Mexican · Dinner

Chicken Tinga Recipe

This chicken tinga recipe comes from Puebla: poached, shredded chicken simmered in a sauce of tomatoes, onions and chipotle chillies until it is smoky, a little sweet and spicy.

Pile it on baked tostadas with beans and lettuce, roll it into tacos, or serve it over rice. It is ideal for cooking once and eating twice.

Serves

4

Prep

10 min

Cook

35 min

Per serving

270 kcal

Ingredients

  • 600 g chicken breast or thighs
  • 2 onions: 1 halved, 1 thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1–2 chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tbsp of the sauce (not counted)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican if you have it)
  • Salt

Method

  1. 1Put the chicken, the halved onion, 1 garlic clove and the bay leaf in a pan, cover with water and simmer for 15–20 minutes until cooked. Keep 200 ml of the broth and shred the chicken with two forks.
  2. 2Blend the tomatoes, chipotles, adobo sauce, remaining garlic and oregano until smooth.
  3. 3Heat the oil in a wide pan and cook the sliced onion for 5–6 minutes until soft.
  4. 4Pour in the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken and enough reserved broth to keep it saucy. Simmer for 5–10 minutes more and season.
  5. 5Serve on tostadas, in tacos or with rice and beans.

Chicken tinga recipe: nutrition per serving

Calories

270 kcal

Protein

36 g · 54%

Carbs

13 g · 20%

Fat

8 g · 26%

One of 4 servings. Estimated from the ingredient weights above and per-100 g values in USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy); brands and cooking change the real numbers. Not counted, because USDA SR Legacy has no record for them: chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tbsp of the sauce.

Tips

  • Chipotles vary in heat: start with one and taste before adding more.
  • Thighs give a juicier tinga; breast is leaner. Both work.

Swaps and variations

  • Vegetarian: make 'tinga' with shredded king oyster mushrooms or jackfruit, simmered for 10 minutes.
  • Gluten-free and dairy-free as written; check the label of your chipotles in adobo.

Storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Mildly to moderately, depending on how many chipotles you use. The heat is smoky rather than sharp, and the tomato and onion soften it.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central records used