Description
This Chicken Tinga Tacos recipe features tender, shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy tomato and chipotle pepper sauce. Served on warm corn tortillas and topped with traditional garnishes like cotija cheese, radishes, red onion, cilantro, and avocado, these tacos deliver bold Mexican flavors perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (chicken thighs also work)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (or marjoram)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Tacos
- Corn tortillas (flour or cassava tortillas also work)
Toppings (optional)
- Cotija cheese
- Thinly sliced radish
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced avocado
Instructions
- Brown the tomatoes: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the roma tomatoes and cook until browned and softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the chopped onion and roughly chopped garlic to the pot with the tomatoes. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add spices: Stir in the Mexican oregano and ground cumin. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices become fragrant and well combined.
- Simmer with chicken: Add the bay leaves, low-sodium chicken broth, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Submerge the chicken breasts in the mixture and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook chicken: Cover the pot and let the chicken simmer until fully cooked and tender, about 20-30 minutes. Once done, remove the chicken and discard the bay leaves.
- Blend the sauce: Add the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the tomato and broth mixture in the pot. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the sauce until smooth and well combined.
- Thicken the sauce: Simmer the blended sauce uncovered for about 10 minutes until it slightly thickens.
- Shred and combine chicken: Shred the cooked chicken using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the thickened sauce and stir to coat evenly. Warm through.
- Warm tortillas: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the corn tortillas for 1-2 minutes per side until warmed and slightly charred or pliable.
- Assemble and serve: Spoon the chicken tinga onto the warmed tortillas and top with desired garnishes such as cotija cheese, radish slices, red onion, cilantro, and avocado. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts for a juicier texture.
- If you prefer milder tacos, reduce the amount of chipotle peppers or seeds.
- Use flour or cassava tortillas if corn tortillas are unavailable, but corn tortillas are more traditional.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo can be found in most grocery stores or online.
- Leftover chicken tinga can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
