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Homemade Easy 20-Minute Chicken Tinga Tacos recipe photo

Easy 20-Minute Chicken Tinga Tacos

Smoky, saucy shredded chicken tucked into warm corn tortillas for a quick and flavorful taco night.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 15 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 to 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce or to taste
  • 1 small white onion peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken *
  • 15 small corn tortillas lightly charred or warmed
  • red onion diced small for garnishing
  • cilantro minced for garnishing
  • cotija cheese crumbled for garnishing
  • lime wedges for garnishing

Equipment

  • High-speed blender
  • Large Skillet

Method
 

  1. Add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers (1–3 to taste), adobo sauce, chopped white onion, garlic cloves, ground cumin, and Mexican oregano to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
  2. Heat the large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Pour the blended sauce into the skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it is lightly bubbling and has reduced and thickened slightly, about 5–7 minutes.
  3. Add the cooked shredded chicken to the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce. Cook until the chicken is warmed through and evenly coated, about 3 minutes.
  4. Warm or char the corn tortillas: hold each tortilla over a gas flame for 10–15 seconds per side or heat them in a dry skillet on an electric stove until warmed through.
  5. Assemble tacos by dividing the sauced chicken among the tortillas and topping with diced red onion, minced cilantro, crumbled cotija, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • I highly recommend a rotisserie chicken.
  • Panela or queso fresco may be substituted for cotija.
  • If desired, use 1 chipotle for mild, 2 for medium, and 3+ for more heat.
  • If sauce tastes too smoky or acidic, add 1–2 teaspoons sugar to mellow it.