Best Chicken Tinga Recipe: Fast, Tender, Big Flavor
Weeknight chicken tinga that’s smoky and tender. Stovetop in about 30 minutes, plus Instant Pot and rotisserie shortcuts. Built for tacos, bowls, enchiladas.
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS – CORE
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, to taste
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes, 14.5 ounces
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 to 1¼ cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 lime, cut into wedges or juiced
- Kosher salt, to taste
INGREDIENTS – TO SERVE
- Warm corn tortillas
- Diced white onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Queso fresco, crumbled
- Cooked rice and canned beans, optional
- Avocado, sliced, optional
- Salsa verde or crema, optional
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS – STOVETOP 30 MINUTES
- Heat a wide skillet over medium. Add oil. Add onion with a pinch of salt and cook until soft. Add garlic and stir about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Sprinkle in cumin and Mexican oregano. Stir until fragrant.
- In a blender, combine fire roasted tomatoes, one chipotle, a spoon of adobo, and ½ cup broth. Blend smooth and taste.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet. Let it bubble 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Nestle in the chicken with the bay leaf. Add ½ to ¾ cup more broth to keep a gentle simmer. Cook until the thickest piece reaches 165°F. Breasts usually 12 to 15 minutes. Thighs 15 to 18 minutes.
- Move chicken to a board. Rest a couple minutes. Shred while warm with two forks or a stand mixer on low for 15 to 20 seconds.
- Check the sauce. Blend with an immersion blender if you want it silky. If thick, add a splash of broth. If thin, simmer a minute.
- Return shredded chicken to the skillet. Stir 1 to 2 minutes so it drinks up the sauce. Taste and add salt. Finish with lime.
INSTRUCTIONS – INSTANT POT
- On Sauté, cook onion in oil with a pinch of salt until soft. Add garlic for 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in cumin and Mexican oregano.
- Blend tomatoes, chipotle, adobo, and 1 cup broth. Pour in.
- Add chicken and bay leaf. Seal. High pressure 8 minutes. Natural release 5 minutes.
- Shred warm. Switch to Sauté and reduce sauce if thin. Add a splash of broth if thick.
- Return chicken to the pot. Lime and salt to finish.
INSTRUCTIONS – ROTISSERIE SHORTCUT
- Make the sauce only on the stovetop. Sauté onion and garlic. Bloom cumin and Mexican oregano.
- Blend tomatoes, chipotle, adobo, and ½ cup broth. Pour into the pan. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes until thicker and smoky.
- Fold in 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Heat 3 to 5 minutes. Thin with broth if tight. Lime and salt to finish.
Notes
– Shred warm for the best texture. Stir in ¼ to ½ cup reserved cooking liquid if it looks dry.
– Start mild with one chipotle and a spoon of adobo. Add more for extra heat and smoke.
– Do not over reduce. Sauce should coat a spoon but still drip.
– Gluten free with corn tortillas and a labeled gluten free broth.
– Storage: refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Freeze up to 2 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth and finish with lime. NUTRITION PER SERVING (ESTIMATE, WITHOUT TORTILLAS AND TOPPINGS)
Calories 240
Protein 26 g
Carbs 7 g
Fat 9 g
Sodium varies by brand
– Start mild with one chipotle and a spoon of adobo. Add more for extra heat and smoke.
– Do not over reduce. Sauce should coat a spoon but still drip.
– Gluten free with corn tortillas and a labeled gluten free broth.
– Storage: refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Freeze up to 2 months. Reheat gently with a splash of broth and finish with lime. NUTRITION PER SERVING (ESTIMATE, WITHOUT TORTILLAS AND TOPPINGS)
Calories 240
Protein 26 g
Carbs 7 g
Fat 9 g
Sodium varies by brand