Run-Over Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts 2 lb
• White Onion 1, halved, 1/2 left whole, 1/2 finely chopped
• Garlic 4 cloves
• Bay Leaves 2
• Black Peppercorns 1 tsp
• Kosher Salt 2 ¼ tsp
• Ripe Tomatoes 2 lb, 1 lb left whole, 1lb chopped
• Jalapeño or Serrano Chiles 2, 1 left whole, 1 finely chopped, or more to taste
• Dried Chile de Arbol 1, stemmed, seeds left in
• Dried Oregano 1 tsp
• Vegetable Oil 2 Tbs
• Flour Tortillas 10, warmed, for serving

Cook it

1. Put the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover generously with water. Add the whole onion half, two of the garlic cloves, the bay leaves, peppercorns and 1 tsp of the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, skim off the foam, cover partially, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, put the whole tomatoes, the whole Jalapeño or serrano, the chile de arbol and the remaining 2 garlic cloves in a separate medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes are mushy. Set aside.
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and place it in a medium bowl. Strain the broth and set aside. Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, finely shred it. Set aside.
4. With the slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tomatoes, Jalapeño or serrano, chile de arbol and garlic to a blender. Add 1 tsp of the salt, the oregano, and ½ cup of the chicken broth and purée until smooth.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and Jalapeño or serrano and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Add the chopped tomatoes and the remaining ¼ tsp salt, stir, and cook for 8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft.
6. Add the shredded chicken and tomato purée. Stir well and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce darkens, thickens, and is mostly absorbed.
7. Serve with the tortillas to make tacos.

Recipe excerpted with permission of the publisher from Foods of La Frontera by Pati Jinich (Harper Colins, 2026). Adapted slightly for style.