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Irresistible Chicken Tinga: 30 min One-Pot Wonder

By Matt Price

Sep 26, 2024, Updated Mar 15, 2026

Smoky Chicken Tinga That Blows Store-Bought Away

What is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo) is a classic Mexican dish hailing from Puebla. It features shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy tomato-chipotle sauce made with bold spices and aromatic veggies. It’s delicious, versatile, and easy to batch-prep for tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. If you’re planning your Cinco de Mayo celebration, hosting a taco night, or just looking for a comforting meal, Chicken Tinga is sure to be a hit.

How to Serve Chicken Tinga

This Chicken Tinga is incredibly flexible. Here are some fiesta-ready ideas:

• Tacos: Load up warm tortillas with Tinga, topped with onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
• Nachos: Layer with chips, cheese, and jalapeños for crowd-pleasing game-day nachos.
• Burritos: Wrap it up with rice, beans, and guac for a hearty handheld feast.
• Salads: Serve over a fresh salad with avocado, radish, and lime for a lighter option.

Ingredients Needed

For the Chicken:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I prefer a mix)
• 1 onion, halved
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, to taste
• Hot All-Purpose Seasoning, to taste

For the Tinga Sauce

• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1–2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• Hot All-Purpose Seasoning, to taste
• ½ cup chicken broth (or water)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

To Serve

• Corn or flour tortillas
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges
• Sliced avocado
• Diced onions
• Sliced radishes

BUY HOT ALL-PURPOSE SEASONING

Step by Step: How to Make Chicken Tinga

Step 1: Boil the Chicken

Today we are using both boneless skinless chicken breast and thighs but you can use whatever you prefer, this is the combo I like. (Chicken thighs have a higher fat content and add a lot of additional flavor)

Roughly chop your onion, cilantro, and garlic.

Add your chicken, halved onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, salt, and Hot All-Purpose Seasoning to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 15–20 minutes). Remove chicken and set aside. Discard the aromatics and reserve a splash of the broth if needed later.

Step 2: Sear for Flavor

(Optional but recommended) Sear the cooked chicken in a hot pan with a little oil to develop extra flavor. Be mindful to not overcrowd the pot.

Remove and set aside. Once you develop some great color on your chicken, go ahead and remove it.

Next, we are going to sear the chicken – being mindful to not overcrowd the pot.

Once you develop some great color on your chicken, go ahead and remove it.

Step 3: Sauté the Aromatics

In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the Adobo Chipotle Peppers and diced onion to the pan and sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

Step 4: Build the Sauce

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, chicken bouillon powder, and Hot All-Purpose Seasoning. Cook for 2–3 minutes to bring the flavors together.

Step 5: Simmer and Blend

Pour in chicken broth and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth using an immersion blender or traditional blender.

Taste and adjust the flavor and spice level as needed. You want to ensure you get this right before adding the chicken and finishing the cooking process, as the chicken will take on the flavor of the sauce.

Step 6: Simmer the Chicken

Return the chicken to the sauce. Simmer covered for 20 minutes or shreddable, allowing the flavors to infuse and the chicken to become fork-tender.

Once the sauce is perfect, add the chicken back to the party and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is fork-tender and shreddable.

Step 7: Shred and Finish

Remove chicken from sauce, shred using two forks, then return shredded chicken to the sauce. Stir to coat evenly.

If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved broth to receive your desired consistency. Simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.

Celebrate with Flavor

This Chicken Tinga recipe is your one-way ticket to a flavor-packed Cinco de Mayo celebration! From casual taco nights to festive family gatherings, this dish brings bold, smoky heat with every bite. Save it, share it, and serve it proudly—your guests will be asking for seconds. Give it a try, and let the flavors transport you to Mexico. If you love this, you'll also enjoy my 8 flavor. Don't miss my korean fried chicken for another delicious option. Don't miss my chicken pad thai for another delicious option.

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Print & Download Chicken Tinga Recipe

Chicken Tinga

Matt Price

Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo) is a classic Mexican dish hailing from Puebla. It features shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy tomato-chipotle sauce made with bold spices and aromatic veggies. It’s delicious, versatile, and easy to batch-prep for tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. If you’re planning your Cinco de Mayo celebration, hosting a taco night, or just looking for a comforting meal, Chicken Tinga is sure to be a hit.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Chicken Recipes, Favorites, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 8 servings

Calories 281 kcal

Equipment

Immersion Blender Kitchen Blender

Large Dutch Oven Deep Skillet

Mixing Bowl

Tongs or Slotted Spoon

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the Chicken:

• ▢ 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I prefer a mix)
• ▢ 1 onion halved
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ Hot All-Purpose Seasoning to taste

For the Tinga Sauce:

• ▢ 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 onion finely diced
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes
• ▢ ¼ cup tomato paste
• ▢ 1 –2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
• ▢ 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ Hot All-Purpose Seasoning to taste
• ▢ ½ cup chicken broth or water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

To Serve:

• ▢ Corn or flour tortillas
• ▢ Fresh cilantro chopped
• ▢ Lime wedges
• ▢ Sliced avocado
• ▢ Diced onions
• ▢ Sliced radishes

Instructions

 

Step 1: Boil the Chicken

• Roughly chop your onion, cilantro, and garlic.
• Add your chicken, halved onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, salt, and Hot All-Purpose Seasoning to a pot.
• Cover with water and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 15–20 minutes).
• Remove chicken and set aside. Discard the aromatics and reserve a splash of the broth if needed later.

Step 2: Sear for Flavor (Optional but recommended)

• Sear the cooked chicken in a hot pan with a little oil to develop extra flavor. Be mindful to not overcrowd the pot.
• Remove and set aside. Once you develop some great color on your chicken, go ahead and remove it.
• Next, we are going to sear the chicken – being mindful to not overcrowd the pot.
• Once you develop some great color on your chicken, go ahead and remove it.

Step 3: Sauté the Aromatics

• In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil over medium heat.
• Add the Adobo Chipotle Peppers and diced onion to the pan and sauté for 3–4 minutes until translucent.
• Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

Step 4: Build the Sauce

• Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, chicken bouillon powder, and Hot All-Purpose Seasoning.
• Cook for 2–3 minutes to bring the flavors together.

Step 5: Simmer and Blend

• Pour in chicken broth and apple cider vinegar.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10–15 minutes.
• Blend the mixture until smooth using an immersion blender or traditional blender.
• Taste and adjust the flavor and spice level as needed.
• You want to ensure you get this right before adding the chicken and finishing the cooking process, as the chicken will take on the flavor of the sauce.

Step 6: Simmer the Chicken

• Return the chicken to the sauce.
• Simmer covered for 20 minutes or shreddable, allowing the flavors to infuse and the chicken to become fork-tender.
• Once the sauce is perfect, add the chicken back to the party and bring to a simmer.
• Cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is fork-tender and shreddable.

Step 7: Shred and Finish

• Remove chicken from sauce, shred using two forks, then return shredded chicken to the sauce.
• Stir to coat evenly.
• If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved broth to receive your desired consistency.
• Simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.

Notes

Pro Tips for the Perfect Chicken Tinga

• Adjust the heat by adding more or fewer chipotle peppers.
• Double the batch for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
• Make it creamy by stirring in a spoonful of sour cream or crema Mexicana.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 23gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 373mgPotassium: 713mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 380IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 3mg

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