Chicken Tinga Tacos

When weeknights call for high flavor and low effort, Instant Pot Chicken Tinga is the move. In Chef Megan Mitchell‘s version, chicken thighs pressure-cook with tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, and smoky chipotle until shreddably tender—then the saucy tinga gets piled into taco shells or jicama “tortillas” with fresh toppings. It’s mostly hands-off, clocks in under an hour, and delivers the kind of depth you usually expect from a long stovetop braise—thanks, Instant Pot.

This recipe leans on whole, pantry-friendly ingredients and straightforward technique: sauté aromatics, pressure-cook with tomatoes and chipotle, shred, and serve. The Instant Pot’s sealed environment concentrates that tomato-chipotle savor and keeps the chicken juicy. The end result is a taco filling that’s smoky, bright, and weeknight-practical—ideal for family dinners or casual entertaining.

What Is Chicken Tinga (and where it comes from)?

Chicken tinga (tinga de pollo) is a classic Mexican guisado (stewed dish) believed to originate in Puebla. At its heart, tinga is shredded meat simmered in a tomato-chipotle-onion sauce—savory, smoky, a little spicy, and deeply aromatic from slow (or pressure) cooking. It’s most commonly served on tostadas (often with a swipe of refried beans), but it’s equally at home in tacos, bowls, or quesadillas. The name “tinga” broadly refers to a rustic stew; modern versions most often feature chicken, though pork or beef variations exist. Key flavor markers are ripe tomatoes, chipotle chiles in adobo, onion, garlic, and oregano, which together create that signature brick-red, smoky sauce.

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Chicken Tinga Tacos

Recipe Details

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Chicken Tinga Taco Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup chicken bone broth
• 2 canned chipotles in adobo, minced
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 lime, juiced

For serving:

• Butter lettuce leaves
• Jicama rounds, thinly sliced on a mandoline
• Avocado, diced
• Radishes, thinly sliced into matchsticks
• Cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges

How to Make Chicken Tinga Tacos

1. Hit the sauté button on your pressure cooker and choose the medium heat setting. Drizzle in grapeseed oil and sauté onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Hit cancel, then add chicken thighs, crushed tomatoes, bone broth, chipotles, chipotle sauce, salt, oregano, and pepper; stir until evenly coated.
3. Place the lid on and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes; hit quick release.
4. Remove the lid, hit sauté and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and a thick sauce remains.
5. Use two forks to shred chicken in the pot. Squeeze with lime and taste for seasonings.
6. Serve with lettuce cups and other accoutrements.

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Chicken Tinga Tacos Nutrition Facts

*Estimated per serving (recipe yields 6 servings). Based strictly on Thrive Market’s ingredient amounts.

Serving Size	1 serving (1/6 of chicken)
Calories	≈ 415 kcal
Protein	≈ 50 g
Carbs	≈ 3 g
Sugar	≈ 2 g
Fiber	≈ 1 g
Fat	≈ 23 g

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Chicken Tinga Tacos Variations & Tips

• Heat control: Use fewer chipotles (or scrape out seeds) for a milder batch; add a chopped chile or extra adobo for more smoke and heat.
• Finish on sauté: After shredding, simmer the tinga on Sauté to thicken the sauce for saucier tacos that won’t drip.
• Citrus lift: A squeeze of lime right before serving brightens and balances the smoky tomato base.
• Make-ahead friendly: Tinga improves overnight; rewarm gently and refresh with a splash of broth if needed.
• Alternate proteins: Try turkey thighs or pork shoulder with the same tinga base; adjust pressure-cook time as needed.
• Serving ideas: Beyond tacos, spoon tinga over rice or cauliflower rice, layer onto tostadas with beans, or tuck into lettuce cups.

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Best Chicken Tinga Taco Pairings

• Quick pickled red onions: The acidity cuts the smoky richness of tinga.
• Avocado or guacamole: Creaminess cools the heat and rounds each bite.
• Charred corn or elote-style salad: Sweet, toasty corn echoes the grill-y notes of chipotle.
• Black beans or pinto beans: Classic, hearty sides that fit right into a tinga spread.
• Cilantro-lime slaw: Crunch and brightness for taco night balance.

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When to Make Chicken Tinga Tacos

• Taco Tuesday (or any weeknight): A fast Instant Pot main that tastes like it simmered all day.
• Game-day spreads: Keep tinga warm in the pot and set out a toppings bar.
• Meal prep: Batch-cook, portion, and freeze—tinga reheats beautifully.
• Family dinners: Customizable heat level and toppings make it crowd-friendly.
• Casual entertaining: Build-your-own taco buffet with tostadas, tortillas, and jicama rounds.

Recipe by: Megan Mitchell