Chicken Tacos - With Cinnamon & Beer
Updated: Oct 30, 2022
I'm always looking for something to do with Chicken Thighs and Drums. Everyone wants Chicken Breast, Chicken Tenders and Chicken Wings, but the humble Thighs and Drums are consistently the last cuts to be sold, hence the lower price per pound. They are hidden gems of flavor and value and I am determined to figure out some quick, easy and tasty recipes for using these overlooked cuts of meat. In this post, I'm going to show you how I made Chicken Tacos with a touch of cinnamon and beer using an Instant Pot Pro and our Pasture Raised Chicken.
Ingredients:
1200g Bone In Thighs & Drums
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Coriander
16 oz Beer
Step 1: Prepare the chicken
Break down your Pasture Raised Chicken. I broke down two chickens for this recipe. Save your bones for Bone Broth, more on that in another post. Vacuum Seal your chicken breasts and wings for another meal. Separate your thighs from the drums and place them in your pot. DO NOT remove the bones from the thighs and drums at this point. They will add flavor and nutrients to the final meal and come out much easier after the pressure cook.
Step 2: Add Seasoning & Beer
Add the Olive Oil, Salt, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder, Oregano, Cinnamon, Coriander, and Beer to the pot with the chicken. Mix well so chicken is well coated.
Step 3: Sauté & Pressure Cook
Turn on your Instant Pot and sauté on high for about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over after 5 minutes. When the liquid starts to bubble, it's time to cancel the sauté, put on the lid and start a 45 minute pressure cook on high.
Step 4: Prep Pico de Gallo & Guacamole
While you are waiting for the chicken to cook, it's a great time to prepare any toppings you are planning on using for your tacos. I'll write a post on how I prepare Pico and Guacamole soon.
Step 5: De-bone the chicken & reduce the sauce.
Once the 45 minute pressure cook is finished, remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board to de-bone.
Before you start removing the bones, turn the Instant Pot back on sauté and reduce the sauce. While the sauce is reducing, separate the skin, bones, and cartilage from the meat. In addition the time saved using a pressure cooker, an additional benefit is how tender the meat becomes. It will literally fall of the bone. When the sauce has thickened enough to coat your stirring spoon, turn the Instant Pot to low and mix the chicken back into the sauce.
Step 6: Enjoy
Build your tacos and enjoy! Post a photo below and let me know what you think.
We are going to be exploring more recipes for Chicken Thighs and Drums over the next few weeks. Place your order for some Pasture Raised Chicken so you can follow along.