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Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe

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4 from 9 reviews

Chicken Tinga Tacos feature tender shredded chicken simmered in a vibrant, smoky chipotle-tomatillo sauce, served in warm tortillas and topped with fresh avocado, onions, cilantro, cotija cheese, and lime wedges for an authentic Mexican dinner experience packed with flavor.

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 yellow onion, small dice
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 large tomatillo, husk removed, rinsed, and roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 14.5 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons chipotles in adobo, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt to taste

Toppings

  • Corn or flour tortillas
  • Avocado, diced
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • Cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Scallions, sliced
  • Cotija cheese, crumbled
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Brown the chicken: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken thighs and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes on one side. Flip and cook the other side until lightly browned, about 3 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
  2. Cook the aromatics and tomatillo: Add the yellow onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatillo and cook until it browns around the edges, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add spices and tomatoes: Stir in oregano and ground cumin, cooking until fragrant for about 30 seconds. Add fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped chipotles, and adobo sauce, mixing well. Remove the pot from heat at this stage.
  4. Puree the sauce: Carefully transfer the sauce mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pot.
  5. Simmer the chicken in sauce: Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Nestle chicken thighs into the sauce, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until chicken is fully cooked and easily shredded, about 15-20 minutes.
  6. Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool slightly until it can be handled. Remove and discard the bay leaf from the sauce. Pull chicken apart into thin strips using two forks.
  7. Combine chicken and sauce: Stir shredded chicken back into the sauce and cook over medium heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Season with kosher salt to taste.
  8. Prepare the toppings and tortillas: Warm tortillas over an open flame to achieve a slight char. Prepare the diced white onion, diced avocado, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, crumbled cotija cheese, and lime wedges for serving.
  9. Assemble the tacos: Spoon the warm chicken tinga into the tortillas, top with avocado, onion, cilantro, cotija cheese, and a squeeze of lime wedge. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

  • The creamy avocado balances the smoky, spicy flavors of the chicken sauce perfectly.
  • For added richness and creaminess, consider adding sour cream as an additional taco topping.
  • Use low-sodium chicken stock to better control the salt levels in the dish.
  • Warming the tortillas over an open flame adds authentic flavor by imparting a slight char and smoke aroma.
  • This recipe is easy to make ahead by cooking the chicken and sauce in advance and assembling tacos just before serving.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/chicken-tinga-tacos-recipe/