Chicken Tinga Recipe

4.75 from 4 votes

This recipe for Chicken Tinga is a simple and delicious Mexican dish made with shredded chicken in a chipotle sauce. It can be served in tacos, burritos, or quesadillas, and is also great as a dip or salad topping.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: people

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken breasts chicken thighs also work
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 roma tomatoes
1 large yellow onion chopped, white or red work too
2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo
½ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil on medium heat. Add in the tomatoes and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add in the onion, garlic, and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 roma tomatoes, 1 large yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves
Add in the oregano and cumin, cooking until fragrant. About 1-2 minutes.
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Stir in the bay leaves, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Add in the chicken and bring the mixture to a simmer.
2 bay leaves, 2 cups chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, 2 pounds chicken breasts
Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Set the chicken aside.
Add the chipotle peppers to the pot and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.
2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo
Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Stir until combined and warmed through.

Video

Notes

For a milder sauce, use just the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers, not the peppers themselves.
If you can't find chipotles in adobo sauce, make your own by mixing 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper, a pinch of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. This mixture = 2 tbsp of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

Nutrition