Chicken Tinga
Chicken Tinga originates from the state of Puebla, where the Mexican army defeated the French armada in 1862 of the 5th of May, now celebrated as Cinco de Mayo. Tinga can be made out of chicken, pork, or beef, and will always contain tomatoes, onions, and chipotle peppers in adobo. This particular recipe is the most popular way to make chicken tinga in Mexico, but the real authentic version contains chorizo mixed in with the main protein.Chicken Tinga is great served on it's own as a main dish with rice and beans, but is also great as taco, burrito, and empanada filling as well as a topping for sopes and tostadas.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thighs skinned, boned, and diced
- 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 medium tomatoes diced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add the cooking oil. Sauté onion for 5 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the diced chicken, thyme, and oregano. Cook for 8 minutes until chicken is browned.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.
- Add in the chicken stock and bay leaves. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add in the can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes on medium heat.
- After the 30 minutes is up, uncover and cook for another 15 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Make sure to break up the chipotle peppers in the chicken tinga.
- Chicken Tinga is great served as a main dish with beans and tortillas. It can be used as taco or burrito meat, sopes, empanada filling, or on top of tostadas like you see in the pic.
