Description
These Chicken Tinga Tacos feature tender shredded chicken in a smoky, spicy chipotle tomato sauce, served on warm tortillas and topped with fresh favorites like avocado, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Perfect for a flavorful Mexican-inspired meal ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 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
For Serving
- Fresh corn or flour tortillas
- 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 softened and translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning and to release its aroma.
- Prepare Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, and salt. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Simmer Sauce and Chicken: Pour the blended tomato-chipotle sauce into the skillet with sautéed onions. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then add the chicken pieces along with the chicken broth or water.
- Cook Chicken: Cover the skillet and cook on low heat for 20–25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender enough to shred easily.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the chicken from the skillet and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the skillet with the sauce, stirring well, and simmer for an additional 5–10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Warm Tortillas: Heat the tortillas on a dry skillet or over an open flame until warm and pliable.
- Assemble Tacos: Spoon the chicken tinga onto the warm tortillas and garnish with your choice of diced avocado, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced radishes for added freshness and texture.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the spice level according to your preference.
- Chicken thighs offer more flavor and moisture, but chicken breasts work well too.
- For a thicker sauce, simmer uncovered after shredding the chicken to reduce excess liquid.
- These tacos pair perfectly with a side of Mexican rice or refried beans.
- Leftover chicken tinga can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
