These Chicken Tinga Tacos delight the tastebuds and are easy to whip up on even the busiest weeknights. Shredded chicken cooked in tinga sauce will wow everyone who tries them. The best part? Prep only takes 10 minutes. Give taco night a new look full of smoky flavor and your favorite toppings!
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What’s in Smoky Chicken Tacos?
Flavorful chicken tinga makes a great filling for tacos! Cook up chicken breasts in a delicious, smoky, seasoned tinga sauce, then shred it up to fill tortillas.
- Chicken Breasts: Juicy chicken is the star of this show. Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts, or use boneless thighs.
- Olive Oil: Sauté, sauté, sauté!
- Tomatoes: Try fresh Roma tomatoes.
- Onion: A yellow onion is best for the filling.
- Garlic: We’ll need two garlic cloves tonight.
- Mexican Oregano: Keep in mind, Mexican oregano and the usual oregano in your spice cabinet are not the same thing.
- Cumin: Cumin adds an earthy flavor.
- Bay Leaves: An under-appreciated powerhouse.
- Chicken Broth: Use broth or chicken stock.
- Salt + Pepper: To taste.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Tinga sauce needs its signature ingredient.
- Corn Tortillas: All that chicken filling needs a place to go!
Variations on Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos
There are tons of fun and easy ways to change up these chicken tinga tacos for Taco Tuesday or Cinco de Mayo.
- Make a swap! This chipotle sauce pairs just as well with beef, pork, or shrimp.
- Add extra protein with black beans or refried beans.
- No corn tortillas? No problem. Use flour or cassava flour tortillas instead.
- Taco toppings are the best way to change things up. Some of my favorites are fresh guacamole, diced red onion, cotija cheese, queso fresco, and sour cream.
Tinga refers to a Mexican dish made with shredded beef or chicken in a smoky tomato sauce.
Chicken tinga is smoky and slightly spicy. It’s a perfect balance!
Yes, these tacos are naturally gluten-free. Just be sure to use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.
I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs would also work!
Yes! Mexican oregano is actually part of the verbena family, not the oregano family, and it has a citrusy flavor. If you can’t find Mexican oregano, the best substitute is marjoram, not regular oregano!
The easiest way to shred chicken for these tacos is to let the chicken breasts cook whole, then use two forks to pull and shred them into pieces. You’ll have one fork in each hand, hold one steady, then pull the other through the chicken until it shreds. Really simple!
If you can’t find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and you don’t have time to order them online, don’t panic! You can make your own substitute by mixing 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, a pinch of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt together. Use this mixture in place of the 2 tablespoons of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
How to Store and Reheat Stovetop Chicken Tacos
Store leftover chicken tinga tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I highly recommend storing the meat and tortillas separately and assembling after reheating the components. Reheat the taco meat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat until warmed through, and heat the tortillas as described in step 8 of the recipe!
How to Freeze Shredded Chicken Tinga
Freeze chicken tinga in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating and assembling the tacos.
What to Serve with Healthy Chicken Tinga Tacos
It’s Taco Tuesday time! This smoky chipotle chicken is delicious in tacos, but can easily be used in a burrito bowl on a bed of Cilantro Rice. Grab a tortilla chip and dig into this Crock Pot Queso Dip or Street Corn Dip and wash it all down with a tart, yet sweet Limeade.
Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tinga
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (click to buy)
For the Tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Toppings cotija cheese, thinly sliced radish, thinly sliced red onion, chopped cilantro, and/or diced avocado
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add in the tomatoes and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add in the onion and garlic, and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 4 roma tomatoes, 1 yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add in the oregano and cumin, cooking until fragrant. About 1-2 minutes.1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Stir in the bay leaves, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Add in the chicken and bring the mixture to a simmer.2 bay leaves, 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, Ground black pepper, 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Set the chicken aside. Discard the bay leaves.
- Add the chipotle peppers to the pot and using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Simmer the sauce until it has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Stir until combined and warmed through.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook the tortillas for 1-2 minutes per side until warmed through.Corn tortillas
- Serve tacos immediately with desired toppings.Toppings
Video
Becky’s Tips
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts if you prefer.
- If you can’t find Mexican oregano, opt for marjoram (not regular oregano)!
- For a milder sauce, use the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers, not the peppers themselves.
- You can also transfer the sauce to a blender, blend, and then return it to the pot.
- Nutritional information does not include toppings.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
More Chicken Taco Recipes We Love
- Baked Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Street Tacos
- Chicken Flautas
