Chicken Tinga
This smoky, saucy chicken tinga is made with tomatoes, sliced onion, and chipotle peppers in adobo. Spoon it into tacos, pile it on tostadas, or serve it over rice for an easy Mexican main dish.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 15mCook 35mMexicanMain Course
Tinga is a Mexican dish of shredded meat cooked in a tomato-chipotle sauce with lots of sweet onion. Chicken tinga is one of the most common versions, and it is especially useful because the filling works in tacos, tostadas, burrito bowls, and sandwiches.
The sauce gets its smoky flavor from chipotle peppers in adobo. Chipotles are dried, smoked jalapeños, and adobo is the tangy red sauce they are packed in. Start with two peppers for medium heat, then adjust next time if you like it milder or spicier.
This version simmers raw chicken right in the sauce, so you do not need leftover chicken. Once the chicken is tender, you shred it into thin pieces and return it to the pan so every bite soaks up the sauce.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
12 items · 6 servings
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
- 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
02How to make it
Step-by-step
Blend the tomato sauce
Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and chicken broth to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth. A few small tomato bits are fine.
Soften the onion
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion looks glossy and softened. Do not rush this step; the onion adds sweetness to the sauce.
Add the aromatics
Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells fragrant. This short cooking time helps the spices bloom, which means they release more flavor into the oil.
Simmer the chicken
Pour the blended tomato sauce into the pan and add the bay leaf. Nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 18 to 24 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Shred the chicken
Move the chicken to a cutting board and discard the bay leaf. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then shred it with two forks. Shredding means pulling the cooked meat apart into thin strips.
Reduce the sauce
While the chicken rests, simmer the sauce uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens slightly. It should look saucy but not watery.
Finish the tinga
Return the shredded chicken to the pan and stir well to coat it in the sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the apple cider vinegar. Taste and add a small pinch of salt if needed.
Serve it warm
Serve the chicken tinga hot in warm corn tortillas, on tostadas, over rice, or with beans. Add toppings such as avocado, cilantro, lime, crema, or crumbled cheese if you like.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Chicken tinga tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. Make it up to 3 days ahead and reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooled tinga in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Spice control: For milder tinga, use 1 chipotle pepper and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce. For hotter tinga, add a third chipotle pepper or a spoonful more adobo.
- Chicken swap: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well and stay very juicy. Simmer until they reach 165°F, though they can handle a few extra minutes without drying out.
- Rotisserie shortcut: Use about 4 cups shredded cooked chicken. Simmer the sauce with the onions for 10 minutes, then stir in the chicken and cook until hot.
- If the sauce gets too thick: Add a splash of broth or water. If it tastes too sharp or smoky, stir in a little more tomato or serve with creamy toppings like avocado or crema.
Cook's note
Nutrition is calculated for the chicken tinga only, without tortillas, tostadas, rice, cheese, crema, or other toppings. Serving choices will change the final nutrition.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
What is tinga?
Tinga is a Mexican dish, often linked to Puebla, made with shredded meat in a tomato, onion, and chipotle sauce. Chicken tinga is the most familiar version for many home cooks.
Can I make chicken tinga without a blender?
Yes. Use crushed tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes, finely chop the chipotles, and whisk them with the adobo sauce and broth. The sauce will be more textured, but it will still taste good.
Is chicken tinga very spicy?
This recipe is medium-spicy because it uses two chipotle peppers plus adobo sauce. Chipotles bring both heat and smoke. Use one pepper for a milder pan of tinga.
Can I use cooked shredded chicken?
Yes. Make the sauce as written, but skip simmering raw chicken. Let the sauce cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, then stir in about 4 cups cooked shredded chicken and warm it through.
What should I serve with tinga?
Tinga is classic on tostadas or in tacos. It is also good with rice, beans, avocado, shredded lettuce, pickled onions, lime wedges, or a simple cabbage slaw.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
6 servings
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat5 g
- 6%
- Saturated Fat1 g
- 5%
- Cholesterol83 mg
- 28%
- Sodium406 mg
- 18%
- Total Carbohydrate9 g
- 3%
- Dietary Fiber2 g
- 7%
- Total Sugars4 g
- Protein27 g
- 54%
- Vitamin D0.1 mcg
- 1%
- Calcium45 mg
- 3%
- Iron1.2 mg
- 7%
- Potassium623 mg
- 13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
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