Weeknight Chicken Tinga Tacos

Chicken tinga is usually a long simmer with poached breasts and a blender sauce. This weeknight version starts with shredded rotisserie chicken and a skillet sauce of fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, and chipotle in adobo that tastes like it cooked all afternoon.

Warm corn tortillas, a crisp topping, and dinner is done in about 30 minutes. Smoky, saucy, and built for a Tuesday.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1½ cups / 180 g)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced, plus 1 Tbsp (15 ml) adobo sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp (5 ml) apple cider vinegar or lime juice
• 3 cups (420 g) shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works)
• 8–12 corn tortillas, warmed
• 2 cups (140 g) shredded cabbage or lettuce
• ¼ cup (60 g) Mexican crema or sour cream
• ¼ cup (30 g) crumbled cotija or feta
• Cilantro and lime wedges

Method

1. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium. Add onion; cook 5–6 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Stir in garlic, chipotle, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, and salt; cook 30 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes and broth. Simmer 5–6 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, until slightly thickened.
3. Stir in vinegar and shredded chicken. Simmer 4–5 minutes until the chicken is hot and coated. Taste; add salt or another spoon of adobo if you want more smoke and heat.
4. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or over a gas flame.
5. Fill tortillas with tinga, cabbage, crema, cotija, and cilantro. Serve with lime.

Cook's note

One chipotle keeps the sauce friendly for mixed heat tolerances; two is for a table that likes real spice. If you do not have fire-roasted tomatoes, regular diced plus a pinch of smoked paprika works.

What to serve with it

Mexican rice, refried beans, or tortilla chips and salsa. Quick pickled red onions take five minutes and make the tacos look finished.

Make-ahead and leftovers

Tinga keeps 4 days refrigerated and freezes well up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of broth. Assemble tacos just before eating so the tortillas stay soft, not soggy.

Troubleshooting

**Too spicy?** More crema on the tacos and an extra splash of broth in the pan. **Too thin?** Simmer uncovered 3–4 minutes. **Dry chicken?** It needed more sauce — add ¼ cup broth and another spoon of tomatoes.