Home Chicken Dinners Chicken Tinga Recipe
Becky Hardin
4.67 from 53 votes
Jump To Recipe Pin For Later
Chicken Tinga is a bold Mexican entree that always impresses! Shredded chicken is made flavorful with an authentic sauce that features chipotle peppers, tomatoes, onions and more.
Table of Contents
Why we love this Chicken Tinga Recipe
When we tested this Mexican chicken tinga, we fell in love with the spicy, savory flavor! Here are just a few reasons I can’t stop making it:
- So easy. The boldly flavored sauce comes together in just a few simple steps. After that, all you have to do is toss your shredded chicken in it and serve!
- Flavorful. With ingredients like chipotle peppers, garlic and seasonings, this Mexican chicken tinga is anything but bland.
- Spicy. The chipotle peppers in the mix give this chicken tinga recipe just the right kick to keep things interesting!
How spicy is chicken tinga?
I would say this chicken tinga is mild to moderately spicy. However, everyone’s spice tolerance is a little different! You can adjust the level of spice by increasing or decreasing the number of chilis you use.
How to Store and Reheat
Once you have made the chicken tinga, let it cool to room temperature and it will keep in the fridge for about three days. Make sure it’s in an airtight container. You can just reheat it on the stovetop.
How to Freeze
Chicken tinga is freezer friendly, let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving chicken tinga on crunchy corn tortillas with some refried beans, avocado slices, lots of cojita cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve it with a Mexican side dish like esquites!
More Mexican Chicken Recipes We Love
- Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
- Crockpot Salsa Chicken
- Chicken Mole
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Santa fe Chicken
4.67 from 53 votes
Easy Chicken Tinga Recipe
This Mexican chicken tinga recipe is so quick and easy to make, it's ready to serve in less than 15 minutes! Full of flavor, this spicy shredded chicken is perfect to serve on tostadas or tacos.
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 people
PrintRate Save
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3-4 cups boneless, skinless chicken thighs cooked and shredded
Optional for serving:
- Corn tortillas
- black refried beans
- avocado
- Cotija cheese
- cilantro
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, cumin, and oregano, cook for a couple minutes until the onions have softened. Add in the garlic, cook for another minute.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 2 cloves garlic
Stir in the diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and broth, let the mixture simmer for 4-5 minutes.
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, ½ cup chicken broth
Place the mixture into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
Add the chicken to the skillet, pour the sauce over the chicken, and stir to combine. Let the chicken mixture cook for a few more minutes to soak up all the sauce. Season to taste with salt.
3-4 cups boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Serving suggestion: Serve the chicken atop crispy corn tortillas. Add on toppings such as refried beans, avocado, cotija cheese, and cilantro.
Corn tortillas, black refried beans, avocado, Cotija cheese, cilantro
Notes
Storage: Store Chicken Tinga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Tinga Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 378Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 269mg90%
Sodium 542mg24%
Potassium 811mg23%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 55g110%
Vitamin A 365IU7%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Author: Becky Hardin
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Mexican
Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at@easychickenrecipesfor a chance to be featured.
How to Make Chicken Tinga Step by Step
Sauté the onions and garlic:Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for just 1 more minute.
Simmer the sauce: Stir in 1 cup of diced tomatoes, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Let the mixture simmer for about 4-5 minutes.
Blend the sauce: Carefully transfer the sauce to a food processor or blender. Blend until it’s nice and smooth.
Combine the chicken and sauce: Add the chicken to the skillet. Pour the sauce all over the chicken and give everything a good stir to combine. Let everything cook for just a few more minutes.
More delish recipes
Mexican Chicken Soup
Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe
Blackened Chicken Recipe
Blackened Chicken Tacos Recipe
Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin founded Easy Chicken Recipes in 2018. She has been creating trusted, easy, and delicious recipes on the web since 2012. Becky is known for simple dinner ideas, delicious crockpot recipes, creative chicken meals, and so much more. We have built a team of recipe developers, testers, and writers that love to create trust chicken recipes for every family.