Chicken Tinga with Chipotle – Tinga de Pollo con Chipotle

Ingredients:

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  • 1.5 Kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cooked and shredded
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 5 tomatoes (or 1 × 400 g can crushed tomatoes)
  • 3–5 whole dried chipotle chilies (adjust to your heat preference) +
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp oregano +
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp Taco Seasoning (or to taste) +
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp brown sugar (optional) to balance the smokiness

A classic Mexican dish with shredded chicken in a smoky tomato-chipotle sauce. It’s perfect filling for tostadas, tacos, burritos or rice.

This version has a more traditional smoky flavour as it is made with whole dry chipotles.

If you want it to taste closer to the adobo version, add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika to the sauce while blending. The vinegar adds the characteristic tang that canned chipotles in adobo provide.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Prepare the dried chipotles
    • Remove the stems (and some seeds if you want less heat).
    • Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant. Do not burn them.
    • Cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes until softened.
  2. Make the sauce
    • Blend together:
      • Soaked chipotles (drained)
      • Tomatoes
      • Garlic
      • Chicken broth
      • Oregano
      • Cumin
      • Optional brown sugar
    • Blend until completely smooth.
  3. Cook the onion
    • Heat the oil in a large skillet.
    • Fry the sliced onion over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until soft and lightly golden.
  4. Cook the sauce
    • Pour the blended sauce into the skillet.
    • Add the bay leaf and Taco Seasoning
    • Simmer for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Add the chicken
    • Stir in the shredded chicken.
    • Simmer for another 10 minutes so the chicken absorbs the sauce.
    • Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Buen Provecho!