Tinga Chicken
Shredded rotisserie chicken simmered in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce — great for tacos, tortas, or bowls.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 cupsshredded rotisserie chicken see Notes
- 1 tablespoonolive oil
- 1 sweet onionhalved and thinly sliced
- 4 clovesgarlicminced
- 2 tablespoonschipotle peppers in adobo saucechopped
- 1 tablespoonadobo sauce from above canor to taste
- 1 teaspoonchicken bouillon
- 1 tsp EACHdried oregano dried cumin
- 3/4 teaspoonsalt
- 1/2 tsp EACHdried coriander smoked paprika
- 114 oz. canfire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 14 oz. canmild diced green chiles
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the 1 sweet onion (halved and thinly sliced) and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add 4 cloves garlic (minced) and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the same can) or to taste, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried coriander, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, the 14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices, and the 4-oz can mild diced green chiles. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the hot tomato mixture to a blender (do not overfill). Allow some steam to escape by removing the blender lid insert or tilting the lid slightly and covering the opening with a kitchen towel, then blend until smooth.
- Return the blended sauce to the skillet and set heat to low.
- Stir in 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken until the chicken is fully coated with sauce. Heat gently over low for 3–5 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through.
- Taste and, if desired, adjust seasoning with additional salt or extra chopped chipotle peppers or adobo sauce from the can.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Blender
- Kitchen Towel
Notes
1 4 – 5 pound whole chicken cut into pieces
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Add chicken, onions, garlic, salt and pepper to a Dutch Oven or large stock pot. Add water until it reaches about 1-inch above the chicken. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) until chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred, about 25 minutes.
Transfer chicken pieces to a cutting board using tongs. Once cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred chicken with your fingers into bite size pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken and cook 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on one side.
Flip chicken and add 2 cups chicken broth or water.
Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue to cook 10 minutes (thighs will take less time) or until chicken is cooked though and tender enough to shred. Add additional chicken broth or water if the liquid absorbs before the chicken is cooked through.
Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of chicken and actual temperature. If your chicken does not shred easily, then continue to cook, adding additional broth/water if needed.
Remove chicken from skillet and let rest 5 minutes before shredding.
Lightly grease slow cooker with cooking spray. Add two pounds of raw boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients.
Transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over chicken and stir to coat.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours, or on LOW for 6-7 hours or until the chicken is tender enough to shred.
Shred chicken directly in the crockpot (or you can shred on cutting board) and turn heat to LOW. Continue to let chicken cook an additional 20-30 minutes.
Rotisserie Chicken:I like to purchase my rotisserie chicken from Costco because you get almost twice the amount of chicken on one bird for the same price. If you have leftover shredded chicken that you aren’t going to use in this recipe, you can freeze it for later.
Frozen Chicken.In anticipation of making this recipe or any other using shredded chicken, you can portion chicken into sandwich bags and freeze for later. When ready to make Chicken Tinga, simply defrost and stir into the sauce.
Customize heat.Add 1 tablespoon choppedchipotle pepperfor mild heat, 2 for medium and 3 if you love spicy. After you add the chicken, you can taste and stir in additional minced choppedchipotle pepperif you would like it spicier. Just make sure to finely mince the peppers so the heat is evenly distributed.
Add sugar:Just like tomato-based saucesmarinaraandBolognese,I find it helpful to add some sugar to mellow the acidity of the tomatoes. You can make the sauce completely then taste and decide if you would like to add sugar or not.
Double Batch:This Chicken Tinga is a fabulous recipe to double, or break out your Dutch oven and triple! Freeze leftovers in portion size bags for a quick thaw and heat dinner.
Serve buffet style:Line up chicken tinga, rice, tostadas and/or tortillas along with all the favorite toppings (lettuce, pickled red onions, cilantro, avocados, jalapenos, sour cream, cotija cheese or queso fresco etc.,). Let family or guests pile on all their favs.
Prepare chicken according to directions.
Cool to room temperature.
Add chicken to a freezer size plastic bag OR portion into smaller size sandwich bags.
Press bag flat, squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn.
Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, defrost chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove chicken and reheat in a skillet or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave.
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Add chicken, onions, garlic, salt and pepper to a Dutch Oven or large stock pot. Add water until it reaches about 1-inch above the chicken. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) until chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred, about 25 minutes.
Transfer chicken pieces to a cutting board using tongs. Once cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and shred chicken with your fingers into bite size pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken and cook 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown on one side.
Flip chicken and add 2 cups chicken broth or water.
Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, then flip chicken over and continue to cook 10 minutes (thighs will take less time) or until chicken is cooked though and tender enough to shred. Add additional chicken broth or water if the liquid absorbs before the chicken is cooked through.
Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of chicken and actual temperature. If your chicken does not shred easily, then continue to cook, adding additional broth/water if needed.
Remove chicken from skillet and let rest 5 minutes before shredding.
Lightly grease slow cooker with cooking spray. Add two pounds of raw boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients.
Transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour over chicken and stir to coat.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours, or on LOW for 6-7 hours or until the chicken is tender enough to shred.
Shred chicken directly in the crockpot (or you can shred on cutting board) and turn heat to LOW. Continue to let chicken cook an additional 20-30 minutes.
Rotisserie Chicken:I like to purchase my rotisserie chicken from Costco because you get almost twice the amount of chicken on one bird for the same price. If you have leftover shredded chicken that you aren’t going to use in this recipe, you can freeze it for later.
Frozen Chicken.In anticipation of making this recipe or any other using shredded chicken, you can portion chicken into sandwich bags and freeze for later. When ready to make Chicken Tinga, simply defrost and stir into the sauce.
Customize heat.Add 1 tablespoon choppedchipotle pepperfor mild heat, 2 for medium and 3 if you love spicy. After you add the chicken, you can taste and stir in additional minced choppedchipotle pepperif you would like it spicier. Just make sure to finely mince the peppers so the heat is evenly distributed.
Add sugar:Just like tomato-based saucesmarinaraandBolognese,I find it helpful to add some sugar to mellow the acidity of the tomatoes. You can make the sauce completely then taste and decide if you would like to add sugar or not.
Double Batch:This Chicken Tinga is a fabulous recipe to double, or break out your Dutch oven and triple! Freeze leftovers in portion size bags for a quick thaw and heat dinner.
Serve buffet style:Line up chicken tinga, rice, tostadas and/or tortillas along with all the favorite toppings (lettuce, pickled red onions, cilantro, avocados, jalapenos, sour cream, cotija cheese or queso fresco etc.,). Let family or guests pile on all their favs.
Prepare chicken according to directions.
Cool to room temperature.
Add chicken to a freezer size plastic bag OR portion into smaller size sandwich bags.
Press bag flat, squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn.
Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, defrost chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
Remove chicken and reheat in a skillet or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave.