Name: Chicken Tinga Tacos
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 5 Servings
Cuisine: Mexican

April 29, 2025

Chicken tinga tacos are an easy way to upgrade your weeknight dinner. Minimal chopping and a little bit of simmering in a spicy, smoky sauce delivers a traditional Mexican dish for a casual yet extraordinary meal. Get tips for variations on the recipe in the accompanying article. The recipe is a Yummly original created by Ericka Sanchez.

From the Cook

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Chicken Tinga Tacos

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Ingredients

WarningMilk and 4 other allergens identified

Instructions

Add tomatoes, garlic cloves, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, a quarter of the sliced onions, and 1/2 cup water to a blender container. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large sautÃ© pan over medium-low heat. Add remaining onion strips, reduce heat to low, and sautÃ© until translucent, about 3 minutes.

Strain the tomato mixture from the blender into the sautÃ©ed onions. Stir in 1/2 cup water, oregano, and chicken bouillon. Add more water in 1/4 cup increments if you prefer your mixture with more liquid. Add shredded chicken; stir, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Top tortillas with chicken tinga. Garnish with cabbage, cilantro, cheese and a squeeze of lime juice.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Chipotle Depth Hack 🌶️
Toast whole chipotle chiles in a dry skillet for 30-60 seconds before blending to intensify their smoky flavor and release deeper aromatics.
Shredding Technique 🍴
Use two forks to shred warm chicken, pulling in opposite directions for consistent, tender strands that perfectly absorb the tinga sauce.
Sauce Balancing Trick 🥄
If the tinga sauce is too spicy, add a pinch of sugar or a splash of cream to mellow the heat while maintaining complexity.
Tortilla Warming Pro 🔥
Warm corn tortillas directly on a gas flame or cast-iron skillet for 15-20 seconds per side to enhance their flavor and prevent cracking.
Authentic Cheese Finish 🧀
Crumble Cotija cheese at the last moment to maintain its crumbly texture and prevent clumping on the hot tinga chicken.