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square image of a bowl of chicken tinga topped with cilantro
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Chicken Tinga Recipe

Chicken Tinga is smoky, spicy shredded chicken made easy in the slow cooker with 15 minutes of prep, perfect for tacos, bowls, and burritos.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken tinga, chicken tinga tacos, slow cooker chicken tinga
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 10 tacos
Calories 200kcal
Author Aubrey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion peeled and chopped
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 14.5 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed (2 limes)
  • ¼ cup cilantro roughly chopped (optional)

Tacos

Instructions

  • Lightly coat the bottom of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs in the slow cooker in an even layer.*
    boneless skinless chicken thighs in a small crock pot
  • Place a medium skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Once melted, add 1 medium yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 2 chipotle peppers in adobo**, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and cook for another 1 minute.
    chipotle pepper, seasonings, and garlic added to sautéed onions in a large skillet
  • Add 14.5 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and 1/4 cup cilantro, and simmer for 10 minutes.
    fire-roasted tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice added to a skillet of seasoned sautéed onion
  • Carefully transfer the sauce into a food processor (or blender). Cover and blend until smooth.
    chicken tinga marinade in a food processor bowl after being pureed
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken thighs. Cover and cook on LOW for 2-3 hours or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
    cooked chicken tinga in a crock pot
  • Use two forks to shred the chicken. Keep warm in the crock pot or trasnfer to a serving bowl.
    two forks resting in a crock pot after shredded the chicken thighs in tinga sauce
  • Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook 10 corn tortillas in the dry skillet for 1-2 minutes per side until toasted.
  • Assemble the tacos by adding some chicken***, red onion, cotija cheese, and cilantro to each tortilla. Serve immediately.
    corn tortilla topped with chicken tinga, cotija, cilantro, and sliced red onion on a cutting board

Notes

*If the chicken doesn't sit flat in the bottom of your slow cooker, rotate them halfway through the cook time to ensure even cooking.
**For less heat, reduce the chipotle peppers to one. For extra spice, use 3 peppers or stir in more adobo sauce after shredding the chicken.
***The chicken will have a lot of extra liquid, especially if you're serving it directly from the slow cooker. Use a pair of tongs to squeeze the chicken out a bit when you take it from the crock or bowl to help release some of the excess sauce.
Nutritional information includes 1 tortilla, about ¼ cup of chicken tinga, 2 tablespoons red onion, 1 tablespoon cotija, and 1 tablespoon cilantro
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco | Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 545mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 504IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1mg
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