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Chicken Tinga Tacos bring together smoky chipotle-spiced chicken and classic taco toppings in warm corn tortillas. With just 15 minutes of prep and a brief simmer, chicken breasts become tender, spiced meat that’s perfect for piling into warm corn tortillas. While most chicken tacos rely on basic seasonings, the combination of chipotle hot sauce and powder here creates a deeper, smokier flavor.

Tacos filled with shredded chicken, topped with sliced avocado, crumbled cheese, and fresh cilantro on a tray. Lime wedges are placed nearby for garnish.
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I love serving these with bowls of toppings so everyone can build their own – tangy cotija cheese, creamy avocado, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for squeezing over the top. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, the saucy chicken is just as good stuffed into quesadillas or piled onto salads the next day.

Ingredients for Chicken Tinga Tacos

Ingredients for chicken tinga tacos laid out on a surface, including boneless chicken breasts, avocados, tortillas, lime wedges, cheese, spices, chopped onion, and a bowl of red sauce. Each item is labeled with handwritten text.

For the Chicken Tinga:

  • Olive Oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil, but any variety works here.
  • White Onion: I prefer white onions for their mild, sweet flavor.
  • Garlic: Look for firm cloves with tight, papery skin.
  • Chicken Broth: Homemade or store-bought both work well.
  • Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: The fire-roasted variety adds extra depth to the sauce.
  • Cumin: Your ground cumin should smell fragrant – if not, it’s time for a fresh jar.
  • Oregano: I prefer Mexican oregano for this dish, but you can use any dried oregano you have on hand.
  • Chipotle Hot Sauce: I use Cholula or Tabasco chipotle sauce – both are easy to find.
  • Chipotle Chili Powder: Made from smoked jalapeños, not to be confused with regular chili powder.
  • Chicken Breasts: Look for plump breasts with good color – they should spring back when pressed.
  • Salt and Pepper: Season in layers for the best flavor.

For the Tacos:

  • Corn Tortillas: Traditional and naturally gluten-free – they hold up well to saucy fillings.
  • Cotija Cheese: Adds a salty, tangy note, but queso fresco works too.
  • Avocados: Choose ones that yield slightly to pressure.
  • White Onion: For garnish – adds fresh crunch.
  • Cilantro: Look for bright green bunches with no wilting.
  • Limes: Optional, but fresh lime juice brightens everything up.
A wooden platter with five tacos filled with shredded chicken, avocado slices, crumbled cheese, and chopped cilantro. Lime wedges and avocado pieces are on the side, with small bowls of cilantro and cheese nearby.

5 Recipe Tips

  1. Watch the Sauce: Let it reduce until thick but still saucy – you want it to cling to the shredded chicken.
  2. Check the Chicken: At around the 20-minute mark, the chicken should shred easily with two forks – if not, give it a few more minutes to simmer.
  3. Warm the Tortillas: Keep them wrapped in foil while heating so they stay pliable.
  4. About Assembly: Double up the corn tortillas if you like – they’ll hold up better to the saucy filling.
  5. Prep for Serving: Have all your toppings ready before warming tortillas so they don’t cool down.
Close-up of a taco filled with shredded chicken tinga, sliced avocado, crumbled cheese, and cilantro, garnished with lime wedges on the side. The taco is on a tray lined with crumpled parchment paper.

Recipe Options

  • Choose Your Chicken: I often use thighs instead of breasts – they stay even more tender. And if you prefer to cook you chicken in a slow cooker, use my Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga recipe instead.
  • Adjust the Heat: Add more chipotle hot sauce or chili powder if you like it spicier. Or feel free to use chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce if you have them on hand.
  • Switch the Cheese: Try queso fresco for a milder flavor than cotija.
  • Add More Toppings: Pickled red onions or jalapeños add bright contrast.
  • Make it Creamy: A dollop of Mexican crema or sour cream cools the heat.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover chicken tinga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed to maintain moisture. For best results, warm tortillas and prep fresh toppings just before serving.

The smoky, spicy chicken is what makes these tacos stand out, but it’s the combination with fresh toppings that keeps me coming back to this recipe. Set everything out and let people build their own – that’s when taco night becomes more than just dinner.

How to Make Chicken Tinga Tacos

Sauté onions in oil until soft, add garlic until fragrant. Add tomatoes, broth, and seasonings, bringing to a boil before adding the chicken. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and easy to shred, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board.

Let the sauce reduce uncovered until it reaches a thick, spoonable consistency. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and warm the tortillas in a 300°F oven. Return shredded chicken to the reduced sauce and heat through. Build your tacos with warm tortillas, adding cotija cheese, avocado, onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 221
Servings: 12 tacos
Tender shredded chicken in smoky chipotle sauce, piled into warm corn tortillas with cotija cheese and fresh toppings. An easy Mexican dinner that's perfect for taco night or meal prep.

Video

Ingredients  

For Chicken Tinga

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small white onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 14 1/2 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes with juice
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle hot sauce or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Tacos

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 3 ounces crumbled Cotija cheese or Queso Fresco
  • 2 large avocados thinly sliced
  • 1 medium white onion finely chopped
  • chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
  • lime wedges for serving

Instructions 

  • Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, tomatoes along with their juices, cumin, oregano, chipotle hot sauce and chili powder; bring to boil. Add chicken breasts and season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir to coat chicken with tomato mixture, then spread chicken breasts into an even layer. Reduce heat and cover; keep at a low simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping breasts once about half way through, until chicken is tender and easy to shred.
  • When chicken is nearly tender, preheat oven to 300 °F (149 °C) and wrap 2 stacks of 6 tortillas each in aluminum foil.
  • Once chicken is tender, transfer to cutting board. Leave saucepan on stovetop, increase heat to medium-high and return sauce to boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated (it should look like a thick salsa), 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • While sauce reduces, shred chicken with two forks and warm foil wrapped tortillas in preheated oven (10 to 15 minutes).
  • Once sauce has reduced, stir in shredded chicken and place over medium heat; cook and stir until just heated through.

To Assemble Tacos

  • Divide chicken among warmed tortilla and top with cheese, avocado and onion. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges if desired.

Notes

  • This recipe yields about 4 cups of shredded Chicken Tinga.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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