This is a meal prep favorite. If you’re having a big group of guests over it’s a great dish to serve. Just double the recipe. I serve it with Mexican red rice, cabbage slaw, limes, guacamole and cotija cheese. for tortillas I love using Tortillaland tortillas.
It keeps amazing in the fridge for a couple days so it’s a great dish to make on the weekend or a day you have some more time to spare.
Chicken Tinga
Serves 6
Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 chicken, cut in half or quarters ( I use a mix of 2 bone-in chicken breasts and 4 thighs)
Tinga Sauce-
- 3 tomatoes
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup water
- 1-2Tbsp. chipotle or smoked pepper paste (optional)(usually found in can, Ethnic aisle)
- 1 T oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 T oil
Directions:
1. Boiling chicken: In a large pot, boil the chicken with 2 garlic cloves and 1/2 onion, roughly chopped. Boil for 30-45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink at the bone. You will see the meat starting to fall off the bone for the legs. Set aside when done, save some strained liquid, about 1 cup (for sauce). Shred the chicken and discard bones when cool enough to handle. (This is easiest done in a 13×9 pan with two forks even when hot)
3. Tinga sauce: Make the sauce in a blender. Blend all sauce ingredients except oil. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of reserved chicken broth if you need to thin the sauce. Then, in a large pot or frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and stand in back, pour blender contents into the pot. Then, lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
4. Cook chicken in tinga: Place chicken into pan with sauce and simmer for 20 minutes or more (no crime cooking longer here, chicken will stay moist).
5. Serving: Start with a base of rice or quinoa, then, spoon on some shredded chicken tinga. Add your veggies, corn, chopped avocado, lime cilantro and cheese if you like.
This recipe is a GREAT batch recipe, meaning you can make a big batch on Sunday and the chicken heats up so well the following days. Serve it on salad or in tacos for variation.
