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Taco Tuesday has never been so tasty—or easy! My Chicken Tinga Tacos recipe combines shredded chicken with a spicy and flavorful Tinga sauce sure to be a hit with the whole family. Ready in under 30 minutes!
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What is chicken tinga?
A classic recipe originating in Puebla, Mexico, Tinga is a dish that combines shredded chicken or beef with a sauce made with tomatoes and chipotles. This flavorful dish is used as a topping for many meals, such as tacos, rice bowls, or the classic choice of tostadas and refried beans.
Chicken Tinga Tacos
The best chicken tacos I've ever had were at a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, where Chicken Tinga was the special of the day. It took one bite to know I needed to find a way to make these tacos at home! The chicken was so juicy and flavorful, I could have eaten it without any toppings.
Luckily for me, it turns out that making Tinga Tacos is incredibly easy. All it takes is a pan, a blender, and a few easy ingredients. You'll have delicious Chicken Tinga ready in no time to stuff into taco shells and pile high with your favorite toppings!
If you have a busy week ahead of you, Chicken Tinga is the perfect make-ahead meal. Just prep a big batch early and use it for tacos, salads, rice bowls, burritos, and more. There's no limit to what this easy Tinga Chicken can do!
Tinga Tacos Recipe Ingredients
- Shredded chicken - you can use my pulled chicken or my Easy Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken
- Chicken stock
- Crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- Onion
- Chipotles in adobo
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Oregano
- Cumin
- Salt
Toppings for Tinga Chicken Tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Red onion - Try my fast pickled onions!
- Cotija cheese
- Crema - Check out my Avocado Crema!
- Lime slices
I recommend serving this delicious Mexican dish in corn tortillas, but you can also use flour tortillas, if you prefer.
How to Make Tinga Tacos
Shredding your own chicken (optional)
1: Season Chicken
Place chicken breasts inside the Instant Pot. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add chicken broth to Instant Pot.
2: Cook Chicken
Cover and set to pressure cook on high for 14 minutes. If using frozen chicken breasts, cook on high for 18 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally once finished cooking.
1: Shred Chicken
After the pressure is released, shred the chicken using two forks, or an electric mixer. This procedure also works well when you add the chicken to the bowl of your stand mixer on low speed.
Alternative Method for Shredding Chicken
- Add chicken breasts to a pot on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Completely cover the chicken with water or chicken broth. The chicken must be fully submerged.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through thoroughly.
- Shred using two forks or a mixer.
For more shredded chicken recipe tips, see my guide to Shredded Chicken.
Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe
1: Saute Onion and Garlic
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Chop the onion, then add it and the olive oil to the skillet and saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic.
2: Add Chipotle Peppers and Sauce
Chop and stir in the chipotle peppers and sauce, then the oregano and cumin. Toast for 1 minute.
3: Get Out Your Blender
Place the mixture in a blender and blend until totally smooth.
4: Mix in the Chicken
Return to the pan over low heat. Add in the shredded chicken, and cook for 5 minutes.
3: Assemble Tacos
Place the chicken on warmed tortillas and top with avocado, cilantro, red onion, cotija cheese, or any toppings of choice.
4: Serve and Enjoy
Serve with lime wedges, and enjoy!
Tinga Recipe Tips
- Don't drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes! That liquid turns into a delicious sauce for the chicken and is loaded with flavor.
- You can use your own shredded chicken (try my super-easy shredded chicken recipe!) or shred rotisserie chicken.
- If you have leftover pulled pork or shredded beef, you can also use those instead of chicken.
- Store any leftovers to use on tostadas, over rice for burrito bowls, or in a salad!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover chicken tinga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Freezing Chicken Tinga
Yes, you can freeze chicken tinga to use for later! Let it cool completely, then add it to a freezer-safe airtight container, such as a zip-top bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. This is a great recipe for meal prep!
Tinga de Pollo FAQ
Yes, you can make Tinga, including the shredded chicken, in the Instant Pot! Follow up to step 4 to blend the ingredients for the sauce together (you can skip sauteing if you want, or saute them directly in the Instant Pot). Add 2 to 4 chicken breasts to the pot (you need about 1 pound) and cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Then, naturally release the pressure. The chicken should shred easily with two forks.
Yes, you can make Chicken Tinga in the slow cooker! Add 4 chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer and season as desired with salt and pepper. Cook and blend the sauce up to step 4, then pour this sauce over the chicken in the crock pot. Cover and cook 2 to 3 hours on LOW or 1 to 2 hours on HIGH until the chicken shreds easily using two forks.
If you don't have access to chipotle chiles, you can still make Tinga Tacos. Add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika to replace the smokiness of the peppers, or use a chipotle-based hot sauce to taste.
Easy Taco Recipes
Try my BBQ Chicken Nachos next!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Mexican Tinga Chicken Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups Shredded chicken
- 15 oz Fire-roasted tomatoes - with juices
- 3 Chipotles in adobo
- 1 Tablespoon Adobo sauce
- ¼ cup Chicken stock
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 cup Sweet onion
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Chop the onion, then add it and the olive oil to the skillet and saute 4 minutes or until tender.1 cup Sweet onion,1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- Mince the garlic, and add it to the skillet to cook until aromatic.3 cloves Garlic
- Chop and stir in the chipotle peppers and sauce, then the oregano and cumin. Toast for 1 minute.3 Chipotles in adobo,1 teaspoon Dried oregano,½ teaspoon Cumin,1 Tablespoon Adobo sauce
- Add in the canned tomatoes with the juices, chicken stock, and salt. Simmer, and cook for 7-10 minutes.15 oz Fire-roasted tomatoes,¼ cup Chicken stock,½ teaspoon Salt
- Place the mixture in a blender and blend until totally smooth.
- Return to the pan over low heat. Add in the shredded chicken, and cook for 5 minutes.3 cups Shredded chicken
- Place the chicken on warmed tortillas and top with avocado, cilantro, red onion, cotija cheese, or any toppings of choice.
- Serve with lime wedges, and enjoy!
Notes
- Remember not to drain the liquid from the canned tomatoes! That liquid will turn into a delicious sauce for the chicken and is loaded with flavor.
- You can use your own shredded chicken (try my super-easy shredded chicken recipe!) or shred rotisserie chicken.
- If you have leftover pulled pork or shredded beef, you can also use those instead of chicken.
- Store any leftovers to use on tostadas, over rice, or in a salad!
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