Description
Chicken Tinga is a flavorful Mexican dish featuring tender chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy sauce made from roasted tomatoes and chipotle peppers in adobo. Perfect for tacos, tostadas, or as a main dish, it offers a rich combination of smoky, spicy, and savory flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the chicken
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1/4 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Water, as needed to cover chicken
For the sauce
- 4 large Roma tomatoes
- 1 large white onion, halved
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For Serving
- Warm corn tortillas
- Cotija cheese
- Diced white onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced avocado
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Add chicken, ¼ onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and kosher salt to a large sauté pan or Dutch oven. Cover with water plus an extra inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Shred the Chicken: Reserve 1 cup of the cooking broth and set aside. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let cool for about 5 minutes. Shred chicken using two forks or clean hands, or use a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Set shredded chicken aside.
- Roast the Vegetables: Preheat broiler. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or grease with oil. Place Roma tomatoes and halved white onion on the sheet. Broil for 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until blackened and charred in spots.
- Make the Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine roasted tomatoes, onion halves, chipotle peppers, garlic, oregano, salt, cumin, and ½ cup of reserved broth. Blend until very smooth.
- Cook the Sauce: Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the blended sauce, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Add shredded chicken to the sauce and stir well to coat evenly. Cook for an additional 10 minutes while the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. If sauce becomes too thick, add a splash or two of remaining broth to reach desired consistency.
- Serve: Warm corn tortillas and serve the chicken tinga topped with cotija cheese, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and diced avocado.
Notes
- You can substitute 4 cups of shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken, using ½ cup chicken broth instead of cooking chicken from scratch.
- For a spicier dish, increase chipotle peppers in adobo to 2 tablespoons.
- To save time, use one 15-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes instead of fresh roasting.
- If Mexican oregano isn’t available, regular oregano works as a substitute.
- Slow Cooker Option: Prepare the sauce as directed but use ½ cup water instead of broth. Add chicken and sauce to slow cooker; cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3 hours. Shred chicken in the slow cooker, stir, and serve.
- Instant Pot Option: Prepare sauce with ½ cup water instead of broth. Add chicken and sauce to Instant Pot, seal, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release, shred chicken, stir into sauce, and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
