Chicken Tinga
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
193 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Chicken Tinga
Description
This Chicken Tinga recipe involves simmering chicken breasts with aromatics to create tender, juicy meat and a light broth. The sauce is prepared by cooking fresh tomatoes and onion, then blending them with chipotle in adobo, garlic, and spices like oregano and cumin. Returning the sauce to the pot and simmering concentrates flavors before combining with shredded chicken.
The resulting dish is rich, with a mildly smoky heat from the chipotle adobo and a slightly thickened tomato sauce that clings to the meat. Serving suggestions include assembling it on tostada shells topped with traditional Mexican garnishes such as Mexican crema, shredded lettuce, queso fresco, cilantro, and avocado slices, complemented by a squeeze of lime.
The recipe supports customization for spiciness and convenience, offering options to use rotisserie chicken or slow-cooking methods. Chicken Tinga also freezes well, making it suitable for meal prep. The sauce can be adjusted with reserved chicken broth for desired consistency and seasoning adjusted to taste.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 chicken breast boneless skinless
- 1 small chunk onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
For the Sauce:
- 4 Roma tomato
- 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 oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin ground
For Serving:
- refried beans
- Mexican crema or sour cream
- lettuce , finely shredded
- queso fresco , crumbled
- cilantro fresh
- avocado , sliced
- lime
- 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.
Notes
- The recipe yields a mild spice level; increase chipotle chiles for more heat if preferred.
- Use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken breasts from scratch; add broth as needed.
- Prepare and refrigerate chicken tinga for 3-5 days; reheat gently before serving.
- Freeze cooked chicken tinga in airtight containers for up to 2 months; thaw before reheating.
- Slow cooker method: combine cooked sauce and chicken, cook on low for 5 hours or high for 2.5 hours before shredding and serving.
- Instant Pot method: cook chicken and sauce on manual for 9 minutes with natural pressure release; shred chicken and toss with sauce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 193 kcal
% 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.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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