Mexican · 2026-10-10

Chicken Tinga

Yield

6 servings (12 small tacos)

Active

30 min

Total

35 min

Region

Mexican

chicken
family-dinner
make-ahead
tacos

Chicken tinga comes from Puebla, Mexico; shredded meat, tomatoes, sliced onion, and chipotle are its defining ingredients. It is often spooned onto tostadas or used as a taco filling. This adaptation keeps Mely Martínez's fresh-tomato and parsley version, with taco garnishes suggested by Isabel Eats. Set the toppings on the table so everyone can finish their own tacos. [Mexico in My Kitchen](https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/chicken-tinga-recipe/)

Ingredients

Main Components

30 ml (2 tablespoons) canola oil
1 medium white onion (about 150 g / 5 oz), thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
540 g (about 3 cups) ripe tomatoes, diced, with their juices
8 g (2 tablespoons) chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped with the sauce clinging to them; use 1 pepper for milder heat
420 g (about 3 cups) cooked, shredded, skinless chicken breast, unseasoned; refrigerated leftovers must be within their safe storage window
½ teaspoon fine salt, or less to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
30 ml (2 tablespoons) water, only if the tomatoes are dry

For the Sauce/Garnish

12 small tortillas made from pure corn masa
60 g (about ½ cup) crumbled cotija cheese made with pasteurized milk, optional
1 medium avocado, diced
¼ medium white onion, finely diced
8 g (about ¼ cup) chopped cilantro

Substitutions:

Flat-leaf parsley → cilantro for a different herbal flavor; parsley is used in the main source.
Cotija → pasteurized queso fresco, in the same quantity, for a softer cheese.

Equipment

Large skillet with lid
Cutting board, knife, measuring cups and spoons
Spoon or spatula
Instant-read food thermometer
Dry skillet for warming tortillas

Instructions

Preparation (Active time: 10 min)

Prepare the ingredients: Slice and chop as listed. Keep the chicken refrigerated until needed. Measure the tomatoes with their juices and set the garnishes aside.

Choose the heat level: Start with 1 chipotle for a milder family batch; reserve the second to add after tasting. Even 1 pepper brings some heat.

Cooking (Active time: 17 min)

Soften the onion: Heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the sliced onion for 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Cook the tomatoes: Add tomatoes and parsley. Reduce to medium-low and cook for 6–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until juicy and softened. Add the water only if the pan looks dry.

Simmer the chicken: Stir in chicken and chipotle. Simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring to coat the shreds. If needed, cover briefly to heat evenly. Check several places with a thermometer: the chicken mixture must reach 165°F (74°C). Cook longer if necessary. Season with the salt and pepper; taste before adding the reserved pepper.

Assembly & Finishing

Warm the tortillas: During the final simmer, warm them in a separate dry skillet over medium heat, about 20–30 seconds per side, until pliable. Wrap in a clean towel.

Garnish and serve: Divide the chicken among the 12 tortillas. Add avocado, diced onion, cilantro, and optional cotija. Serve 2 tacos per person.

Food Safety & Storage

Minimum safe internal temperature: This recipe starts with fully cooked chicken; heat the finished mixture to 165°F (74°C). If preparing chicken from raw beforehand, cook it to 165°F (74°C) and use separate utensils and boards for raw poultry and garnishes. That preliminary cooking is outside the stated recipe time.
Storage: Refrigerate in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C), at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days of the chicken's original cooking date; making tinga does not restart that clock. Store tortillas and garnishes separately.
Freezing: Freeze the chicken mixture without garnishes for up to 1 month for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Heat in a covered skillet with a little water, stirring, until 165°F (74°C) throughout.
Allergens: Optional cotija or queso fresco contains dairy. Use plain chicken, corn tortillas, and chipotles whose labels contain no additional Big-9 allergens; seasoned packaged chicken and tortillas can contain unexpected ingredients. Check all packaged products for the needs of your diners.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the tacos as written, with toppings passed separately.
For another familiar serving style, spoon the chicken onto plain corn tostadas; keep the same garnishes.
A cabbage salad makes a crisp side. Sides are outside the nutrition estimate.

Scaling Notes

Half recipe (½×): Use a smaller skillet and 6 tortillas. Keep the same doneness target; tomatoes may reduce faster.

Double recipe (2×): Use 2 skillets so the tomatoes cook evenly. Divide all ingredients equally, and check the temperature in both pans. Allow extra chopping time.

Chef's Notes

Sourcing: Chipotles in adobo are smoked jalapeños packed in sauce, usually sold in small cans beside Mexican pantry staples.
Make-ahead: Chop vegetables a day ahead and refrigerate separately. Freeze unused chipotles in small portions.
Variations: The main source uses chunky tomatoes and parsley; other listed versions blend the sauce or roast tomatoes first. This recipe retains the chunky texture.
Common pitfalls: Keep garlic from browning hard. If the finished filling is watery, simmer uncovered briefly; if dry, add water a tablespoon at a time.
Adaptation: Main filling quantities and cooking intervals follow Mely Martínez. Salt, pepper, and serving amounts are specified here; safety temperatures and storage limits are added. The milder option reduces chipotle, without replacing it.
Review status: @Codex performed a source, safety, quantity, and allergen review; this recipe has not been kitchen-tested. @Coordinator is the required metadata designation, not a claim of an independent tasting.

Nutrition Information (Optional)

Per serving: approximately 360 kcal, including 2 corn tortillas, avocado, and 10 g cotija. - Protein: 27 g | Fat: 14 g | Carbohydrates: 28 g | Fiber: 6 g - Sodium: approximately 500 mg | Saturated fat: approximately 3 g | Added sugar: approximately 0–1 g - Estimates use plain cooked breast and small corn tortillas; brands and tortilla size change the totals. Sodium is elevated for a serving. Estimated batch sodium: salt 1,150 mg + cotija 720 mg + chicken 310 mg + chipotles 500 mg + tortillas and produce 320 mg = 3,000 mg, divided by 6. Use less added salt or omit cheese to reduce it. Saturated fat is approximately 18 g per batch, mostly from chicken, oil, avocado, and cheese, divided by 6. Any added sugar comes from the adobo label.

Sources

Researched on 2026-10-10. Selected as an established home-cooking dish rather than a novelty trend.

Mely Martínez, Mexico in My Kitchen: Chicken Tinga — primary filling adaptation; 4.94/5 from 61 votes when researched; Puebla context and serving traditions.
Isabel Orozco-Moore, Isabel Eats: Chicken Tinga — supporting reference and taco garnish ideas; 5/5 from 13 votes when researched.
Holly Erickson, The Modern Proper: Chicken Tinga — supporting home-cooking reference; 5/5 from 7 readers when researched.
FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures — poultry and reheating temperatures.
USDA FSIS: Leftovers and Food Safety — cooling, refrigeration, and reheating guidance.
Wikimedia Commons: Tinga.jpg — hero image description, author, and license.
Original hero JPEG.

Version History:

v1 (2026-10-10): Initial source-based adaptation and review by @Codex.

Credits:

Recipe development: Adapted by @Codex from Mely Martínez, with serving ideas from Isabel Orozco-Moore; supporting comparison with Holly Erickson.
Testing: @Codex (document review only; no kitchen test).
Verification: @Coordinator (required workflow metadata).
Photography: El Mono Español, Tinga.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0. Downloaded original unchanged; HTML renderer resizes/recompresses the embedded copy. The image and its resized derivative remain under CC BY-SA 4.0. Representative photograph, not a photograph of this recipe being tested.

Recipe Location: /My-Library/Cooking/Recipes/Recipe-of-the-Week/Recipes/2026-10-10_chicken-tinga.md
Images Location: /My-Library/Cooking/Recipes/Recipe-of-the-Week/Images/chicken-tinga/