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Authentic Chicken Tinga Recipe (Tinga de Pollo) for Tacos and Tostadas

A close-up of flavorful chicken tinga served on a crispy tortilla, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion.
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Make rich, smoky Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo) at home. This recipe delivers the deep chipotle flavor perfect for weeknight tacos, tostadas, or meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 2 to 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (adjust for heat)
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
  • For Serving: Corn tortillas, tostada shells, cotija cheese, pickled red onions, avocado slices

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool slightly. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken using two forks.
  3. In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, reserved chicken broth, minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
  5. Add the shredded chicken and the bay leaf to the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken completely.
  6. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the smoky chipotle flavor. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  7. Serve your flavorful Chicken Tinga hot over crispy tostada shells or warm corn tortillas. Top with cotija cheese, pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro.

Notes

  • For a quicker method, use 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. Add it directly to the simmering sauce in Step 4 and cook for 10 minutes to heat through.
  • To make this in a Slow Cooker: Place raw chicken, onion, garlic, tomatoes, broth, chipotles, adobo, oregano, and cumin in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Shred the chicken, stir well, and cook for an additional 15 minutes on high.
  • To make this in an Instant Pot: Combine all ingredients except the chicken in the pot. Add raw chicken breasts. Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Allow for a Natural Pressure Release for 5 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Shred the chicken in the pot and stir.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gourmetgaze.com/easy-chicken-tinga-recipe-tinga-de-pollo/