Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

This post was last updated on May 3, 2020 by India

Chicken Tinga is an authentic Mexican stewed chicken that is subtly sweet, smokey, and spicy. This recipe requires minimal prep and can be made in a. slow cooker or Instant Pot! Serve it folded into tortillas for tacos, piled onto crispy tortillas for tostadas, on top of a salad, or stuffed into sweet potatoes for easy, quick meals any day of the week!

About Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

This recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga has been one of my obsessions lately because it has the best flavor and falls apart so easily when cooked low and slow all day. I especially love this recipe on busy days because prep takes less than 10 minutes to measure, chop, and blend and throw everything into a slow cooker or Instant Pot to cook while you’re away at work or doing something else. When you come home from work, you’ll be welcomed with the most amazing aroma!

What is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken Tinga is a tomato and spicy pepper based Mexican sauce with shredded chicken. Traditionally, Chicken Tinga is made by roasting tomatoes, tomatillos, and onions and creating a sauce to toss with cooked chicken. I’m taking some short cuts in my recipe that aren’t necessarily authentic but don’t sacrifice flavor. I use tomato puree, fresh onion, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, white wine vinegar to provide some tang, spices, and cornstarch to help thicken the sauce so it clings to the chicken.

Ingredients in Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Chicken Tinga

Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

• Chicken. When cooked in the instant pot or slow cooker, the chicken should be so tender and literally just fall apart. I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs!
• Tomato Puree. The base of the sauce is tomato puree. Feel free to use a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes if you can’t find tomato puree.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. For heat and smoky flavor! Use 1 chipotle pepper to make it mild, 2 to make it spicy, and 3 to make it mouth burning hot! We will also use some of the sauce from the jar as well.  Reserve the leftover peppers for another recipe!
• Onion. A traditional ingredient in Chicken Tinga.
• Garlic. For flavor.
• Spices. Cumin and smoked paprika give it some smoky flavor while the dried oregano makes it a little earthy.
• Olive Oil. I love using Olive Oil in sauces to provide a little extra flavor and ensure the chicken isn’t dry.
• White Wine Vinegar. To cut through the smoky flavors and add some acidity.
• Cornstarch. To help the sauce cling to the chicken. Don’t skip this as it makes a huge difference!
• Toppings. My favorite toppings are fresh chopped cilantro, pickled red onions, fresh avocado, and goat or cojita cheese, and maybe a squeeze of lime juice. Feel free to use your imagination!

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

This recipe is so easy! All you need is a slow cooker and blender. No blender? You can make the sauce in a food processor as well! Here’s how you make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga:

1. Make the sauce. Simply roughly chop the onion and throw all of the ingredients except for the chicken and bay leaves and blend until smooth!
2. Cook until tender. Transfer the sauce to a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Add the chicken and bay leaves and cook until tender and the chicken is cooked through. In general, in a slow cooker this will be 6 – 8 hours on low or 6 – 8 hours on high. In an Instant Pot it should be 10 minutes on high pressure.
3. Shred. Remove the chicken to a large bowl and shred with two forks. It should just fall apart! Once shredded, add it back to the sauce and toss to coat the chicken.
4. Serve and enjoy! Serve with your favorite toppings. My favorite toppings are avocado, squeeze of fresh lime, and some crumbly cheese like goat cheese, feta, or Cotija for a more traditional option. This recipe is so versatile and you’ll love to eat this so many different ways. See below for some ways to serve Chicken Tinga!

How to Use Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

There are endless ways to use Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga. It’s slightly sweet, so it substitutes well for barbecue chicken in some recipes! Here are some of my favorite ways:

• Tacos
• Tostadas
• Salads
• Burritos
• Nachos
• Stuffed into sweet potatoes (great option for meal prep)
• Pizza (instead of BBQ chicken!)
• Grain bowls
• Burrito bowls with regular rice or cauliflower rice

Print

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Chicken Tinga is an authentic Mexican stewed chicken that is subtly sweet, smokey, and spicy. This recipe requires minimal prep and can be made in a slow cooker or instant pot! Serve it folded into tortillas for tacos, piled onto crispy tortillas for tostadas, on top of a salad, or stuffed into sweet potatoes for easy, quick meals any day of the week!

Serves 6 - 8.

Course Chicken, dinner, Main Course, Main Dish, Mains

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Chicken Tinga, instant pot, quick, slow cooker

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 hours

Servings 8 servings

Calories 217 kcal

Author India

Ingredients

• 1 10.75 ounce can tomato puree
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce Reserve the leftover chipotle peppers for another use
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce From the chipotle peppers
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 white onion roughly chopped
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

Slow Cooker

1. Add all ingredients except chicken and bay leaves to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add sauce to slow cooker with chicken and bay leaves. Stir to coat chicken.
2. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8.

3. Remove chicken to a large bowl and shred with two forks. Once shredded, return to sauce and toss to coat chicken. Serve with your favorite ingredients. See the instructions above for some suggestions!

Instant Pot

1. Add all ingredients except chicken and bay leaves to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add sauce to Instant Pot with chicken and bay leaves. Stir to coat chicken.

2. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Quick release pressure when Instant Pot is done cooking.

3. Remove chicken to a large bowl and shred with two forks. Once shredded, return to sauce and toss to coat chicken. Serve with your favorite ingredients. See the instructions above for some suggestions!

Recipe Notes

• Recipe inspired by Pinch of Yum.

 

STORE IT IN THE FRIDGE

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

 

STORE IT IN THE FREEZER

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

 

MAKE IT WHOLE30

Omit the corn starch and use compliant chipotle paste instead of canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce or adobo sauce. 

 

MAKE IT Gluten Free

Recipe is gluten free as written. 

DID YOU MAKE THis Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga?

If you’ve tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please rate this recipe and let me know how you liked it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also like me on facebook and follow me on Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious meals I’m cooking! You can also mention @indiafromindianaor tag #indiafromindiana on Instagram so I can see what you’re making in the kitchen

HELPFUL RECIPE INFORMATION

All recipes are tested and developed in my home kitchen. Unless otherwise stated, I always use extra virgin olive oil and this Himalayan pink salt in my recipes