Chicken Tinga Tacos

Name: Chicken Tinga Tacos
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of large pieces of fat; 3 cups (710 ml) water; 1 small (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) small white onion, peeled and quartered; 2 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, divided: 1 tsp for the poaching water, 1 tsp for the sauce; 1 lb (about 4 medium) (450 g) Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise; 3 peppers (40 g) canned chipotle peppers in adobo, whole peppers, with clinging sauce; 2 tbsp (30 ml) adobo sauce from the can; 1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, peeled; ½ tsp (½ g) dried Mexican oregano, crumbled between your fingers; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola); 1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large white onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick; 12 tortillas (360 g) corn tortillas, 6-inch (15 cm); ½ cup (120 ml) Mexican crema or sour cream, thinned with a splash of water if using sour cream; ½ cup (60 g) cotija cheese, crumbled; ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 2 avocados (300 g) ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced (optional); 2 limes (100 g) limes, cut into wedges

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender poached chicken thighs are shredded and simmered in a smoky, tangy chipotle-tomato sauce with soft golden onions, then piled into warm corn tortillas with crema, cotija, and cilantro. The tomatoes cook in the same pot as the chicken, so there is only one pot and one skillet to wash.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: 12 tacos (serves 6, 2 tacos each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken
2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of large pieces of fat
3 cups (710 ml) water
1 small (about 3.5 oz) (100 g) small white onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, divided: 1 tsp for the poaching water, 1 tsp for the sauce
For the tinga sauce
1 lb (about 4 medium) (450 g) Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored and halved lengthwise
3 peppers (40 g) canned chipotle peppers in adobo, whole peppers, with clinging sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) adobo sauce from the can
1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, peeled
½ tsp (0.5 g) dried Mexican oregano, crumbled between your fingers
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as avocado or canola)
1 large (about 9 oz) (250 g) large white onion, halved and sliced into thin half-moons, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
To serve
12 tortillas (360 g) corn tortillas, 6-inch (15 cm)
½ cup (120 ml) Mexican crema or sour cream, thinned with a splash of water if using sour cream
½ cup (60 g) cotija cheese, crumbled
½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
2 avocados (300 g) ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced (optional)
2 limes (100 g) limes, cut into wedges

Equipment (7)

4-quart (3.8 L) saucepan or small Dutch oven with lid
Blender
12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet or sauté pan
Second skillet or comal for the tortillas
2 forks or tongs for shredding
Instant-read thermometer
Clean kitchen towel to keep tortillas warm

Steps

Before you start

Chipotles in adobo are spicy. This recipe uses 3 peppers for medium-hot heat. Use 2 for milder tinga, and scrape out the seeds if you want less heat.
Open the can of chipotles and measure out what you need. Transfer the leftovers with their sauce to a jar, since the can doesn't store well.
Slice the large onion, chop the cilantro, and crumble the cotija before you start. Once the chicken is shredded, things move quickly.
Read the timing: the chicken and tomatoes simmer together for 22 minutes, then the chicken rests for 10 minutes before shredding.

1
Poach the chicken
- Put the chicken thighs, water, quartered poaching onion, smashed poaching garlic, bay leaves, and 1 tsp of the kosher salt in a 4-quart (3.8 L) saucepan.
- The water should just cover the chicken.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any gray foam.
- Reduce the heat to low so the water barely bubbles, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 12 minutes.
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Ready when: Water reaches a boil, foam is skimmed, then only small bubbles break the surface at low heat
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil makes thighs tough and stringy.
2
Add the tomatoes
- Nestle the tomato halves into the pot, cut side down, around the chicken.
- Re-cover with the lid slightly ajar and keep simmering over low heat for 10 more minutes.
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Ready when: Tomato skins wrinkle and loosen, the flesh is very soft, and the thickest piece of chicken reads at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer
Tip: If the chicken is still under 165°F (74°C), simmer 3–5 minutes more and check again.
3
Rest and shred
- Use tongs to move the chicken to a cutting board or large bowl, and the tomatoes to a separate plate.
- Ladle 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking broth into a measuring cup and set it aside.
- Discard the rest of the broth, along with the onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes so it's cool enough to handle.
- Shred it into thin strands with two forks or your fingers, discarding any gristle.
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Ready when: Chicken pulls apart into fine shreds with little resistance
Tip: Shred the chicken fairly fine. Larger chunks don't soak up the sauce as well and are harder to eat in a taco.
4
Blend the sauce
- Peel the skins off the cooled tomatoes if they slip off easily, or leave them on.
- Put the tomatoes in a blender with the chipotles, adobo sauce, raw sauce garlic, oregano, cumin, 1 tsp of kosher salt, and ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved broth.
- Blend on high for 45–60 seconds.
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Ready when: Sauce is completely smooth, brick-red, and pourable like a thick tomato soup
Tip: Start the blender on low and vent the lid. Warm liquids can push the lid off.
5
Soften the onion
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt from your fingers.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent, and lightly golden at the edges
Tip: If the onion browns darker than golden or starts to scorch, lower the heat. Burnt bits make the tinga bitter.
6
Fry the sauce
- Pour the blended sauce into the skillet with the onion.
- It will sputter, so stand back slightly.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce darkens to a deeper red-brown and thickens slightly, and the raw tomato smell turns rich and smoky
Tip: Cooking the sauce before adding the chicken concentrates the flavor and keeps the final tinga from tasting flat.
7
Simmer the tinga
- Stir the shredded chicken and another ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved broth into the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
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Ready when: Sauce clings to the chicken, and a spoon dragged through the pan leaves a trail that fills in slowly. There should be no pool of loose liquid.
Tip: If it gets too dry, add a splash of water. If it's too wet, simmer 2–3 minutes more.
8
Warm the tortillas
- While the tinga simmers, heat a dry skillet or comal over medium-high heat.
- Warm the tortillas one or two at a time for about 30 seconds per side.
- Stack them in a clean kitchen towel and wrap to keep warm and pliable.
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Ready when: Tortillas are hot, soft, flexible, and flecked with a few light brown spots
Tip: Don't skip the towel. Steam makes the tortillas fold without cracking.
9
Assemble and serve
- Spoon about ¼ cup (about 60 g) of hot tinga into the center of each warm tortilla.
- Top with a drizzle of crema, a sprinkle of cotija, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado if using.
- Serve right away with lime wedges for squeezing over.
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Tip: Fill tortillas just before eating. Corn tortillas turn soggy if they sit with the hot filling.

Good to know

Tips

Don't throw away the poaching broth before you've measured out 1 cup (240 ml). It adds savory depth, and you'll use it to adjust the consistency of the tinga.
For extra texture, spread the finished tinga on a sheet pan and broil 3–4 minutes until the edges crisp, or fry a spoonful of it in a hot skillet for crispy tacos.
Adjust the heat easily: use 2 chipotles and 1 tbsp of adobo for mild, or add a fourth chipotle for extra heat.
Warm tortillas make the difference. Cold or straight-from-the-bag corn tortillas crack and taste dry.

Make ahead

"The tinga tastes even better after a day. Make it through step 7, cool it, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth until steaming hot, then warm the tortillas and assemble."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store leftover tinga in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze tinga with its sauce for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth, until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Store tortillas and toppings separately."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Simmer for 15–18 minutes total until they reach 165°F (74°C). Breasts will be leaner and drier, so add an extra splash of broth to the finished tinga.
Roma (plum) tomatoes → 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained. Skip adding tomatoes to the poaching pot and blend the canned tomatoes straight into the sauce. This adds a little extra smokiness.
cotija cheese → queso fresco or feta. Queso fresco is milder and softer, and feta is saltier and tangier. Use slightly less feta.
Mexican crema or sour cream → plain Greek yogurt thinned with lime juice. Stir 1 tsp lime juice and 1 tbsp water into ½ cup (120 g) yogurt for a pourable, tangy topping.