Chicken Tinga Recipe: How to Make It at Home

Chicken tinga, or tinga de pollo, is a Mexican dish of shredded chicken in a sauce of tomatoes, chipotle chiles in adobo and sliced onions. It is smoky, a little spicy and quick to make.

To make it, you poach chicken, shred it, and simmer it in a blended chipotle tomato sauce with soft, cooked onions. The whole dish takes about 45 minutes, and it fills tacos, tostadas, burritos and bowls.

This recipe covers the ingredients, the best chicken to use, five steps, heat levels, variations, high-altitude notes, food safety, storage and serving ideas. If you would rather order than cook, the chicken tinga tacos on the Mi Casa menu in Breckenridge come with Oaxacan rice and beans.

What Is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken tinga is shredded chicken stewed in a smoky chipotle and tomato sauce with sliced onions. It is eaten across central and southern Mexico.

Tinga is thought to come from Puebla. The first known published recipe appears in an 1881 cookbook, La cocinera poblana. An 1895 dictionary of Mexican Spanish defined "tinga" as slang for something vulgar or disorderly.

The smoke comes from chipotles. A chipotle is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño, and chipotles en adobo are canned in a seasoned sauce of tomato, onion, dried chiles, garlic and vinegar. That can does most of the work in this recipe.

Ingredients for Chicken Tinga

This recipe makes about 5 cups of tinga, enough for 16 tacos or 6 servings.

For the Chicken

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or a mix of thighs and breasts
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Tinga Sauce

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their juice
• 2 to 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chicken broth from poaching
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• Kosher salt, to taste

Keep the tomato juice. It becomes part of the sauce, and the dish would turn dry without it.

For Chicken Tinga Tacos

• 16 corn tortillas, 6-inch
• 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with lime juice
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Equipment

• Large pot for poaching
• Large, deep skillet or sauté pan with a lid
• Blender
• Two forks for shredding
• Instant-read thermometer
• Comal or dry skillet for warming tortillas

How to Make Chicken Tinga

Total time is about 45 minutes: 25 minutes to poach the chicken and 20 minutes to finish the sauce.

Step 1: Poach the Chicken

1. Put the chicken, water, onion half, garlic, bay leaf and salt in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
3. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 165°F.
4. Lift out the chicken and save the broth. Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes.
5. Shred it with two forks into thin strands.

Step 2: Cook the Onions

1. Heat the oil in the deep skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt.
3. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and lightly golden.
4. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Step 3: Blend the Chipotle Tomato Sauce

1. Put the tomatoes with their juice, chipotles, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin and 1/2 cup of the poaching broth in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
3. Start with 2 chipotles. Taste, and add a third if you want more heat.

Step 4: Simmer the Shredded Chicken in the Sauce

1. Pour the sauce over the onions. Add the bay leaf.
2. Simmer 5 minutes, until the sauce darkens and thickens slightly.
3. Stir in the shredded chicken until every strand is coated.
4. Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Add more broth if it looks dry.
5. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and season with salt.

The finished tinga should be saucy but not soupy. It should hold together on a spoon.

Step 5: Build the Tacos or Tostadas

1. Warm the tortillas on a dry comal until soft and spotted.
2. Spoon 1/4 cup of tinga onto each tortilla.
3. Top with cabbage, a drizzle of crema, queso fresco and cilantro.
4. Add avocado and serve with lime wedges.

For tostadas, spread refried beans on a crisp tostada shell, then add the tinga and toppings.

Best Chicken for Tinga: Thighs or Breasts?

Chicken thighs make the juiciest tinga, while breasts make a leaner one. Both work, and many cooks use a mix.

• Boneless thighs: Rich, juicy, forgiving (best for: Make-ahead batches and freezing; tip: The best all-round choice)
• Boneless breasts: Lean, shreds finely (best for: Lighter tacos and bowls; tip: Do not overcook; pull at 165°F)
• Bone-in thighs: Most flavor, best broth (best for: Slow weekend cooking; tip: Add 10 to 15 minutes to poaching)
• Rotisserie chicken: Fast, already seasoned (best for: Weeknight shortcut; tip: Skip Step 1; use store broth)

How Spicy Is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken tinga is usually medium-hot. The heat comes from the chipotles, so you control it with how many you add.

• 1, sauce only: Mild (who it suits: Kids and heat-shy eaters)
• 2: Medium (who it suits: Most tables)
• 3: Medium-hot (who it suits: Diners who like a kick)
• 4 or more: Hot (who it suits: Chile lovers)

To cool it down after cooking, add more crema, avocado or a spoon of plain tomato sauce.

Tips for the Best Chicken Tinga

1. Cook the onions slowly. Soft, sweet onions are a signature of tinga. Rushing them leaves them raw and sharp.
2. Use fire-roasted tomatoes. They add a second layer of smoke. Or char 3 fresh Roma tomatoes under the broiler.
3. Shred finely. Thin strands soak up more sauce than chunks.
4. Save the poaching broth. It thins the sauce with flavor, not just water.
5. Let it rest. Tinga tastes better after an hour, and better still the next day.
6. Finish with crunch and cream. Cabbage, crema and queso fresco balance the smoky sauce.

Variations

• Pork tinga (tinga poblana): Use shredded pork shoulder. Williams-Sonoma, for one, publishes tinga poblana as a pork stew with chipotle chiles.
• Beef tinga: Some Mexican versions use beef. Use braised, shredded chuck.
• Chorizo and potato tinga: Brown 4 ounces of Mexican chorizo with the onions, and add 1 diced, boiled potato.
• Slow cooker tinga: Put raw chicken, onions and the blended sauce in the cooker. Cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours, then shred in the sauce.
• Pressure cooker tinga: Cook raw chicken in the sauce at high pressure for 10 minutes, release, then shred.
• Mushroom tinga: Swap the chicken for 2 pounds of sliced oyster or cremini mushrooms, sautéed until browned.

Cooking Chicken Tinga at High Altitude

At high altitude, water boils at a lower temperature, so poaching and simmering take longer. Use a thermometer instead of the clock.

Colorado State University Extension lists water boiling at about 193°F at 10,000 feet, against 212°F at sea level. Breckenridge sits at about 9,600 feet, close to that lower mark.

CSU says meats cooked by simmering may need one-fourth more time at 5,000 feet. In the mountains:

1. Poach longer. Plan for 30 minutes or more, and check for 165°F in the thickest piece.
2. Watch the sauce. Dry mountain air speeds evaporation, so add broth if the tinga thickens too fast.
3. Cover the pan. CSU notes that covering food holds in moisture.
4. Start slow cookers on high. CSU advises a setting that holds 200°F or higher, or high for the first hour.

Safe Internal Temperature for Chicken Tinga

All chicken, including thighs, breasts and ground chicken, is safe at 165°F, according to the FoodSafety.gov chart. Reheated leftovers should reach 165°F too.

• Chicken, all cuts: 165°F
• Leftovers, any type: 165°F
• Pork shoulder (for pork tinga): 145°F, then rest 3 minutes

Check the chicken before you shred it. Once it is in the sauce, it is hard to test.

Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating

Chicken tinga is a great make-ahead dish. Make it a day early; the flavor deepens overnight.

• Refrigerate within 2 hours, in a shallow container under 3 inches deep.
• Keep it 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension guideline for cooked meats and stews.
• Freeze for longer storage. Freeze it in its sauce, in portions, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat to 165°F, in a covered skillet with a splash of broth or in the microwave, covered and stirred.

Ways to Serve Chicken Tinga

Chicken tinga is one of the most flexible fillings in Mexican cooking. Classic tinga is served on a tostada over a layer of refried beans, with avocado, crumbled cheese, crema and salsa.

• Tacos: Corn tortillas with cabbage, crema and queso fresco.
• Tostadas: Crisp shells with refried beans and toppings.
• Burritos: Wrap it with rice and beans as a hearty burrito filling.
• Enchiladas: Roll it into tortillas for rolled chicken enchiladas.
• Nachos: Spoon it over chips for loaded sheet-pan nachos.
• Bowls: Serve it over rice with black beans, cabbage and pickled red onion.
• Quesadillas, tortas and taco salads: Any place shredded chicken fits.

What to Serve with Chicken Tinga Tacos

Chicken tinga tacos pair well with simple, fresh sides that cool the chipotle heat.

• Tomato-red Mexican rice
• Black or refried beans
• Pico de gallo; here is how pico de gallo differs from salsa
• Guacamole and chips
• Elote or a simple corn salad
• Pickled red onions

More ideas live in this guide to side dishes for a taco night.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does tinga mean?

Tinga has no exact English translation. An 1895 dictionary of Mexican Spanish defined it as slang for something vulgar or disorderly. Today it simply names this shredded chipotle stew.

Where does chicken tinga come from?

Chicken tinga is believed to come from Puebla, in central Mexico. Its first known published recipe appears in the 1881 cookbook La cocinera poblana.

Is chicken tinga spicy?

Chicken tinga is usually medium-hot, because chipotles carry real heat. Use one chipotle for a mild version, or three or more for a spicy one.

Can you freeze chicken tinga?

Yes. Freeze it in its sauce in airtight containers. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it to 165°F.

Can I make chicken tinga with leftover chicken?

Yes. Skip the poaching step and use 5 cups of shredded cooked chicken, such as rotisserie chicken. Use store-bought broth to thin the sauce.

Chicken Tinga at Mi Casa in Breckenridge

At Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, our chicken tinga is roasted tomato chipotle braised chicken. We serve it in tacos with shredded cabbage, crema mexicana, queso fresco and cilantro, and in a Chicken Tinga Bowl with Oaxacan rice, black beans and pickled red onion.

Tinga street tacos also show up at happy hour, 2 to 5 pm in the cantina. See every way we serve it on the Mi Casa tinga bowl and taco menu, or grab Mi Casa takeout for a night in.