Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos
Chicken Tinga Tacos
Shredded chicken slow-cooked in a smoky tomato-chipotle sauce, then tucked into warm tortillas with onion, cilantro, and lime.
Chicken tinga is built around a simple but powerful sauce: tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, and chipotle chiles in adobo. The slow cooker gives the chicken time to absorb that smoky sauce until it shreds easily and stays juicy enough for tacos, bowls, tostadas, or leftovers.
This version keeps the prep direct. The aromatics are quickly softened in a skillet, then blended with fire-roasted tomatoes and chipotle before going into the slow cooker with chicken thighs and breasts. Using both cuts gives the filling a balanced texture, with enough richness from the thighs and plenty of lean shredded meat from the breasts.
The finished chicken should be moist rather than soupy, so the shredded meat goes back into the sauce for a short final soak. Serve it in warm corn tortillas with white onion, cilantro, cotija, avocado, and lime, or keep the toppings minimal so the tomato-chipotle flavor stays at the center.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened and lightly golden at the edges.
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2
Stir in the garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt, and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
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3
Blend the onion mixture with the crushed tomatoes, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, chicken broth, and apple cider vinegar until mostly smooth.
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4
Place the chicken thighs and chicken breasts in the slow cooker and pour the tomato-chipotle sauce over the top, turning the chicken to coat it well.
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5
Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily with two forks.
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6
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it into bite-size pieces, discarding any tough bits.
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7
Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir it into the sauce, and cook uncovered on high for 15 to 20 minutes if the sauce needs to thicken.
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8
Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over a low gas flame until pliable and lightly toasted.
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9
Fill each tortilla with chicken tinga and top with diced white onion, cilantro, cotija, and a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken thighs:1 lb
- boneless skinless chicken breasts:1 lb
- yellow onion, thinly sliced:1 large
- garlic cloves, minced:4
- olive oil:1 tbsp
- fire-roasted crushed tomatoes:1 can
- chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped:2
- adobo sauce:1 tbsp
- chicken broth:1/2 cup
- apple cider vinegar:1 tbsp
- dried Mexican oregano:1 tsp
- ground cumin:1 tsp
- kosher salt:1 tsp
- corn tortillas:12
- diced white onion:1/2 cup
- fresh cilantro leaves:1/2 cup
- crumbled cotija cheese:1/2 cup
- lime wedges:6
Tips & Notes
- Use one chipotle chile for a milder filling or three for a stronger smoky heat.
- If the sauce tastes too sharp after cooking, stir in a small pinch of sugar to round out the tomatoes.
- The chicken keeps well for 4 days and reheats best with a spoonful of the cooking sauce.
