Chicken tinga is shredded chicken in a spicy sauce and can be made right in your slow cooker! Try something new this week with this easy Mexican recipe.
We have a fun Mexican meal every week instead of dining out. We like to pair this meal with Refried Black Beans.
Making chicken tinga in a slow cooker is a great way to save time and effort. Tinga is traditionally made with shredded meat, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices that are simmered together for hours. It can be served as an appetizer or main dish.
This recipe will show you how to make your own Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga so you can enjoy it anytime! The recipe only requires 10 minutes of prep work, so you have more time to enjoy your day.
What is chicken tinga?
- Tinga originates in Puebla, Mexico. It’s made with shredded chicken that is simmered in a tomato and chipotle chile sauce.
- This is a simple dish that you can customize with your favorite toppings.
- For this slow cooker recipe we will be cooking the raw chicken in the sauce, then shredding.
How do I serve this?
Chicken Tinga can be served any time of the day!
For example:
- Breakfast – serve over scrambled eggs and with refried beans.
- Lunch – add some avocado slices and scoop the mixture with tortilla chips
- Dinner – enjoy as part of your Taco Tuesday plans or even serve on tostada shells. You can also serve it over rice or use it as a filling for burritos, or quesadillas.
How to make Chicken Tinga in the slow cooker
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Can use chicken thighs if you prefer.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo – These are whole smoked peppers in sauce in a can. Or use the diced versions that are found in a jar in the Mexican food section of the store.
- Seasonings – Salt, pepper, dried leaf oregano.
- Vegetables – Minced garlic, yellow onion, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, and sweet yellow onion.
How to store Chicken Tinga
Chicken tinga is an easy dish to prepare ahead of time. Simply cook it, allow it to cool and then store in the refrigerator or freezer for later use!
To freeze:
- Divide into family-sized portions (e.g., one serving per person) before freezing so that you can thaw individual servings as needed with minimal effort on your part.
- Place each portion in a sealable container with at least ¼ inch headspace and without any additional liquids added. Label containers with name and date when frozen so it’s easy to identify later. Or you can use freezer ziplock bags.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Toppings for Chicken Tinga
It takes just ten minutes of prep time before you let the slow cooker do its magic! The juicy chicken is cooked until tender so all that’s left to make are the toppings!
- Pico De Gallo Salsa – My favorite recipe from Cookie and Kate
- Diced avocado
- Cilantro leaves
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese – We like sharp cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese.
This dish is one of the easiest and most flavorful meals. The slow cooker does most of the work for you, so all you have to do is chop up some veggies and decide how you want to serve the delicious dish!
More Mexican Slow Cooker Recipes:
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
Shredded chicken with smokey chipotle peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes and plenty of onion.
Servings: 6
Calories: 223kcal
Instructions:
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Place the chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
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Spread over the chopped chipotle pepper in adobo over the chicken.
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Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, oregano and garlic.
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Pour over the fire-roasted tomatoes.
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Add the sliced onions.
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Pour over the fire-roasted tomatoes.
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Place the lid on the slow cooker.
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Cook on HIGH For 4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.
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When the cooking time is done, shred the chicken. Do this by taking two forks and pulling the meat. You can do this right in the slow cooker.
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Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
How can I make this extra spicy?
Add an extra chipotle pepper or add some more of the juices from the can.
How should I use this meat?
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Nachos
- Tostadas
- Quesadillas
What toppings should I use for chicken tinga?
- Pico De Gallo Salsa
- Diced avocado
- Cilantro leaves
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese – We like sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
Nutrition:
Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 676mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 327IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
