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4.75 stars (4 reviews)

Chicken Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Chicken Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Consome are made with juicy and tender chicken, and perfectly melted cheese. Toasted to perfection, and dipped into the rich consome for added flavor.
Course Mexican Inspired
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword birria, chicken, grilled cheese, sandwich
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 Sandwiches
Calories 544kcal
Author Tamara J.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 cups Monterrey Jack cheese shredded
  • 6 med-long Rolls bolillo rolls are best
  • 1 cup Cilantro chopped (garnish)
  • 1 cup Red onion chopped (garnish)
  • 4 bay Leaves to add to consome and chicken
  • Non-stick spray for grilling sandwiches

For the Consome

  • 4 dried Guajillo peppers
  • 2 dried Chile de arbol peppers
  • 1/2 medium Onion
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 2 pieces Star anise

For the Chicken

  • 6 boneless skinless Chicken thighs
  • 1/2 tablespoon Seasoned salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon Onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil

Instructions

  • Remove stems and seeds from all of the dried peppers. Place the peppers, onion, cloves, star anise, and garlic into a stockpot. Fill it with water, and bring it to a rapid boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Do not discard the water, just set it aside.
  • Set the pressure cooker to "saute" mode (see notes below, and post above for directions to cook on the stovetop).
  • Cut any excess fat from the chicken thighs, and place them in a large bowl. Add all of the seasonings, and olive oil to the bowl with the chicken. Use hands, or tongs to mix the oil and seasonings into the chicken evenly.
  • Place the chicken into the pressure cooker in one single layer. Sear on each side for 5 minutes. Continue this step until all of the chicken has been seared on both sides. Keep the chicken in the pot.
  • While the chicken is searing, add all of the peppers, onion, garlic and about 2 cups of the water they boiled in, to a blender. Blend on high for 3 minutes.
  • Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the sauce directly into the pressure cooker with the chicken. Use a spoon to push the pepper sauce through the strainer. Keep adding water as needed, to push the juice through the blended peppers. Continue this process until the peppers turn into a semi-dry paste.
  • Add the four bay leaves to the pressure cooker. Set it to "meat" mode and pressure cook for 45 minutes.
  • When it is done cooking, remove the bay leaves and discard. Next, remove the chicken from the pot and place it in a bowl. Using tongs or two forks, shred the chicken into fine pieces.
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Spray the skillet with non-stick spray. Add about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and chicken to each roll.
  • Place the sandwiches into the skillet and press down with a spatula to sort of flatten them.
  • Ladle a scoop of the consome broth that the chicken cooked in, directly to the skillet. Cook the sandwiches on each side until a golden brown crust forms, and the cheese is melted.
  • Add some of the consome to a bowl for dipping. Garnish both the consome, and sandwiches with the chopped cilantro and onions, and a squeeze of lime!

Notes

Chicken can be cooked in a skillet on the stovetop instead of a pressure cooker. Follow the exact same steps as described above. Use a skillet with a lid so that it can be covered and simmered for 45 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 550mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g