Winner, Winner, Chicken Tortilla Dinner

Garlic-Roasted Shredded Chicken Wrapped in Warm Tortillas with Classic Mexican-Inspired Toppings

1 hour 40 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerMexican
Herb's take

Take taco night to new heights with a whole roasted chicken, deeply infused with garlic and spices, then shredded and wrapped in warm tortillas. You'll learn how roasting whole maximizes juiciness and flavor, plus how to make garlic the star without burning it.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
  2. 02
    Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels and place it breast-side up on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan.
  3. 03
    In a small bowl, mix olive oil, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper to form a thick paste. Rub this mixture all over the chicken, including under the skin if possible.
  4. 04
    Stuff the chicken cavity with 1 halved head of garlic, half the lime quarters, and a few sprigs of cilantro. Scatter the remaining garlic halves and sliced onion around the chicken in the pan.
  5. 05
    Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the garlic and onion in the pan.
  6. 06
    Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting for 55-65 minutes, or until the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
  7. 07
    Carefully transfer the chicken to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let it rest 15 minutes before shredding.
  8. 08
    Meanwhile, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and mash them in a small bowl. Discard skins.
  9. 09
    Shred the chicken, discarding bones and skin, and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the meat with the mashed roasted garlic and a few spoonfuls of any pan juices.
  10. 10
    Warm the tortillas just before serving. You can use a dry skillet, flipping every 10 seconds, or wrap in foil and heat in the oven for 5 minutes.
  11. 11
    To serve: Pile shredded garlic chicken onto warm tortillas. Top with sliced radishes, onion (from roasting pan), chopped cilantro, avocado slices, and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Want your own batch?

I don't run a recipe search engine—I invent dishes from what you tell me. Toss me some ingredients on the home page.