Chicken Tinga is a saucy authentic Mexican recipe that highlights the smoky depth of chipotle and tomato. Packed with a bold, flavorful heat, this spicy dish makes every tender bite unforgettable.
I use this recipe to make my delicious Chicken Tinga Tacos! If you love the flavor of chipotle peppers, try my Honey Chipotle Air Fry Chicken Tenders, Creamy Chipotle Sauce, and Smoky Chipotle Hummus next.
Chicken Tinga Recipe
When I'm looking for a flavorful alternative to standard shredded chicken, this chicken tinga recipe is my go-to. It’s bold, savory, and has the perfect balance of smoky and spicy thanks to the chipotle in adobo.
The base is made from stewed tomatoes, onions, and garlic, creating a mouthwatering sauce. Plus, it comes together in just about 30 minutes with minimal effort.
And it's so customizable too! You can tweak the ingredients or switch up the cooking method for your convenience. It's versatile enough to use in tacos, salads, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, or even in a burrito bowl.
Trust me, once you try it, it’ll become a staple in your recipe rotation.
What is Chicken Tinga?
Chicken tinga, or tinga de pollo, is an authentic Mexican dish originating from Puebla. It includes tender shredded chicken simmered in a rich, smoky tomato sauce infused with chipotle chile peppers in adobo. This traditional recipe is known for its bold, layered taste and is often served in tacos, tostadas, or other Mexican staples.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: I love using white meat for this recipe because it shreds well.
- Chicken bouillon: This deepens the chicken flavor and adds a savory taste.
- Aromatics: You will need roughly chopped onion and whole garlic cloves.
Tinga Chicken Sauce:
- Roma tomatoes: This tomato variety is sweet, tangy, with a touch of acidity.
- Aromatics: Onions and garlic cloves are the foundation of flavor. It adds sweet and savory notes.
- Chipotle in adobo: Chipotle chile is dried and smoked ripe red jalapeño peppers that are sweet, spicy, and smoky.
- Chicken bouillon: For chicken flavor.
- Seasoning: Season with dried oregano (or Mexican oregano if you have it), cumin, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Olive oil: Use the oil to sauté the onions and chicken before adding them to the chicken tinga sauce.
How to Make Chicken Tinga
See recipe card for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
First I bring a pot full of chicken breast, chicken bouillon, onion, and garlic cloves submerged in water to a low boil over medium heat. I cook it for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, I add tomatoes, ½ of the onion, and garlic to a separate pot and cover with water. I bring it to a boil then lower the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.
I thinly slice the other half of the onion and set it aside. Once it's cooked through, I remove the chicken from the pot and place it in a large bowl to cool. I keep the liquid, onion, and garlic in the pot.
Within 10 minutes, the tomatoes, onion, and garlic should be soften enough for blending (the tomatoes will begin to split open). I use tongs to remove them from the pot then place them in a blender.
I add the onions and garlic from the pot where the chicken cooked into the blender, along with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.
Then I add chipotle pepper in adobo into the blender, along with the chicken bouillon, oregano, and cumin. I blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth.
I use my hands (or two forks) to finely shred the chicken. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat it up over medium heat.
Gently place your ½ sliced onion into the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until it is softened. Now I add my shredded chicken into the skillet.
Gently pour your tinga sauce over the chicken and mix it until everything is fully combined.
Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately, and Enjoy!
Pro Tips
- For tender chicken, boil, slow cook, or pressure cook.
- Cooking the aromatics before blending them into the sauce adds extra flavor.
- Adjust the heat level to your preference by controlling the amount of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can gradually add them and taste test before combining the sauce with the chicken.
- Serve this dish with Mexican rice, black beans, shredded lettuce, and corn tortillas.
Storage
Store leftover tinga chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove over medium heat. Add a splash of chicken stock or chicken broth if it seems too thick or dry.
Alternatives and Variations
- Chicken: Instead of chicken breasts, you can use chicken thighs or chicken legs. Just remove the bones when shredding. For a quicker chicken tinga recipe, use rotisserie chicken.
- Tomatoes: Use whatever variety of fresh tomatoes you prefer. You can even use canned tomatoes for convenience.
- Chorizo: Authentic chicken tinga includes Mexican chorizo.
- Slow Cooker: Prepare the sauce then add it to a slow cooker or crockpot with raw chicken breasts. Cook it on low for about 4 hours. Then shred and serve.
- Instant Pot Chicken Tinga: Prepare the sauce, then add it to an instant pot with raw chicken breasts. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, with a 5-minute natural pressure release. Then shred and serve.
FAQ
What is chicken tinga made of?
Chicken tinga is made with chicken, tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, onions, garlic, spices, and oil.
Is chicken tinga spicy?
The heat in this chicken tinga recipe comes from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They are moderately spicy, though the heat level can vary by brand.
What does tinga mean in Mexican food?
Tinga derives from the Nahuatl term "tingatl," which means "to tear." This references the shredded chicken used in this Mexican dish.
Can I freeze chicken tinga?
Yes. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag, and store it for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy it again, just thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove until warmed through.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the sauce a day or two in advance and store it in the refrigerator. When you're ready, simply heat it up and add the shredded chicken to save time on busy days.
More Mexican-Inspired Chicken Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
After you try this Chicken Tinga recipe, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube for more delicious recipes!
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Tinga:
- 2 Chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon Chicken bouillon
- ½ Onion roughly chopped
- 2 whole Garlic cloves
Tinga Chicken sauce:
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- 1 whole Onion ½ for sauce, ½ for chicken
- 3 whole Garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons Chipotle in adobo
- 2 teaspoons Chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
Instructions
- Add your chicken breast, chicken bouillon, onion, and garlic cloves to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, add your tomatoes, ½ of the onion, and garlic to a separate pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Thinly slice the other half of the onion and set it aside. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and place it in a large bowl to let it cool. Keep the liquid and onion and garlic in the pot.
- After about 10 minutes, the tomatoes, onion, and garlic should be softened (the tomatoes will begin to split open). Use tongs to remove them from the pot and place them in a blender.
- Now add the onions and garlic from the pot the chicken cooked into the blender, as well as ¼ cup of the cooking liquid.
- Now add your chipotle pepper in adobo into the blender, along with the chicken bouillon, oregano, and cumin. Blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth.
- Use your hands or two forks to finely shred the chicken. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat it up over medium heat.
- Gently place your ½ sliced onion into the skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until it is softened. Now add your shredded chicken into the skillet.
- Gently pour your tinga sauce over the chicken and mix it until everything is fully combined. Simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- Serve right away, and Enjoy!
Whitney says
So good