Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Mexican Chicken Tinga Recipe
Mexican Chicken Tinga, or tinga de pollo, creates shredded chicken dishes with tender sliced onions cooked in spicy preparations for authentic Mexican flavor experiences. This traditional recipe showcases proper tinga preparation through slow cooking techniques that develop complex flavors and perfect textures. The authentic preparation honors genuine Mexican cooking traditions.
Mexican chicken tinga, or tinga de pollo, is a shredded chicken dish with tender sliced onions cooked in a spicy tomato and chipotle chili sauce. Delicious served on crunchy tostada shells topped with sour cream. This recipe is easy to make and great for feeding a crowd!
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
35 mins
Servings:
8
Jump to recipe
Chicken tinga, or tinga de pollo, is shredded chicken in a spicy and smoky tomato sauce. It’s a Mexican favorite and easy to make if you need to feed a crowd!
What Is Tinga?
Tinga is a Mexican dish made of shredded chicken cooked in a flavorful tomato-adobo sauce. It’s often served on tostadas.
How to Make Tinga
You’ll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let’s go over the basics:
Tinga Ingredients
These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade chicken tinga recipe:
- Onion and oil : This chicken tinga recipe starts with a large diced onion cooked in olive oil.
- Canned goods : You’ll need a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
- Chicken : Cook and shred your own chicken or use leftover rotisserie chicken for this tinga recipe.
- Tostada shells : Serve the flavorful chicken tinga over tostada shells.
- Sour cream : Finish each serving with a dollop of sour cream.
How to Make Chicken Tinga
Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make chicken tinga:
- Cook the onion.
- Purée the tomatoes and chipotle peppers in a blender.
- Add the purée to the onions on the stove, stir in the chicken, and simmer.
- Dollop the chicken mixture onto tostadas and top with sour cream.
What to Serve With Tinga
Need some serving inspiration? You’ll discover delicious ideas when you explore our entire collection of Mexican Side Dishes . Here are a few of the top-rated recipes you’ll find:
- Mexican Rice
- Quick and Easy Refried Beans
- Mexican Corn on the Cob (Elote)
How to Store Tinga
Store the chicken tinga in an airtight container in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“Amazing,” raves NenaSkyye . “I add more cans of chipotle in adobo sauce and it comes out great. I also season my onions while they sauté with Adobo red cap seasoning.”
“I love it,” says Robert Walsh . “A little bit on the spicy side, but I like it that way. Kids love it. Quick dish to make with only a few ingredients. I used leftover rotisserie chicken in mine.”
“This is wonderful with just the right amount of heat,” according to Kimberly K. “I use this tinga for making lettuce wraps. I top the lettuce with the tinga, bean sprouts, shredded carrots and chia seeds.”
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or to taste
2 pounds shredded cooked chicken meat
16 tostada shells
½ cup sour cream
Directions
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, blend tomatoes and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a blender.
Pour pureed mixture over onions in the saucepan; add chicken and stir to combine. Cover and simmer until hot and heated through, about 20 minutes.
Mound shredded chicken mixture onto tostada shells and garnish with sour cream.
From the Editor
Please note differences in ingredient amounts when following the magazine version of this recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 402 | Calories |
| 20g | Fat |
| 21g | Carbs |
| 34g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 8 | |
| Calories 402 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 20g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat 6g | 29% |
| Cholesterol 91mg | 30% |
| Sodium 396mg | 17% |
| Total Carbohydrate 21g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 8% |
| Total Sugars 3g | |
| Protein 34g | 67% |
| Vitamin C 6mg | 6% |
| Calcium 67mg | 5% |
| Iron 2mg | 10% |
| Potassium 359mg | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
