Chicken tinga tacos will be your new favorite flavorful, delicious, and easy weeknight dinner! They come together in minutes and are a hit with everyone.
This post is sponsored by Klarbrunn.
Chicken Tinga Tacos
This is one of those meals that tastes like tons of time went into making all that incredible flavor, but it’s actually only a 20 minute dinner. The trick here is to use shredded rotisserie chicken to save time. We’re also getting help from a couple of canned pepper and tomato ingredients to add a ton of flavor quickly and easily.
To make what is probably my favorite weeknight meal all you have to do is saute a few aromatics, blend up the sauce, mix it into the chicken, and add it to some toasted tortillas with your favorite toppings – it seriously couldn’t be easier!
I’ve partnered up with Klarbrunn to bring you this easy dinner recipe. I always squeeze a little lime juice over my tacos, so I thought this meal was the perfect pair for Klarbrunn’s Lime Sparkling Water. It’s got tons of flavor and is so refreshing served ice cold! You can find out where to buy Klarbrunn’s sparkling water here.
What is Tinga?
Chicken tinga is a classic Mexican dish that’s made with shredded chicken and is served with a red sauce. The sauce is cooked and blended, and it’s made of tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, herbs, and spices. Tinga is traditionally served on tostadas with refried beans, but it also tastes incredible in soft tacos.
Tinga Ingredients
For this easy rotisserie chicken tinga recipe you’ll need:
- Rotisserie Chicken (or you can cook your own shredded chicken)
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (this is where all of the incredible slow cooked flavor comes from)
- Ro-Tel (or fire roasted tomatoes)
- Sweet Onion (you could use any onion you like, but I think sweet white onion balances the chipotle flavor the best)
- Fresh Oregano (you can use dried, but remember that dried is much more potent than fresh, so you’ll only need ⅓ the amount)
- Garlic
- Cumin
- Salt
- Olive Oil
- Corn Tortillas (always take the time to toast or heat them because it changes the flavor for the better)
- Cheese or Avocados (This chicken has a bit of heat. I like serving it with some fat to calm down the spice and let the flavor shine through.)
If you like this recipe, you may also love my Ground Turkey Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Lime Slaw. Or, if you’d like a healthier option, check out my Turkey Taco Zucchini Boats or my Bang Bang Shrimp Lettuce Cups.
If you try this recipe, please let me know what you thought in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Chicken Tinga Tacos
Chicken tinga tacos will be your new favorite flavorful, delicious, and easy weeknight dinner! They come together in minutes and are a hit with everyone.
Ingredients
Chicken Tinga:
- ½ Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ large sweet white onion (chopped)
- 2 medium cloves garlic (diced)
- ½ Tablespoon fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (chopped, ½ if you like it less spicy)
- ½ can Original Ro-Tel (5 ounces, including liquid)
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
Tacos:
- 6 corn tortillas (6” tortillas)
- 2 ripe avocados (sliced or mashed)
- Juice of ½ lime
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons red onion (diced)
- Crumbled cheese (optional, for garnish - cojita is best, but feta also works)
- Lime wedges (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Chicken Tinga:
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat.
- Add the onion and cook until just translucent and tender (roughly 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic, stir, and saute until fragrant (roughly 30 seconds). Add the oregano, stir, and saute until fragrant (roughly 30 seconds - 1 minute).
- To the skillet, add the salt and cumin, stir to combine. Allow the seasoning to toast for 30 seconds.
- Add in the chipotle pepper and Ro-Tel. Stir to combine. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the sauce ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend until completely combined and smooth.
- Return the blended sauce to the skillet and stir in the cooked shredded chicken.
- Saute for 1 - 2 minutes, or until the chicken is fully coated and starting to crisp.
Tacos:
- Mash the avocados and mix with lime juice and salt.
- Toast the corn tortillas (on a warm dry skillet or in a toaster is easiest).
- Coat each tortilla with mashed avocado, then add in chicken tinga, and top with a sprinkling of cilantro, red onion, and crumbled cheese.
Notes
This recipe doubles, or even quadruples, beautifully if you’re cooking for more people or want to meal prep for the week.
If you use dried oregano, you’ll only need ½ teaspoon.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/6 (1 taco)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 218Total Fat: 10.5gSaturated Fat: 1.6gTrans Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 17.8gFiber: 5.1gSugar: 1.6gProtein: 15.5g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate. This was calculated assuming no optional ingredients were used.
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This easy chicken tinga taco recipe is the perfect way to elevate a simple weeknight meal to something to look forward to!
