Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos

Today’s recipe is the first in my new “My Fare City” series here on My Kitchen Little. Inspired by the * absolutely delicious * Chicken Tinga tacos served up daily at Pink Cactus in Charleston, SC, this is a very quick and easy home cook’s version, meant to honor the classic, shine a light on a lovely local spot, and make your weeknight cooking a total breeze.

Three birds, one stone. This recipe is really pulling its weight, no?

What is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken Tinga is a Mexican dish made of shredded or pulled chicken that is tossed in a deliciously flavorful tomato-based sauce. You’ll often see Tinga piled up on top of some crispy fried tostadas or used as a taco filling.

Along with some supplemental herbs and spices, classic Chicken Tinga sauce is made from the following 3 core ingredients:

1. Tomatoes. In this case, we’re going to keep things nice and easy and use a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. The fire roasting adds a depth of flavor to the canned tomatoes, which is always a win when you’re trying to accomplish big flavor without a lot of fuss.
2. Onion. The oft employed kitchen workhorse, this aromatic allium serves to boost and balance the acidic flavor of the tomatoes.
3. Chipotles in adobo. Chipotles, if you’re not totally sure, are just smoked jalapeños. They’re sold everywhere – very readily available – and you’ll find them in cans along with the adobo sauce in which they’re packed. The chipotles add a wonderfully earthy, smoky flavor to this sauce, and basically anything else in which you decide to use them.

Why is it called “Chicken Tinga?”

Not sure! Sorry. However, is is purported to have originated in the city of Puebla, Mexico and is something you will see served all over the country.

Can you substitute beef for the chicken in Tinga?

Yes. Oh my stars, yes. Shredded beef in a garlicky, smoky tomato sauce? Sign me up!

I’d also say go ahead and toss some crispy, shredded pulled pork in the sauce as well and have yourself a good time. Or some plump, juicy shrimp. It’s versatile this sauce, and it’s extremely flexible and wide-reaching in its application.

How is Chicken Tinga Served?

A few ways, really. Today, we’re going taco. Tomorrow? Maybe tostada style. I’ll probably have some leftovers, if I can eek some out of the pan before it’s all wolfed down by my family, and you could simply pile the shredded, saucy chicken up on top of a pan-fried tortilla along with some choice toppings and call it good.

Classic Toppings (and my personal favorites include but are not limited to):

• Fresh, sliced radishes
• Fresh diced onions
• Cilantro
• Crumbled cotija cheese

How to Make the Easiest Chicken Tinga Tacos

When I say “easiest,” I’m not messing around – there’s no hyperbole in this recipe’s claim or name. We’re going to simply shred up an already cooked (Gah!) rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, and toss that in the Tinga sauce that takes, oh I dunno, 10 minutes total to make? Canned tomatoes. Canned chipotles. Rotisserie chicken.

There’s a reason I slapped that word on the name of this recipe. It really is the easiest, and I think that may very well put it squarely in the running for “best.”

Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos: What You’ll Need

1 rotisserie chicken, picked free from the bones and shredded/chopped

2 TBSP olive oil

1 cup diced onion plus extra for topping (any variety)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1 chipotle pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or grated

15-ounce can fire-roasted crushed or diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

Salt and pepper, to taste

Small corn tortillas (I warm them in the microwave or in the flame of my gas stove)

Sliced radishes 

Crumbled cotija cheese (or feta)

Chopped cilantro

Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos: Step-by-Step

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil, 1 cup of diced onion, the oregano, cumin, and chipotle. Saute until the onion is tender; about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and then slide the shredded/chopped chicken into the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble the tacos, pile some of the chicken tinga mixture into tortillas (I often double up my tortillas if they’re very thin). Top with your desired toppings, such as sliced radishes, chopped fresh onion, cotija, and cilantro. 

Chicken Tinga Tips:

1. How to store and reheat: You can prepare the chicken Tinga filling, cool it to room temperature, transfer it to an air-tight, lidded container, and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days before using. Simply return it to the pan and bring it back up to a bubble before serving. You can get things saucy again by adding a splash of chicken stock or water if it seems dry after its stint in the fridge.
2. Don’t care for spicy food? Simply omit the chipotles and substitute 1 TBSP smoked, sweet paprika instead. This way, you’ll get flavor + smokiness, without the heat.
3. This chicken Tinga mixture will keep in the freezer (in a freezer-safe container/bag) for up to 3 months.

If you like the looks of these Easy Chicken Tinga Tacos, you might also enjoy:

Slow Cooker Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Slow Cooker Chipotle Honey Ropa Vieja

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