Mexican Chicken Tinga

Chicken Tinga is made with shredded chicken, tomatoes, and chipotle chilis in adobo. Hearty and boldly flavored, this Mexican dish is perfect for tacos, burritos, tostadas, or as a main dish with rice and beans.

One of my favorite places to shop for groceries is a major Mexican supermarket chain a few blocks from the house. I usually spend a good part of the afternoon there when I go, just walking the aisles, checking new products, and discovering new flavors.

In fact, a few of the Mexican recipes I have on the blog, such as pork chili verde and chicken posole, I learned by asking other customers.

This chicken tinga is another delicious recipe I discovered on my recent trip to the store. They have a cooked foods section where you could have a free (very) small cup to taste test.

I tried it, fell in love, and asked the attending staff for the ingredients and procedure list. So, here it is, an authentic tinga de pollo recipe for you to make!

Meat alternatives

While chicken seems to be the most popular version, the dish can be made with pork or beef. Good cuts are pork shoulder or beef chuck roast, which are excellent for stews.

Like the chicken, the pork or beef is first simmered in liquid and aromatics until fork-tender. It is then shredded, sauteed in garlic and onions, and finished in spicy tinga sauce.

Sauce ingredients

Tinga sauce is a flavor-packed concoction made with tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo, and spices such as dried Mexican oregano and cumin.

When researching the dish, I also picked up a bottle of commercially prepared sauce to understand the taste I should be aiming for. The premade sauce had a hint of acidic flavor; sure enough, the ingredient list on the label included vinegar. The recipe below includes a minute amount of cider vinegar to add a touch of tang.

How to Make Slow-Cooker Chicken Tinga

This spicy Mexican shredded chicken takes about an hour to cook on the stovetop, but if you prefer less tending, you can make it in a crockpot by following the super easy steps below.

1. In a blender, process chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, tomatoes, and 1/4 cup chicken broth until smooth.
2. In a crockpot, place chicken in a single layer. Add tinga sauce, oregano, cumin, and salt.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 or until chicken easily shreds with a fork.
4. Remove chicken from the pot, coarsely shred, and return to pot. Continue to cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until heated.

If you love the bold flavors of Mexican food, this chicken tinga recipe is a must on your meal rotation. It’s easy to make with a simple list of ingredients you can find at most major supermarkets.

It’s ready in minutes, freezable, and versatile, too! Double the recipe, enjoy half for lunch with rice, beans, and warm tortillas, and check out my suggestions below on other delicious uses.

Serving suggestions

• As filling for enchiladas or burritos
• In warm corn tortillas as tacos or on crunchy corn tortillas as tostadas with chopped cilantro, red onions, and crumbled queso Fresca
• Top on baked potatoes
• On rice bowls with shredded lettuce and sliced avocados