Description
This slow cooker chicken tinga is the easiest way to enjoy this classic Mexican meal! Just set it, forget it, and enjoy it!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 15 oz can tomato sauce or fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
- Tortillas (corn or flour), for serving
- Sliced red onion, fresh chopped cilantro, and cotija cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Season: Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Place them in the slow cooker.
- Sauté: Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the onions to the slow cooker.
- Blend: In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus the extra adobo sauce. Purée until blended into a smooth sauce.
- Cook: Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Shred: Transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Let it simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes on the low or warm setting.
- Serve: Serve the chicken tinga on tortillas, topped with sliced red onion, fresh cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese.
Notes
Adjust the spice level by adding one chipotle pepper for a milder taste or three for a spicier dish. For a convenient tip, combine leftover chipotle and tomato sauce in batches and freeze them in small containers for future tinga preparations. This recipe can also be made in an Instant Pot: Pressure cook for 8 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 503 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1100 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
Keywords: slow cooker chicken tinga, Mexican chicken, shredded chicken, chipotle chicken