Chicken Tinga
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
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Servings
12
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Calories
355 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Chicken Tinga
Description
This Chicken Tinga recipe starts by roasting tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, jalapeños, and garlic until lightly charred, which adds a smoky depth to the sauce. These ingredients are blended with chipotle pepper, cumin, and oregano to create a smooth, flavorful sauce. The chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper and seared to develop color, is simmered in the sauce with chicken stock for about two hours until tender and infused with the smoky pepper flavor.
The final shredded chicken mixture has a balance of tanginess from tomatillos and tomatoes, subtle heat from jalapeños and chipotle, and aromatic spices. The dish is served in heated corn tortillas and topped with fresh avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro for contrast and richness.
Practical tips include roasting vegetables for flavor, using bone-in chicken for richer stock and texture, adjusting chipotle heat to taste, and the option to prepare the dish in a slow cooker. The Chicken Tinga improves in flavor with rest and can be stored refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for three months. Reheating is best done gently on the stove or microwave. Making it ahead and reheating before serving is recommended.
Ingredients
- 6 vine-ripened tomato sliced into wedges
- 5 tomatillos
- 1 sweet onion peeled and sliced into wedges
- 2 jalapeños sliced in half, seeds removed
- 10 garlic cloves
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons oregano dry
- 1 whole chicken broken down into parts
- 3 cups chicken stock good quality
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded and diced
- 1 cup queso fresco cheese
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped, fresh
- salt sea salt and fresh cracked, to taste
- black pepper sea salt and fresh cracked, to taste
Instructions
- Chicken: Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, garlic, and jalapeños on a non-stick cookie sheet tray and toss in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in the oven at 425° for 30 to 35 minutes or until everything is lightly charred.
- Next, add all roasted ingredients into a blender along with chipotle pepper, ground cumin, dry oregano, salt, and pepper to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper and in a large rondeau pot over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil sear the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 8-10 minutes per side.
- Add the tomatillo mixture along with the chicken stock, stir and cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours.
- Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred. Keep warm.
- To Plate: Place some shredded chicken in a heated corn tortilla and garnish with avocado, red onion, cilantro, and Oaxaca cheese.
Notes
- Roasting vegetables adds a smoky depth to the sauce; broiling can be a time-saving alternative to roasting.
- Bone-in chicken adds flavor and richness during braising; add extra stock if using boneless parts.
- Adjust chipotle peppers to control the heat level; removing seeds reduces spiciness.
- Preparing the dish a day ahead intensifies flavors; store leftovers refrigerated up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stove or microwave before serving; slow cooker method also yields tender meat with minimal effort.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 355 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 355kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 56mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 242mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 568mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 844IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 115mg | 12% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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