Chicken Tinga Recipe

Save this recipe!

Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Email *

Email Post Permalink

Save

If you like Mexican food then you have to try this Chicken Tinga Recipe.

Out of all the chicken recipes I make this is in my top 5 favorites. It is such a great recipe and would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo or just a quick weeknight meal. 

My whole family can’t get enough of this one- we eat it in rice bowls, tacos, salads, on nachos or in quesadillas. This Mexican recipe is from someone I know that lived in Mexico and learned the recipes while she was there.

A few things in this recipe have been adapted to make it a bit easier and also to use ingredients that are more readily available in the US. 

You might be wondering what is chicken tinga? It is a Mexican dish that simmers white onions and chicken in a smokey chipotle, tomato sauce. Many states in Mexico have added their own touches to recipes. In the state of Chiapas they made this recipe even better in my opinion by adding milk. 

This makes the sauce a bit creamier and definitely yummier. In my recipe I used evaporated milk to also give it a bit of sweetness to balance out the spicy flavor of the chipotle chilies. This is hands down one of our favorite recipes.  I’ve made this recipe hundreds of times and it never gets old! 

You can serve it as simply as topping it on a tostadas with a bit of cream, crumbly cheese, and cilantro or go all out and create the ultimate rice bowl with all of your favorite Mexican toppings. 

Where Does Tinga Come From?

Chicken tinga first came from the State of Puebla in Mexico. This is also the place that the “Cinco de Mayo” battle happened in 1862 when the Mexican army defeated the French armada.  Puebla is also well known for mole poblano, a spicy sauce, was developed around the 17th century and is still enjoyed today. 

What Does Chicken Tinga Mean?

“Tinga” means stew- it uses shredded chicken, pork or beef that is stewed with tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano and chipotle peppers. 

You will often hear Chicken Tinga called tinga de pollo. It is a version that uses shredded chicken and mixes it with a chipotle-based sauce that has a smoky flavor and is a bit spicy. The flavor is just rich and so aromatic when paired with the other ingredients. 

You will see it served on tostadas with refried beans and Mexican toppings like cilantro, cheese and sour cream. 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s an overview of the simple ingredients we’re using. Jump to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and printable instructions. 

• Onions – Tinga is filled with onions, actually more onions than chicken.  White onions is the common one used, but yellow or red onion will work fine, too. Cut your onion in half from top to bottom, then slice into thin slices.  
• Chicken Breast – Traditional recipes often will cook down a whole chicken and shred that. You can do that with this Whole Roasted Chicken recipe or you can use boneless thighs, tenders or chicken breasts, which will be poached and then shredded. For an easier recipe you can use shredded rotisserie chicken or make this Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken and leave out the black beans.  
• Evaporated milk – You will use an entire can of evaporated milk in the sauce.  This makes the sauce extra delicious and cuts some of the heat of the chipotles which is nice if you are feeding a group and some might not like the spiciness of traditional Tinga. 
• Fire roasted tomatoes – For real authentic tinga you can pan roast some tomatoes. A shortcut that I use in this recipe is to use the canned fire roasted tomatoes. It just makes the recipe easier. 
• Chipotle en adobo or chipotle sauce – You can find small cans of chipotle chiles or now many stores carry chipotle sauce which I find is just as good and easier to use.  This is the most important thing for the sauce.
• Spices: – The cumin is an important spice for seasoning. Mexican oregano has a bit different flavor than Italian oregano. Milder in taste and important for most Mexican dishes, but if you can’t find any near you, regular oregano can be used.

How to Make This Chicken Tinga

Step 1: Sauté Vegetables: Heat the lard or oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the sliced onions. Cook slowly until translucent about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2: Cook Chicken: While the onions are cooking, place the chicken in a saucepan and cover with water. Heat till it begins to boil and turn down to simmer. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes for thinner chicken breast, or 8 to 10 minutes if they’re pretty big, and then turn off the heat.  Cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes. Check for doneness. Shred the chicken.

Step 3: Create Sauce: Place the garlic, evaporated milk, fire roasted tomatoes, chipotles and adobo sauce or chipotle sauce, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper into a blender and blend well.

Step 4: Add Sauce to Chicken: Pour over the cooked onions and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until sauce is reduced by half. Serve over rice or on tostadas.

What to do With Chicken Tinga

• Salads: I will often make a Mexican inspired salad and add chicken tinga on top.
• Tostadas: Chicken Tinga Tostadas is the main way that many people will eat tinga. I like to spread a layer of refried beans on the bottom of the tostada and then top with the chicken tinga, sour cream, queso fresco cheese and avocado.
• Rice Bowls: Rice bowls are my go-to for my family during the busy week. You can easily pre-make this chicken tinga and have it read in the fridge. Some ingredients I lay out is the chicken, sour cream, cotija cheese, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, avocado, corn, black beans, lime wedges or lime juice, a spicy sauce or hot sauce and jalapeños.
• Tacos & Burritos: I love making easy chicken tinga tacos with the meat. Similar to rice bowls you can let your family create their own perfect taco with a variety of toppings. Chicken tinga also works great in burritos.
• Enchiladas: I love using this chicken in enchiladas. I will often add it into these Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe or will add it to this Chicken Tinga Enchilada Recipe.
• Soups: Another great way to use tinga is in soups. I like to make a batch and add it into a Chicken Enchilada Soup or this Green Chili Chicken Soup.

How Do You Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Step 1: Add Chicken to Crockpot: Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker. 

Step 2: Sauté Vegetables: In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and give it a good stir. Simmer for another 2 minutes. 

Step 3: Add Onion & Tomato to Blender: Transfer the onion and tomato sauce into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Pour over the chicken and stir well. 

Step 4: Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours. You want the chicken to be tender enough to shred.  

Step 5: Shred Chicken: Shred chicken directly in the crockpot (or you can shred on cutting board) and turn heat to LOW. Continue to let chicken cook an additional 20-30 minutes.

Storage Tips

You can store tinga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Heat before serving.

Tinga can be frozen for up to three months. Let the chicken tinga cool completely before freezing. Transfer to an air-tight container or a ziplock bag and freeze.  When you are ready to use the chicken you can thaw it overnight in the fridge. Once you are ready to cook it add olive oil to a skillet, the tinga and a few splashes of water. Slowly heat until it is heated through.