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Authentic Mexican Chicken Tinga

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Authentic Chicken Tinga is a classic Mexican dish made with shredded chicken, onions and tomatoes in an adobe-tomato sauce.

This quick Tinga version is flavorful and versatile that I like to serve on tostadas, as tortas & tacos, and you can also use as empanadas filling or as a main dish along with some rice & beans. Yum!

3 tostadas on a white plate garnished with lettuce and cheese

Have you had Chicken Tinga before?

If not, we MUST change this asap! This must be one of the my favorite flavorful dishes to make since it’s the perfect weeknight dish as it comes together in about 30 minutes!! Using rotisserie chicken saves a lot of time!

I used to add chorizo and boiled potatoes, as it is a common addition to tinga in Mexico, but I decided to keep this version light with less fat and calories…….It’s good to reserve some of those calories for delicious toppings like avocado or crema right?

Two tostadas on a white plate with blue napkin on the side. A glass of water and crema on the side

Make it with these simple ingredients

  • Onion and roma tomatoes
  • Chile chipotles *
  • 2 rotisserie chicken breast – use the big rotisserie chicken like the ones you buy at Costco.
  • Low sodium chicken stock
  • Salt, pepper and olive oil.

*The chipotle pepper is one of the key ingredients for this recipe and would not recommend trying to find an substitute. Any brand that you can find at your grocery store will work. You can even find them at Amazon.

Ingredients photo: shredded chicken, chopped tomatoes & chipotle pepper, sliced onions, a cup with chicken stock and one with olive oil.

Suggested toppings

a medium size pot filled with chicken tinga. Tostadas on the side along with lettuce, radishes and an avocado

Serve on

  • Corn tortillas for tacos
  • Bolillo bread for tortas
  • Along with rice and bean
  • Fill your quesadillas with this mixture
  • Use for empanada filling
  • Use for tamales filling
Close up photo of one tostada topped with chicken tinga, lettuce, and radishes

How to make Chicken Tinga

Step 1 – Over medium-high heat, cook the onions for about a minute until they start to soften up. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute.

Step 2 – Add the shredded chicken, chicken stock, chile chipotle, salt & pepper.

Process shots: one small pot with onions and tomatoes. Photo #2 of same pot with onions, tomatoes, chipotle peppers

Step 3 – Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. All the flavors will come together at this time!

Process shots: one small pot with cooked chicken, onions and tomatoes.

This is one of those dishes that I like to make a little extra to save some for lunch the next day. It usually tastes better as the spices get more time to marinate the chicken. Just like Chili does!

Speaking of Chili, have you made my White Chicken Chili? If you like the sound of this recipe you would love my white chicken chili!

If you make this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! I would LOVE to hear what you think of it.

Xo,

Ana

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Authentic Chicken Tinga

★★★★★ 5 from 10 reviews
  • Author: Ana Frias
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: Serves 2 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stove top
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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Description

Chicken Tinga is a classic Mexican dish made with shredded chicken and onions in an adobe-tomato sauce.

It can be served on tostadas, tacos, tortas, empanadas or as a main dish along with some rice & beans.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil 
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 2 rotisserie chicken breast (8 oz), cooked & shredded
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 chile chipotle, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Tostadas, bolillo bread or corn tortillas for serving

Suggested toppings

  • Avocado
  • Radishes
  • Mexican crema
  • Crumbled queso fresco
  • shredded lettuce

Instructions

  1. In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onions and cook until soft. About 2 minutes.
  3. Add the shredded chicken, broth, tomatoes, chile chipotle, salt & pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. If needed, add more salt & pepper according to taste.
  5. Serving suggestions: Use it for burritos, tortas, tostadas, or corn tortillas for tacos.
  6. Top with avocado, radishes, lettuce, Mexican crema, cilantro lime ranch crema, queso fresco, hot sauce.

Notes

This recipe is great for leftovers for when you need a quick meal or lunch the next day. Just double the recipe!  

The noted calories are just for the chicken only. Toppings have not been calculated as that can vary according to taste. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2 portion
  • Calories: 240
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 682 mg
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 4 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 30 g
  • Cholesterol: 80 mg

Keywords: rotisserie, Mexican food, chipotle sauce, quick and easy, adobo sauce, easy recipes

This recipe was originally published in January 2016 and was updated in May 2019 to include newer photos and more instructions. 

Two tostadas with shredded chicken and lettuce on top.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane says

    06/07/2019 at 6:08 am

    As always, another fantastic Ana recipe!!!

    Everything comes together perfectly.

    Delicious and healthy. You need your own TV show!!!

    Reply

  3. Tisha says

    06/03/2019 at 11:30 am

    I think I’ll be making these instead of tacos next time! They look incredible!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  7. Caroline says

    06/03/2019 at 9:44 am

    Like the tip to make it quicker using rotisserie chicken, and the flavors look so tasty. Those tacos look like one yummy meal!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  11. Monica L says

    05/30/2019 at 5:19 pm

    I tried your recipe before with the potatoes and it was so good! Need to try it now. Yum!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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