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Chicken Tinga
This delicious Chicken Tinga recipe has tender chicken in a bold, chipotle sauce. Use it for tostadas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, loaded quesadillas and more.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 193 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mexican
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 small chunk onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce:
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion , cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce ,+ 1 chipotle chili
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
For Serving:
- refried beans
- Mexican crema or sour cream
- lettuce , finely shredded
- queso fresco , crumbled
- fresh cilantro
- avocado , sliced
- limes
- tostada shells , or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Add chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat for around 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through; 165 degrees F. Scoop off foam that may rise to the top while cooking. Remove chicken to a plate to rest, and reserve 1 cup of broth from the pot (discard the rest).
- Return the emptied pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add whole tomatoes, cooking for 2 minutes. Add onion chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and onion to a blender, along with ½ cup reserved broth, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, 2 garlic cloves, adobo sauce and chipotle chile, oregano, and cumin and blend until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pot over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt additional adobo sauce, more seasonings, or reserved chicken broth, as desired, to taste.
- Shred chicken and add to sauce, tossing to coat.
- To Serve as Tostadas: Spread tostada shell with a thin layer of refried beans. Add a scoop of chicken tinga on top. Top with lettuce, queso freso, cilantro, avocado, and a drizzle of crema.
- To Serve as Tacos: Serve in a warm corn or flour tortilla, topped with shredded lettuce, cotija, crema, cilantro and avocado.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Spice Level: The recipe as written is fairly mild, unless you add a very large adobo chile. Add more chiles, for more heat.
- To Use Rotisserie Chicken: Skip the first steps of cooking the chicken. Make the sauce, adding ½ cup chicken broth. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end.
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the chicken tinga and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Heat when you are ready to use. These leftovers are delicious! See recipe notes for Slow Cooker or Instant Pot instructions.
- Freezing Instructions: Let the chicken cool completely then place in a freezer safe container or bag and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Alternately, make the sauce and pour into a ziplock bag with raw chicken. Freeze, and when ready to use, thaw completely and add to slow cooker, following the slow cooker instructions below. I love to make a big batch of this recipe and freeze half of it to use for chicken tinga tacos on a busy weeknight!
- Slow Cooker: Make sauce as instructed in recipe. Place chicken in a slow cooker, and pour sauce on top. Cook on LOW for 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2. Shred chicken and toss in sauce, then serve.
- Instant Pot: Make sauce as instructed in recipe. Pour sauce in the instant pot, then add fresh chicken breasts. Place lid on Instant Pot and cook on manual for 9 minutes, with a 5 minute natural pressure release. Remove chicken to shred, then place back in Instant Pot and toss with sauce.
Nutrition Information
Calories
193kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
7g
(2%)
Protein
25g
(50%)
Fat
7g
(11%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
Trans Fat
0.01g
Cholesterol
72mg
(24%)
Sodium
646mg
(27%)
Potassium
633mg
(18%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
568IU
(11%)
Vitamin C
13mg
(14%)
Calcium
37mg
(4%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 193
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 193kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 72mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 646mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 633mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 568IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium | 37mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.