Description
Chicken Tinga Tacos feature tender shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy chipotle tomato sauce, served on warm corn or flour tortillas and topped with fresh ingredients like avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, lime, and radishes. This flavorful Mexican dish is perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- Fresh corn or flour tortillas, for serving
Optional Toppings
- Diced avocado
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sliced radishes
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and sauté for 3–4 minutes until they become soft and translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning and to release the aroma.
- Prepare Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, and salt. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Simmer Chicken: Pour the blended tomato-chipotle sauce into the skillet with the sautéed onions. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the chicken pieces along with the chicken broth or water.
- Cook Chicken: Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and tender enough to shred.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the skillet and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the skillet, stirring it into the sauce and simmer for an additional 5–10 minutes to fully absorb the flavors.
- Warm Tortillas: Warm the corn or flour tortillas on a skillet or over an open flame until soft and pliable.
- Serve: Spoon the chicken tinga mixture onto the warmed tortillas and garnish with your choice of diced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced radishes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the spice level.
- Chicken thighs provide more flavor and tenderness compared to breasts, but either works well.
- For a gluten-free meal, use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker by combining all ingredients and cooking for 4-6 hours on low.
