Chicken Tinga Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Cook Time
55 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
6 servings (1 cup each)
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Calories
386 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mexican
Chicken Tinga Recipe
Description
This Chicken Tinga recipe starts with boiling bone-in chicken pieces seasoned with onion, garlic, and salt to make tender, shredded chicken and a flavorful broth. The broth is partially reserved and blended with cooked tomatoes, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, onion, garlic, and chicken bouillon to make a smoky, spicy sauce. The sauce is then combined with sautéed onions and the shredded chicken, simmered until flavors meld and the sauce thickens.
The resulting dish balances smoky heat from chipotles with the acidity of tomato and savory chicken, with soft shredded texture complemented by tender cooked onions. Traditionally, this tinga is served on warm flour tortillas garnished with shredded lettuce and Queso Fresco, often accompanied by Mexican rice.
The recipe details tips for making clear broth by starting with cold water and removing skin and bones after cooking. Chipotle peppers bring noticeable spiciness, adjustable per taste. Leftovers can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer storage. This dish works well as a make-ahead meal where sauce and chicken can be prepared in advance.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 to 5 pound chicken cut into pieces and giblets removed (see note 1 & 2, whole
- 1 medium onion peeled and halved
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon salt
- water see note 3, cold
For the sauce:
- 3 Roma tomato
- 1 cup chicken broth reserved from boiling chicken or store-bought (see note 4)
- 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce or more to taste (see note 5)
- 1/4 medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 extra large chicken bouillon cube or 2 regular cubes
For the tinga:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or pork lard (not the pure white vegetable lard)
- 3/4 medium onion sliced (the remaining from making the sauce above)
- flour tortillas warmed, for serving
- Mexican rice for serving
- lettuce and Queso Fresco, or your other favorite toppings, for serving, shredded
Instructions
To make the chicken:
- In a Dutch Oven or large stock pot, add chicken, onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt. Add cold water to cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pot. Shred chicken, discarding skin and bones (you should have about 4 cups chicken). Remove and set aside 1 cup cooking liquid (chicken broth).
To make the sauce:
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan bring 4 cups water to boil. Add tomatoes and boil until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove and transfer to blender.
- To the blender with the tomatoes, add the 1 cup of reserved chicken broth, chipotle chiles in adobo, onion, garlic, and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.
To make the tinga:
- In a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until just smoking. And onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add half the sauce and bring to boil. Stir in chicken, adding more sauce if desired (the heat of the dish comes from the sauce, so use more or less sauce to taste). Boil until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve in tortillas with Mexican rice, shredded lettuce, and cheese.
Notes
- Start poaching chicken in cold water with aromatics for clear broth and tender meat.
- Use 4 to 5 pounds bone-in chicken or a whole chicken for best broth and yield about 6 servings.
- Chipotle chiles in adobo add smoky heat; adjust quantity to taste or omit for less spice.
- Reserve and strain broth to build flavor in the sauce; freeze excess broth up to 3 months.
- Store leftovers refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze cooled tinga up to 2 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings (1 cup each)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 386 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 serving (1 cup) | |
| Calories | 386kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 28g | 56% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Cholesterol | 109mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 1697mg | 71% |
| Potassium | 433mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 961IU | 19% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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