Chicken tinga is a classic Mexican dish made with shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy tomato–chipotle sauce with tender onions. It’s bold, comforting, and incredibly versatile—perfect for feeding a crowd and especially delicious piled onto crunchy tostadas with a cool dollop of sour cream.

Total time: ~35 minutes
Servings: 8

What Is Chicken Tinga?

Tinga de pollo is a traditional Mexican preparation where cooked, shredded chicken is gently simmered in a tomato sauce flavored with chipotle peppers in adobo, giving it that signature smoky heat. It’s most often served on tostadas, but it’s also fantastic in tacos, burritos, or rice bowls.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 (15-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (7-ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (use to taste)
• 2 pounds cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie works great)
• 16 tostada shells
• ½ cup sour cream (for serving)

How to Make Chicken Tinga

1. Sauté the onion
   Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Blend the sauce
   In a blender, purée the stewed tomatoes with the chipotle peppers in adobo until smooth.
3. Simmer
   Pour the sauce into the pan with the onions. Stir in the shredded chicken, cover, and simmer until heated through and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
4. Serve
   Spoon the chicken tinga onto tostada shells and finish with sour cream.

Tips & Easy Variations

• Control the heat: Start with half the can of chipotles and add more to taste.
• Extra flavor: Season onions with a pinch of salt or adobo seasoning while sautéing.
• Make it ahead: Tinga tastes even better the next day—great for meal prep.
• Other ways to serve:
  • In tacos or quesadillas
  • Over rice or cauliflower rice
  • As a filling for enchiladas or burritos

Storage

Store leftover chicken tinga in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the oven.