PrintQuick Smoky Chicken Tinga for Easy Weeknight Tacos
Make authentic, flavorful Chicken Tinga fast. This recipe delivers tender shredded chicken in a smoky chipotle tomato sauce, perfect for weeknight Mexican dinners.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (adjust for spice level)
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 12 corn or flour tortillas (for serving)
- Optional Toppings: Sliced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, fresh cilantro, thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts or thighs in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover the chicken completely. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the water, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Let the chicken cool slightly, then shred it using two forks. Set the shredded chicken aside.
- In the same saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Add the shredded chicken and the 1/4 cup of chicken broth to the sauce. Stir well to coat the chicken completely. If the sauce seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved chicken cooking liquid until you reach your desired saucy consistency.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the Chicken Tinga simmer for 10 minutes so the flavors meld. Taste and add salt as needed. This smoky chipotle chicken is now ready.
- Warm your tortillas according to package directions. Serve the saucy shredded chicken in the warm tortillas. Top with your favorite fresh toppings for Chicken Tinga Tacos or use as a filling for Chicken Tinga Tostadas.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, you can substitute the chicken broth with 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken cooking liquid from step 1.
- If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can briefly blend the tomato, chipotle, and onion mixture before adding the shredded chicken back in.
- This recipe works well for Mexican meal prep ideas; store the chicken mixture separately from the toppings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 cup chicken mixture)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 48
- Cholesterol: 130