Mexico

Chicken Tinga Tacos

Name: Chicken Tinga Tacos
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 1½ lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs (or 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken); 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large white onion, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes; 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 1 tbsp of the adobo sauce; ½ cup chicken broth; 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available); ½ tsp ground cumin; Salt to taste; 12 small corn tortillas; To serve: Mexican crema or sour cream, crumbled queso fresco, sliced avocado, chopped white onion, cilantro, lime wedges

Shredded chicken simmered in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce, piled on warm corn tortillas with crema, onion and avocado.

Prep15 min

Cook25 min

Serves4

HeatMedium heat

Equipment: Large skillet, saucepan

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Mexico🌶🌶

About this dish

Tinga de pollo comes from Puebla, in central Mexico. Chicken is shredded and simmered with tomatoes, onions and chipotle chiles in adobo, which give the dish its smoky heat. It's traditionally served on crispy tostadas, but makes outstanding tacos too.

Instructions

If using raw chicken, simmer it in salted water for 15–18 minutes until it reaches 165°F. Cool slightly and shred with two forks.
Blend the tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic and broth until smooth.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sliced onion for 5–6 minutes until soft.
Pour in the chipotle sauce, add the oregano and cumin and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the shredded chicken and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce clings. Season with salt.
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side. Fill with tinga and top with crema, queso fresco, avocado, onion and cilantro. Serve with lime.

Local knowledge

Chipotles are smoke-dried jalapeños. Canned 'chipotles in adobo' — packed in a tangy red sauce — are sold in the Hispanic foods aisle of most US supermarkets and keep for weeks in the refrigerator once opened.

Swaps & variations

Use 1 chipotle for mild, 3 for hot.
Make tinga with shredded jackfruit or mushrooms for a vegetarian version.

Serving & storing

Serve on tostadas or over rice with black beans.
Tinga freezes well for up to 3 months.

Safety & allergens: Cook chicken to 165°F. Contains milk (crema, queso fresco). Corn tortillas are usually gluten-free — check labels. Always read ingredient labels. See our disclaimer.

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