Description
This Chicken Tinga recipe is a flavorful Mexican dish featuring shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy chipotle tomato sauce. Perfect for tostadas, tacos, or as a hearty topping for rice and beans, it combines tender chicken with bold spices and fresh garnishes like cabbage, radishes, cotija cheese, and avocado for a delicious and satisfying meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1-3 teaspoons adobo sauce (depending on desired spice level)
- 2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning (store-bought or homemade), plus more to taste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon chicken flavored “better than bouillon” or 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded)
- Sea salt, to taste
To Serve
- 8 tostada shells or 16 corn tortillas, warmed
- 3 cups Mexican Rice
- 3 cups Refried Beans
- 3 cups shredded green cabbage
- ½ cup thinly sliced radishes
- ½ cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened for about 6 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium, add the minced garlic, and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make the Tinga Sauce: Transfer the cooked onion and garlic mixture to a blender. Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce (adjust based on spice preference), taco seasoning, fire-roasted tomatoes, and chicken bouillon. Blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Cook the Sauce: Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook uncovered until it slightly thickens, approximately 8 minutes.
- Add Shredded Chicken: Stir in the shredded chicken and cook until the chicken is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt, additional taco seasoning, or more adobo sauce as desired.
- Serve: Serve the chicken tinga warm on tostada shells or warmed corn tortillas, or over Mexican rice. Garnish with shredded green cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, crumbled cotija or queso fresco, and sliced avocado for a fresh and delicious finish.
Notes
- For milder flavors, reduce the amount of chipotle pepper and adobo sauce used.
- Leftover tinga can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To make this dish vegetarian, substitute shredded jackfruit or mushrooms for the chicken and use vegetable bouillon instead of chicken bouillon.
- Warm tostada shells or tortillas by heating them in a dry skillet or oven before serving for the best texture.
- If desired, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice over the finished tinga for added brightness.
