Best 6 Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipes

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Chicken tinga tacos are a delicious and flavorful Mexican dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The chicken is slow-cooked in a flavorful sauce made with tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and various spices, resulting in tender and juicy meat. The tacos are then filled with the chicken tinga, topped with a variety of fresh ingredients such as avocado, cilantro, and salsa, and served with warm tortillas. This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to make the best chicken tinga tacos, from selecting the right ingredients to cooking the chicken and assembling the tacos. Whether you're a seasoned cook or new to Mexican cuisine, this article will help you create a delicious and authentic chicken tinga taco experience at home.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CHICKEN TINGA TACOS



Chicken Tinga Tacos image

Provided by Valerie Bertinelli

Time 1h40m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 cup chicken stock
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
Charred corn tortillas, for serving
Cotija cheese
Fresh cilantro leaves
Pickled Shallots and Red Onions (recipe follows)
Salsa
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chipotles, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and cook until they begin to simmer, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the sauce into a heat-safe blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pan over medium heat and add the chicken, stirring to incorporate the chicken into the sauce. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.
  • Combine the white vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the onions and shallots to a pint jar and pour the liquid over the top. Let cool completely. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

CHICKEN TINGA TACOS (TINGA DE POLLO) RECIPE BY TASTY



Chicken Tinga Tacos (Tinga De Pollo) Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: boneless, skinless chicken breasts, garlic, whole cloves, tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chicken stock, cumin, nutmeg, vegetable oil, white onions, chorizo, iceberg lettuce, kosher salt, black pepper, avocados, corn tortillas

Provided by Scott Loitsch

Categories     Dinner

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cloves garlic, 4 minced, 2 smashed
2 whole cloves
2 tomatoes
5 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
½ cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons cumin
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 white onions, halved and sliced
¼ lb chorizo
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 avocados, sliced
12 corn tortillas

Steps:

  • Place chicken in a saucepan over medium heat with enough water to cover by 1 inch (3 cm).
  • Add the smashed garlic and cloves. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 12-15 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken from the pot, cool slightly, then shred with two forks.
  • Place a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, until smoking.
  • Add the tomatoes and roll slowly around until blackened on all sides, about 6 minutes.
  • Add the seared tomatoes to a blender with chipotle peppers, chicken stock, cumin, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, and chorizo. Cook 2-3 minutes until the onions have softened and the chorizo has rendered a little fat.
  • Add the lettuce and sauté 2-3 additional minutes, until softened.
  • Add the tomato-chili mixture and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to incorporate.
  • Add the shredded chicken and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has cooked off, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve on warm corn tortillas with sliced avocado.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 789 calories, Carbohydrate 66 grams, Fat 42 grams, Fiber 13 grams, Protein 38 grams, Sugar 13 grams

EASY CHICKEN TINGA TACOS



Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos image

I created this recipe one New Year's Eve when looking for an easy chicken tinga. This is always a big hit at my parties. The leftovers taste great and you can serve it the next day over rice, or anything really!

Provided by KristinaA

Time 6h15m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 7

3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 tablespoon garlic powder
7 ounces chipotle salsa
1 (14 ounce) can pickled carrots and jalapenos, sliced
1 pinch seasoned salt, or to taste
12 (6 inch) warm corn tortillas, or as needed
¼ cup sour cream, or to taste

Steps:

  • Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Lay in a slow cooker and sprinkle with garlic powder. Pour salsa over top and then picked carrots and jalapenos, plus all juices.
  • Cook on Low until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 6 to 7 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
  • Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and sprinkle seasoned salt in. Mix around the chicken in the juices.
  • Fill warmed tortillas with chicken mixture and top with sour cream.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 205.8 calories, Carbohydrate 17.4 g, Cholesterol 60.7 mg, Fat 4.1 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 24.6 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 412.7 mg, Sugar 4 g

BITE-SIZE CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SOFT TACOS (TINGA DE POLLO)



Bite-Size Chipotle Chicken Soft Tacos (tinga de pollo) image

Provided by Melissa Roberts

Categories     Chicken     Tomato     Appetizer     Braise     Cocktail Party     Cinco de Mayo     New Year's Eve     Party     Tortillas     Chile Pepper     Gourmet     Sugar Conscious     Kidney Friendly     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free

Yield Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts with skin and bones
5 cups water
1 large white onion, finely chopped and divided
2 large garlic cloves; 1 whole, 1 finely chopped
1 Turkish bay leaf
Salt
1 pound plum tomatoes (about 4; see Cooks' notes)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle in adobo, including some sauce
24 (5- to 6-inch) soft corn tortillas
1/4 cup crumbled cotija or mild goat cheese
24 small sprigs cilantro
Special Equipment
Instant-read thermometer (optional); a 3-inch round cookie/biscuit cutter

Steps:

  • Combine chicken with water, half of onion, whole garlic clove, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium (3- to 4- quart) saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer for 10 minutes. Cover and let sit until chicken is just cooked through (165°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Strain and reserve 1 cup of broth for tinga and save remaining broth for another use.
  • When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding skin and bones.
  • Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato. Blanch in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl of ice water. Peel and core, then finely chop.
  • Cook remaining chopped onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and crumble in oregano, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still saucy, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (a toaster oven works fine, too).
  • Add chicken, 3/4 cup of reserved cooking liquid, and chipotle to the tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and excess liquid is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool to warm and moisten with additional cooking liquid if mixture looks dry.
  • Meanwhile, using cookie cutter, cut out a circle from each tortilla, stacking 12 in each of two folded sheets of foil (reserve remaining tortilla scraps for chilaquiles). Wrap each stack in foil and warm through in oven, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • To serve, arrange warm tortillas on a heated platter and divide chicken mixture among them (about 1 rounded tablespoon per tortilla), spooning it onto center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and top each taco with a cilantro sprig.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TINGA TACOS



Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos image

Chicken stewed in a spicy tomato sauce is easy to make and delicious for tacos or tostadas.

Provided by Mazola

Categories     Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips     Mazola®

Time 10h20m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
¼ cup Mazola® Corn Oil
3 cups roughly chopped onion
5 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 individual chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or more to taste), finely chopped (from a 7-ounce can)
2 teaspoons Spice Islands® Minced Garlic
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
Warm corn or flour tortillas or crisp 6-inch tostadas
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Shredded or crumbled Mexican cheese
Fresh cilantro
Avocado slices or guacamole

Steps:

  • Pat chicken dry using paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken to skillet and cook until lightly brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat with remaining chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil and onions to skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until onions begin to soften.
  • Add to slow cooker with tomatoes, chipotles, garlic and chicken broth. Mix well. Cook for 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 4 to 6 hours on LOW. The Tinga Chicken is ready when the chicken is tender and can be easily pulled apart. Shred chicken pieces using two forks. Serve Tinga with warm tortillas or crisp tostadas and arrange toppings in small bowls. Top as desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 258.6 calories, Carbohydrate 14.4 g, Cholesterol 60.3 mg, Fat 11.7 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 24.6 g, SaturatedFat 2.1 g, Sodium 221.3 mg, Sugar 3.4 g

CHICKEN TINGA (SHREDDED CHICKEN) FOR TACOS OR TOSTADAS



Chicken Tinga (Shredded chicken) for tacos or tostadas image

Number Of Ingredients 1

1 batch 2-lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs; Salt and pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 onion; 3 garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 14.5-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes; 1/2 cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce; 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar; 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

Steps:

  • Pat chicken thighs dry using paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven, and set over medium-high burner. Pre-heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Brown half the chicken; 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove browned chicken to a large plate. Repeat the browning process with rest of the chicken (no need to add more oil). Meanwhile, cut onion in half and slice thin. Peel 3 garlic cloves. Turn down burner to medium, pre-heat 1 more tablespoon vegetable oil until shimmering. Add onion slices and cook for 5 minutes until browned; stir often. Add garlic, cumin, and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute. Add can of diced tomatoes, chicken broth, chipotle and adobo sauce, and sugar and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Return the partially-cooked chicken to pot, reduce burner to medium-low. Cover, and allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 195 degrees; flip chicken after 5 minutes. Remove chicken to cutting board Empty the cooking liquid into a blender and process until for 15 to 30 seconds until smooth, returning sauce to the pot. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Return shredded chicken to pot with sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened and clings to chicken, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, warm your tortillas and prepare the avocado by cutting in half, discarding the pit, and dicing into 1/2-inch pieces. Mince scallions and cilantro as garnish. After 10 minutes add lime zest and juice to pot, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Prepare the tacos by spooning chicken into center of a warm tortilla, adding diced avocado, Cotija, scallions, cilantro, and squeezing lime wedges as desired.

Tips:

  • To make the chicken tinga, you can use either boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. If using breasts, you may need to cook them for a few minutes longer to ensure that they are cooked through.
  • For a more flavorful tinga, use a variety of chiles, such as ancho, guajillo, and chipotle. You can also add other spices, such as cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.
  • If you don't have time to make the tinga ahead of time, you can use store-bought shredded chicken. Just be sure to season it well with the tinga sauce.
  • To make the tacos, you can use any type of tortilla you like. Corn tortillas are traditional, but you can also use flour tortillas or even whole wheat tortillas.
  • Be generous with the toppings! Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced avocado, and crumbled queso fresco are all great options.

Conclusion:

Chicken tinga tacos are a delicious and easy-to-make meal that is perfect for any occasion. They are also a great way to use up leftover chicken. So next time you're looking for a quick and flavorful meal, give chicken tinga tacos a try!

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