Last month, The Bitten Word posted about these tacos, and to be completely honest, it was the first time I’d ever heard of chicken tinga. The photos drew me in, enticing me to continue reading, and I’m so glad I did. We love Mexican food, especially tacos, and this version – braised, shredded chicken in a tomato and chipotle pepper sauce – sounded very promising. I love braised meats, so tender they fall off the bone, and though I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy food, I was hopeful this would be more smoky, and wouldn’t have me running for a giant glass of water upon taking the first bite.
I put these on the menu for a lazy Saturday because although the ingredient list is quite short, there is a bit of prep time involved. Most of it is hands-off, but still, not ideal for a weeknight. That said, the tinga can be made up to 3 days ahead, so if you do so on the weekend, this becomes a great weeknight option. I actually enjoyed the flavor of the tinga even more on the 2nd day, so I highly recommend going the make-ahead route. Also, the recipe makes a ton so unless you’re feeding a lot of people, you’ll have enough leftovers for several days. I think I ate these for dinner two nights in a row plus lunch a few days before I grew sick of them π As I’d hoped, the tinga was definitely more smoky than spicy, but if you wanted extra heat you could add another chipotle or two. Shane enjoyed this meal too, though it was probably less fun for him since he doesn’t like any of the traditional taco garnishes.
A couple notes: The recipe calls for Cotija cheese, which I was unable to find anywhere. I did some Googling and Parmesan was recommended as a substitute several places so that’s what we wound up using. Also, skinless, bone-in chicken thighs are specified, but I bought skin-on, bone-in and simply removed the skin myself.
Chicken Tinga Tacos
from Food and Wine (via The Bitten Word)
{Note: You can make the tinga up to 3 days ahead. Refrigerate until ready to use then reheat gently.}
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 pounds trimmed, skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
One 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 canned chipotles in adobo, coarsely chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
24 corn tortillas
2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
Sliced scallions and chopped cilantro (or parsley), for garnish
Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and brown on both sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside. Pour off the fat in the skillet.
Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes (along with their juices), the chipotles and the chicken broth. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced a bit, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Let the sauce cool slightly, then transfer to your food processor and pulse until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Bake (uncovered) until the meat is tender and the sauce is very thick, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, either wrap the tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven for about 10 minutes, or warm them over the burner of a gas stove then stack them in a kitchen towel (I did the latter, hence the char on the tortillas).
Once cooked, take the chicken off the bones and shred, then return to the sauce. Place about 3 tablespoons of chicken on each tortilla, then sprinkle with the cheese and garnish with scallions and cilantro.
Makes about 24 tacos
These look awesome Tracey and like they could easily become a go-to dinner option in my household.
you know, I had these on my menu to make last month and I never got around to it. Now, I definitely must try this because I’ve seen it elsewhere too! Looks delicious!
This recipe would be a big hit in our house. Especially since I’ve started cooking most meals on the weekend and having a leftover fest all week long. Cojita cheese is easy to find in the area I live in, but I find feta to be similar. Feta is a little most saltly, so sometimes I substitute the other way around when recipe calls for feta. π
You may have just convinced me to make these… I love spicy foods – the spicer, the better!
Oh yes please, you hit a craving on the dot for me.
I think Chicken Tinga may just become my new favorite food!! Your photos are gorgeous and they look amazing!!
this looks fantastic! Must try this recipe ASAP!! YUM!
I think it would be awesome over rice or tostadas too. Looks delicious!
Yum! I love the idea of making the meat on a Saturday or Sunday, then eating tacos on the weeknights. That’s what I usually do, but with slow-cooked pork. I love the idea of Chicken Tinga..I don’t think I’ve every had it before, but the ingredients sound great!
the recipe looks great! ummm, what really caught my eye is the textile with the running stitch underneath. Is there a better pic of that floating around? Thanks so much!
Yum, these sound incredible. Always looking for a new spin on tacos!
m @ random musings – Thanks! It’s actually a napkin I picked up at Target around the holidays. I’ll try to remember to take a picture for you tomorrow and link it here π
I have never heard of this before, but it looks amazing! We love Mexican food. Hubby loves all things smokey, so we will definitely be trying these!
A new taco recipe is always welcome here!! We love ’em. I tried a pork tinga recipe last year from an ATK magazine & it was incredibly delicious. That was my first experience w/ tinga.
That looks really good. With homemade tortillas…I can just imagine how yummy it is!
Chicken Mexican is a favorite at our house, and this sounds like a great twist on the usual. Plus it’s got such a fun name!
Oooh, I’ve never heard of these but I know we’d love them! I’m a spice wimp so it’s good to hear that the smoke comes through more than anything.
Delicious! Love these flavors, and who can ever resist tacos π
Cotija is easy to find if you have a Mexican market anywhere near you. These look great!
I have never heard of chicken tinga before, but it looks tasty. Probably more spicy than Hubby would eat. Cotija cheese is great. I have found it a Mexican market. We have a local Mexican restaurant here that has a delicious shrimp taco with cotija. The cheese absolutely makes the taco. I have been thinking I should try to recreate it at home sometime.
Seriously, I have to go eat now, because I’m famished after catching up on your blog!
Remarkable Post!LOVE IT!This looks delicious and perfect!Please, keep up the excellent work and continue to post topics like this. I am really fan of your blog!
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I’ve made this over 5 times already! Everyone loves them the only thing I couldn’t find was the cheese π but even without it the results were delicious! Thank u for this recipe it is so easy and simple!
Johana