Shredded Chicken For Tamales, Tacos, Etc.

The recipe I'm providing will work with beef as well as chicken. Having never cooked pork I'm unable to vouch for its performance. This is a time consuming recipe. I chose a day when I'd be home and relatively uninterrupted as I had leftover bones/meat that I then cooked into stock. I'd have rendered the fat from the skins as well but I already have a large amount of rendered goose fat sitting in my fridge taking-up space (time to preserve another goose, I guess) and chicken fat in comparison just doesn't seem quite as special. At any rate, I more than got my money out of an inexpensive 2 lb. Package of chicken thighs.

You'll want to use dark meat for this. The idea is to have shreds of chicken-not tough, stringy bits, which are what you'd get using breast meat. Thighs are often less expensive than drumsticks and easier to cut the meat into hunks, therefore ideal for this sort of a project.

The filling is excellent in tamales, or as we had it this evening, in burritos. This makes quite a bit and will easily make 2-3 dozen tamales. Leftovers are also terrific in omelets.

You Will Need:

1 ½ -2 lbs. dark chicken meat cut into small chunks.
½ onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons salt
10 peppercorns
1-tablespoon ground cumin (or 1 teaspoon seeds)
4 tablespoons ground ancho chilies (or any others you prefer)
4 tablespoons solid shortening (or if you prefer, lard)


Cut meat into chunks and brown in 2 tablespoons of the shortening in a heavy-bottomed pot (enamel over cast iron works well). Add enough water to cover the meat and add onions, salt, garlic and peppercorns. Simmer uncovered until fork tender, or about 2-3 hours.

If you're grinding your own chilies, it works well to toss them on a hot pan until they puff. Carefully slit them open and remove the seeds before grinding. I used to do this, but now that these spices are easily available I put my energies into other things-like cleaning up after a two year old. But hey, you single folks, by all means, feel free to grind your own.

When meat is tender, strain and reserve the broth. Remove the chicken to a bowl and let cool a bit. When you can handle it, use your hands to shred the pieces (if you want to be all bourgeois about it, yes, go ahead and use a couple of forks-though it is much easier with your hands.

Heat the remaining two tablespoons of shortening in a cast iron (or other heavy) frying pan. Add the spices and stir. Add the chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes until the spices are soaked-in. Slowly add the broth. Simmer until almost completely reduced (about an hour). Reheats well at low temperatures-do not use the microwave unless it is already enclosed in a tamale, as the chicken will dry out. A covered casserole in the oven or a bowl of a double boiler works best.