Shot and a Beer Braised Chicken Taco

I love making tacos from scratch at home. Particularly if it's super easy to make. I recently ordered the cookbook from Tacolicious, a restaurant in San Francisco, that is known for amazing tacos. So since I read the Shot and a Beer Braised Chicken Taco is amazing, I decided to make that one first and it was AMAZING!!! Dr. Sweetpea couldn't stop eating the tacos because they were so good. We will be making this recipe at home more regularly.

Shot and a Beer Braised Tacos

(Source: Tacolicious Cookbook)

3 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 habanero chile, stemmed

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (12 ounce) can favorite beer (we used Tacate)

1 shot (1 1 /2 ounces) favorite tequila

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 cup diced canned tomatoes

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried mexican oregano

Toast the ancho and chipotle chiles in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat, turning once, for about 30 seconds on each side, until fragrant but not blackened. Take care that they do not burn. Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or other large, heavy pot with a lid over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, working in batches, add the chicken thighs and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Add an extra drizzle of oil if needed to prevent sticking. As the thighs are ready, transfer them to a plate and set aside. 

Add the onion and habanero to the oil remaining in the pot and saute over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion is caramelized. Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the toasted chiles, beef, tequila, broth, tomatoes, salt, cumin, and oregano, turn down the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until the chiles have completely softened. Remove from the heat and let cook completely. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 

While the oven is heating, pour the  chile mixture into a blender and process until almost completely smooth (a little texture is fine). Return the chikden to the pot and pour the pureed sauce evenly over the top. 

Cover the pot, place in the oven, and cook for 2 hours. Remove the lid and continue to cook, stirring if necessary to prevent sticking, for 25 - 30 minutes, until the chicken is fork tender. If the sauce starts to reduce too much and the chicken begins to stick, add a little water or broth. Remove from the oven and use tongs or a fork to loosely shred the chicken, leaving it in the sauce. 

Serve with the tortillas and your favorite toppings.