This chicken tinga recipe is a traditional Mexican dish made with shredded chicken in spicy tinga sauce that can be served in corn tortillas (or flour tortillas) or burrito bowls with fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese, creamy avocado, sour cream, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
If you love this recipe, definitely try my Mexican chicken next!
Looking for more slow cooker recipes? Try our juicy Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, classic Taco Soup, Chicken Chili, or Beef Curry next time.
📋Disclaimer - like with many of my Mexican recipes, I do take some liberties to make things The Yummy Bowl appropriate. This is my version of this popular dish and it is not a representation of the authentic Chicken Tinga recipe.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast - Medium to large chicken breasts are best. Use similar-sized chicken breasts so they cook evenly. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used to make these chicken tacos.
- Brown onion - Finely diced. Yellow onion can be used as well.
- Canned tomato puree - A can of Passata with 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste can be used instead.
- Spicy sauce - Add 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (whole or chopped) and 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce.
- Bay leaf
- Garlic - Minced garlic cloves.
- Salt and black pepper - To taste.
- Dried herbs - a combination of thyme, oregano, and cilantro works great here but for a quick fix, I like to use a prepackaged Italian herb mix.
- Ground cumin - a popular spice used in most the Mexican dishes.
Check the step-by-step photos below the recipe card.
For serving
- Warm corn tortillas - I used corn tortillas, but any wheat option is suitable of course for non-gluten-free folks. For gluten-free tortillas, I would rather go for 100% corn tortillas than gluten-free labeled tortillas (these tend to break easily and have ton of fillers).
- Cilantro leaves - Use other favorite toppings when assembling your warm tortillas.
- Chopped Brown or red onion
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🥗Make It Healthier
- Use organic meat whenever possible - we like turkey or chicken for this recipe. However, pork or beef can also be used instead.
- Serve with lots of vegetables or a simple side salad or in lettuce wraps instead of tortillas. Or if possible, make your own homemade tortillas.
- When choosing tomato puree and passata, check for the ingredient list that there are no additional not needed ingredients and fillers.
Tips
- This classic Mexican dish can either be cooked on LOW cooking for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, depending on your needs.
- I’ve used a 4-quart slow cooker for this recipe, but you can use a larger slow cooker too.
- Add more flavor to this dish by adding ground paprika (sweet or smoked).
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are similar in size for even cooking.
- If you aren’t sure whether the chicken is cooked through, insert a food thermometer into the thickest section of the meat. It should read 165F for the chicken to be safe to eat.
- Add an extra kick of heat to this dish by including chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or jalapeno peppers.
- The chicken will be very hot when you remove it from the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred the chicken breasts.
- Delicious toppings for this chicken tinga filling include chopped cilantro, diced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, or a squeeze of lime juice.
Recommended Equipment
No fancy equipment is needed. Here are the basics:
- My Slow Cooker - 4.5 quart
- Nonstick Skillet or Wok
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Handheld Mixer
Serving Suggestions
Mexican Chicken Tinga is usually served in a soft corn tortilla, and topped with various toppings such as salsa, avocado, onion, cilantro, and lime. We like to serve tinga as tacos or wrapped in a burrito with rice, beans, and cheese.
We love to serve it with side dishes such as:
- Salad - quick leafy green salad, Avocado Corn Salad.
- Salsas - Pico De Gallo, Mango Salsa.
- Rice - regular steamed or boiled white or brown rice, classic Lime Cilantro rice, or Egg Fried Rice.
- Beans - try our refried beans from our Tostada recipe, or simply use canned black beans, kidney beans or a mix of beans.
- Avocado - either sliced, cubed or in the form of Guacamole or Crema. Guacamole can be made in advance too, read all about it here.
- Queso - tangy smooth cheese sauce or queso fresco (white crumbly cheese such as cotija for example).
- Vegetables - grilled or steamed veggies, corn on the cob or try our roasted version of Veggie Pan Sheet Dinner.
📋 JULIA'S TIP Use certified gluten-free corn tortillas (look for the appropriate label). Not all of these are GF. Some are actually a blend of wheat and corn flour or made with shared non-gluten-free equipment. Or make your own homemade tortillas.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. Let the chicken cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. The sauce will thicken and you may need to add some water or broth to return the initial consistency.
- To Freeze. Follow the same steps and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- To Make Ahead. Reheat in the microwave or over the stovetop. Stir constantly until warmed through.
More Mexican-Inspired Dinners
For a full collection hop on to our Dinner recipe archives.
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Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Tinga Tacos
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INGREDIENTS
- 3 medium-large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 1 large brown onion, diced fine
- 1 x 15 oz canned tomato puree, or good quality Passata + 2-3 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, whole or chopped + 2 tablespoon adobo sauce/liquid
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 teaspoons teaspoons of garlic, freshly minced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs, see notes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
For Serving:
- Soft or hard Taco shells, GF or corn tortillas if needed
- Cilantro leaves
- Chopped Brown or red onion
- Salsa
INSTRUCTIONS
- Spray a 4-quart slow cooker/crock pot (you can use a larger too) with cooking oil and place all the ingredients. I used 3 medium to large chicken breast halves for this recipe.
- Cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Remove the chicken and shred it in a medium bowl. Return shredded chicken filling into the cooker. Warm up tortillas and stuff with shredded chicken tinga, salsa and toppings. Enjoy!
NOTES
- Nutrition is calculated without the serving options (tortillas, toppings and etc.)
- I’ve used a 4-quart slow cooker for this recipe, but you can use a larger slow cooker too.
- If you aren’t sure whether the chicken is cooked through, insert a food thermometer into the thickest section of the meat. It should read 165F for the chicken to be safe to eat.
- To Store. Let the chicken cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. The sauce will thicken and you may need to add some water or broth to return the initial consistency.
- Dried herbs - a combination of thyme, oregano, and cilantro works great here but for a quick fix, I like to use a prepackaged Italian herb mix.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
How To Make Chicken Tinga Step By Step
- Spray a 4-quart slow cooker/crock pot (you can use a larger too) with cooking oil and place all the ingredients.
- Cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or LOW for 4-5 hours.
- Remove the chicken and shred it in a medium bowl. Return shredded chicken filling into the cooker.
- Warm the tortillas one by one in a dry pan over medium heat until they begin to char (this will happen very fast, about 30 seconds per side on medium-high heat). Wrap them in foil to keep warm until ready to use.
- Stuff with shredded chicken tinga, salsa and toppings. Enjoy!
Common Recipe Questions
Absolutely! The slow cooker is ideal for cooking raw chicken, creating an environment that kills bacteria while tenderizing the meat and locking in delicious flavor.
“Tinga” comes from the Spanish word “tingado” which means “stained” or “spotted”, referring to how the dish looks with a sauce that is slightly speckled from the chopped chipotle peppers. Tinga chicken is a popular filling for tacos and other Mexican dishes.
Tinga is a Mexican dish with shredded meat (usually chicken or pork) cooked in a rich sauce made from tomatoes and chipotle peppers.
Chicken tinga originated in Mexico and has since become a popular dish in the United States and around the world.
No. As long as you stick to the slow cooking time in the recipe, the slow cooker is a great way to cook chicken evenly while keeping the meat tender and juicy. It is possible to overcook the chicken in the slow cooker in which case it will become tough and rubbery.
Heather
Dry herbs?? See notes? I can't find it. Please update recipe.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
dried herbs such as mixed Italian dried herbs
Tim
italian herbs in mexican...smh
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
You can easily double the recipe and serve this chicken tinga for a crowd!