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Shredded chicken cooked with tomatoes, onions, and chipotle peppers in an adobo sauce which is chicken tinga placed into a flour tortilla. It's garnished with lime slices, cilantro, and cotija cheese. There is a small bowl in the background containing cheese and a 2nd taco adjacent to the main taco.

Easy Chicken Tinga Recipe

Grace Stewart
You'll fall in love with this Easy Chicken Tinga Recipe! Shredded chicken in a sauce made of tomatoes and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is mouthwateringly delicious and perfect for your tacos!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 people
Calories 336 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer this is optional, but sure helps making the task of shredding chicken so easy!
  • 1 Skillet with a cover

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb chicken breast you can also purchase chicken that has already been shredded to save time, or use rotisserie chicken
  • 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 white onion thinly sliced
  • 5 each chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped; I'll recommend 5 of the chipotle peppers to use, but feel free to reduce this number or add the whole can! Be sure to also add some of the adobo sauce to your skillet when cooking
  • ½ ts salt plus additional to taste
  • ½ ts pepper plus additional to taste
  • ½ ts oregano can sub Mexican oregano; plus additional to taste
  • 15 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 12 flour tortillas I am assuming 2 tacos per person for 6 servings; can sub corn tortillas or tostadas if you prefer.

Optional But Oh So Good Garnishes!

  • ½ lime sliced
  • cotija cheese can sub queso fresco
  • cilantro

Instructions
 

  • Start with pre-purchased shredded chicken or if you need to shred your chicken then follow these instructions. Place the chicken breasts in a skillet and cover with water. Bring to the boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the water, and then shred it using forks. Or if you have a stand mixer, use the flat beater to shred the chicken on a low speed.
    A stand mixer bowl with shredded chicken in it. The stand mixer has the flat beater attached to it.
  • Place your skillet on a medium heat and add the olive oil. Fry the sliced white onion for around 5 minutes until it is softened, and then add the minced garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
    Fried sliced onions and minced garlic in a cast iron pan.
  • Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, and chopped chipotle peppers with some of the adobo sauce to the onion and garlic mixture and stir.
    Crushed tomatoes, sliced onions, chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, and seasonings in a cast iron pan.
  • Now place the shredded chicken in the skillet and stir well to combine. Bring this mixture to the boil, and then cover and simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or oregano if desired.
    Shredded chicken cooked with tomatoes, onions, and chipotle peppers in an adobo sauce in a cast iron pan.
  • Your chicken tinga is now ready for your tortillas! Add some of the tinga mixture to your tortillas and garnish with cilantro, cotija cheese, and squeeze a generous amount of lime juice over. Buen provecho!
    Shredded chicken cooked with tomatoes, onions, and chipotle peppers in an adobo sauce which is chicken tinga placed into a flour tortilla. It's garnished with lime slices, cilantro, and cotija cheese. There are small bowls in the background with cheese and cilantro and a 2nd taco adjacent to the main taco.

Notes

The nutrition information does not include info on the cotija cheese and the cilantro, please accept apologies for any inconvenience.
I love serving chicken tinga on flour tortillas, but feel free to use corn tortillas or tostadas. 
Buen provecho!

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 23gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 818mgPotassium: 605mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 4mg
Keyword chicken tinga, tacos, tinga
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