal Prep
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Description
Smoky, juicy, deeply flavorful Mexican shredded chicken made in the Instant Pot or Crockpot. The best meal prep shredded chicken for tacos, rice bowls, burritos, salads, and beyond.
Ingredients
- 4–5lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup salsa
Instructions
- Use a few paper towels to pat away as much moisture as possible from the chicken thighs. Use kitchen scissors to trim away pieces of visible fat.
- In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
- Drizzle the chicken thighs with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle all over with the seasoning mixture. Use your hands to make sure the chicken thighs are well and evenly coated.
- Place seasoned chicken in an Instant Pot. Add 1 minced chipotle pepper and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce to the chicken along with 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 cup orange juice and 1 cup salsa. Use tongs to toss until combined, ensuring the chicken thighs are surrounded by liquid so they don’t stick and burn at the bottom.
- Pressure cook for 18 minutes, natural release for 10 minutes, followed by quick release.
- Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and use tongs or two forks to shred- it should be fall-apart tender and take almost zero effort, score. While you are shredding the chicken, set the Instant Pot to sauté and bring the liquids to a boil for 15-ish minutes, until reduced by half.
- Optional step – if you want the chicken to have crispy little edges here and there, place the shredded chicken on a baking sheet and broil for 5-8 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the juices, tossing to combine.
Serve in tacos, over rice or baked sweet potato, in burritos, in taco salad; this is truly the perfect meal prep shredded chicken.
Notes
Crockpot instructions: Pat the chicken dry, coat with oil and seasoning as directed, then place in the slow cooker. Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and salsa, tossing to coat. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender. Remove and shred. Transfer the liquids to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat on the stove until reduced by half. Combine the shredded chicken and juices.
Oven instructions: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the chicken dry, coat with oil and seasoning as directed, then arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish or Dutch oven. Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and salsa, spooning the liquid around the chicken. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake for 1.5-2 hours, until the chicken is very tender and shreds easily. Check a few times, tossing the chicken and adding a splash of water, if things seem too dry. Remove and shred the chicken, then pour the braising liquid into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until reduced by half. Return the chicken to the sauce and toss to combine.
Refer to above blog post for step-by-step photos and answers to frequently asked questions and substitutions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz shredded chicken
- Calories: 232
- Sugar: 4.1 g
- Sodium: 517.1 mg
- Fat: 7.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.9 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 31.2 g
- Cholesterol: 143.4 mg
If you liked this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, try these other Instant Pot or Crockpot Meal Prep Recipes:
My Go-To Korean Shredded Beef for Rice Bowls (Night 1) and Burritos (Night 2)
Beef Burrito Bowl (Night 1) and Enchilada Pie (Night 2)
