Quick Chicken Birria Tacos

1. Rehydrate chilies: In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat, add guajillo, ancho, and chile de arbol. Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes until softened.

2. Prepare adobo sauce: Drain the rehydrated chilies, reserving about 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. In a blender, combine the softened chilies, 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking liquid, chopped onion, garlic, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cloves, and cinnamon. Blend until very smooth, adding more soaking liquid if needed to achieve a pourable consistency. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.

3. Cook chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove chicken and set aside.

4. Simmer birria: Pour the strained adobo sauce into the pot. Add the bay leaf and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Return the seared chicken to the pot, ensuring it's mostly submerged in the sauce. If needed, add a little more chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60-75 minutes, or until chicken is very tender and easily shreddable.

5. Shred chicken: Carefully remove chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Shred the chicken using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

6. Assemble tacos: To make birria tacos, dip corn tortillas in the birria broth (consommé) and heat them on a griddle or non-stick pan. Add some shredded chicken, a sprinkle of cheese (optional), and fold. Cook until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly crispy. Serve immediately with a side of consommé for dipping, finely diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.