Chicken Tinga
Ingredients
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1 mediumwhite onion
peeled and sliced
- 4 largecloves garlic
minced
- 2chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
- 1can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cchicken stock
- 3 tbsphoney
- 1 ½ tspground cumin
- 1 tspdried oregano
or mexican oregano
- 6 cshredded cooked chicken
- 1bay leaf
- to tastefine sea salt and black pepper
- recommended toppings: chopped fresh cilantro
crumbled cotija cheese, fresh lime wedges, quick pickled red onions, sliced avocado, and/or mexican crema
Directions
- 1
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove stockpot from heat and transfer the onion mixture to a blender.*
- 2
Add the chipotles (and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce), tomatoes, chicken stock, honey (if using), cumin and oregano to the blender. Cover and purée until smooth, then pour the sauce pack into the stockpot.
- 3
Add the chicken and bay leaf to the sauce and toss until combined. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- 4
Taste and season the chicken with however much salt and pepper you think it needs.
- 5
Serve the chicken warm, garnished with whatever toppings you love best, and enjoy! Leftovers can be refrigerated in a food storage container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Chicken Tinga
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About this Recipe
Craving restaurant-quality Chicken Tinga that's both deeply flavorful and incredibly simple to whip up? This recipe delivers authentic, smoky, and savory notes with a hint of sweetness, all from your own kitchen.
What makes this recipe truly special is its remarkable speed and ease, coming together in just 30 minutes. By building a rich sauce from fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles in adobo, and aromatic spices like cumin and oregano, you achieve a complex flavor profile that usually takes hours.
When you taste this Chicken Tinga, expect tender, succulent shredded chicken enveloped in a vibrant, velvety tomato sauce. It’s smoky from the chipotles, savory from the chicken stock, and boasts a subtle sweetness from the honey that perfectly balances the heat. This dish is designed for weeknight simplicity without compromising on the depth of flavor you'd find in your favorite Mexican restaurant.
You can easily adapt this versatile dish to your preferences. The recipe's description also notes options for preparing it in an Instant Pot or Crock-Pot if you prefer a different cooking method. Toppings are key for elevating your serving experience; we highly recommend a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, a crumble of cotija cheese, a squeeze of fresh lime, and a dollop of Mexican crema. Sliced avocado or quick pickled red onions also add a fantastic counterpoint.
This Chicken Tinga is perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal or a casual gathering. Serve it piled high in warm tortillas for tacos, over crispy tostadas, or alongside a bed of fluffy rice for a hearty and flavorful dish.