Tinga

Tinga de Pollo (Mexican Shredded Chicken in Chipotle-Tomato Sauce)

A classic Pueblan dish of shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, mildly spicy sauce of tomato, onion, and chipotle in adobo, served on crisp tostadas.

Prep

15 min

Cook

45 min

Total

60 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •600 g (1¼ lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or breasts, though thighs stay more tender
• •1 whole (1 medium) white onion, quartered for boiling, plus ½ diced for the sauce
• •2 whole (2 medium) garlic cloves, smashed, for boiling the chicken
• •1 bay leaf bay leaf
• •3 g (½ tsp) fine salt, plus more to taste
• •400 g (14 oz) ripe roma tomatoes, about 4–5, fresh preferred; canned whole tomatoes acceptable substitute
• •30 g (2 tbsp) chipotle chiles in adobo, from a can, plus 1 tbsp of the adobo sauce; adjust to taste
• •1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• •ground cumin, ½
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral oil, vegetable or canola
• •8 whole tostadas, store-bought or homemade; do not substitute soft tortillas
• •200 g (7 oz) refried black beans, optional, for serving
• •1 whole (1 small) avocado, sliced, for serving
• •50 g (½ cup) queso fresco or cotija, crumbled, for serving
• •30 g (¼ cup) fresh cilantro, chopped, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Place chicken in a saucepan with the quartered onion, smashed garlic, bay leaf, and 1 tsp salt. Cover with cold water by 2 cm (about 1 inch). Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 18–20 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74 °C / 165 °F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the chicken, reserving the broth, and let it cool slightly before shredding with two forks.
2. 2 Meanwhile, make the sauce: place the tomatoes, chipotle chiles plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce, oregano, and cumin in a blender with 60 ml (¼ cup) of the reserved chicken broth. Blend until smooth.
3. 3 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced ½ onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Pour in the blended sauce, season with salt to taste (about ½ tsp), and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce darkens and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
4. 4 Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir well to combine. Simmer together for 5 minutes so the chicken absorbs the flavor; the mixture should be moist but not soupy. Taste and adjust salt.
5. 5 To serve, spread a thin layer of refried beans on each tostada (if using), top with a generous spoonful of the chicken tinga, then garnish with avocado slices, crumbled queso fresco, and cilantro. Serve immediately while the tostadas are still crisp.