Traditional Mexican Dishes
Mexican Chicken Tinga
Prepare a juicy and aromatic Mexican chicken tinga, with tomato, onion, and the smoky touch of chipotle pepper. Serve it over crispy tostadas with cream, fresh cheese, and lettuce, or use it as a filling for tacos and sandwiches.
This homemade tinga takes advantage of cooked chicken and transforms it into a flavorful stew. The tomato sauce, chipotle, and spices cover the shredded chicken without making it watery, while the onion adds texture and sweetness.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓1 kg of chicken breast, with or without bone
- ✓1.5 liters of water
- ✓1/2 white onion to cook the chicken
- ✓1 large white onion, cut into thin slices
- ✓5 cloves of garlic: 2 for cooking the chicken and 3 for the sauce
- ✓2 bay leaves
- ✓1 teaspoon of salt for cooking
- ✓6 ripe tomatoes
- ✓2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ✓2 tablespoons of adobo sauce from the can
- ✓1 teaspoon of Mexican oregano
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
- ✓1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- ✓1 cup of chicken cooking broth
- ✓2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of salt to adjust the stew
- ✓12 corn tostadas
- ✓1/2 cup of Mexican cream
- ✓100 g of crumbled fresh cheese
- ✓1/4 of finely chopped lettuce
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Place the chicken in a large pot along with the water, 1/2 onion, 2...
Place the chicken in a large pot along with the water, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, the bay leaves, and the teaspoon of salt. The liquid should cover the chicken; if necessary, add a little more water.
- 02
Heat over medium-high heat
Heat over medium-high heat. When it starts to boil, remove the foam from the surface, reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and shreds easily.
- 03
Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest for a few minutes in the broth
Turn off the heat and let the chicken rest for a few minutes in the broth. Remove it, reserve 1 cup of the broth, and, when it's no longer hot, shred it with two forks. If it has bones, remove them along with any skin.
- 04
Wash the tomatoes and make a small cross on the bottom
Wash the tomatoes and make a small cross on the bottom. Place them in a pot with hot water and cook for 5 or 6 minutes, until the skin starts to crack.
- 05
Let the tomatoes cool slightly, remove the skin, and blend with...
Let the tomatoes cool slightly, remove the skin, and blend with the 3 remaining cloves of garlic, the chipotle peppers, the adobo sauce, the oregano, the thyme, the cumin, the pepper, and the reserved cup of broth. Blend until you get a uniform sauce.
- 06
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the vegetable oil
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the sliced onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and becomes slightly transparent without burning.
- 07
Carefully pour the sauce over the onion
Carefully pour the sauce over the onion. Mix and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the tomato loses its raw flavor and the spices are integrated.
- 08
Taste the sauce and adjust with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, considering the salt...
Taste the sauce and adjust with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, considering the salt from the broth and the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- 09
Add the shredded chicken and mix until it's fully covered
Add the shredded chicken and mix until it's fully covered. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes more over low heat and with the skillet partially covered.
- 10
Check the consistency
Check the consistency: if the tinga is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved broth; if it's too liquid, cook it for a few minutes more without a lid to reduce it.
- 11
Turn off the heat and let the tinga rest for 5 minutes
Turn off the heat and let the tinga rest for 5 minutes. Serve a portion over each tostada and finish with lettuce, Mexican cream, and crumbled fresh cheese.
- Cook the chicken over medium heat to preserve its juiciness.
- Adjust the amount of chipotle according to your desired level of spiciness. For a less spicy version, use one pepper and one tablespoon of adobo sauce.
- Let the sauce reduce until it covers the chicken without being watery.
- You can use leftover cooked chicken, as long as it's well preserved and shredded.
- Assemble the tostadas just before serving to keep them crispy.
- The tinga can also be served as a filling for tacos or sandwiches.