Nothing makes my tastebuds tingle quite like this easy chicken tinga! This is such an easy and all purpose recipe... you can use the chicken on top of a tostada (like I did in the pic), in a taco or enchilada, on a salad or burrito bowl, stirred into a soup, or feel free to just eat it out of the pot with a spoon! Minimal ingredients yield maximum flavor in this situation. Chicken Tinga is just another name for succulent shredded chicken braised in tomatoes and chipotles- it’s seriously sabrosa! Making this in the InstantPot saves me loads of time and also guarantees superbly tender pollo. However, this can also be made in the slow cooker or on the stovetop! I’ve included instructions for all options. I don’t find this overtly spicy, but if you’re sensitive to heat, scale back on the chipotles. These smoked jalapeño peppers come in a can packed in their own juice- they are one of my favorite flavor boosters, and I use them frequently! I love their smoky spiciness. If you want more heat, try adding in some of the juice from the can. I like to make a big batch of this recipe and then freeze portions so that I tengo tinga todo el tiempo! Enjoy!
prep time: 10 min. cook time: ~45min. (includes natural release time) serves: 6-8
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp avocado oil
1 white onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 chipotle chiles en adobo sauce, chopped (more or less if you prefer)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1-14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
kosher salt
black pepper
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat your InstantPot or electric pressure cooker to the “sauté” function and coat the bottom of the pot with the avocado oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until it’s beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin and oregano and stir to cook another 2 minutes. Turn the InstantPot off, then add in the chicken, canned tomatoes, 1-1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Stir everything to coat. Lock the lid in place on top and make sure it is in the “sealing” position. Program the InstantPot to cook on manual, high pressure for 10 minutes. At the end of cooking, let the IP natural release for at least 15 minutes more, then release any additional pressure left in the pot by switching the valve on the lid to “venting.” Shred the chicken using two forks directly in the pot (it should be very tender) and check for seasoning. Switch the pot back on sauté and let the sauce bubble 10 minutes or so to thicken if desired. Serve in tacos, enchiladas, on tostadas, and/or salads!
SLOWCOOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all of the ingredients into a slow cooker and stir to coat. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is no longer pink and shreds easily with two forks. Shred the meat and keep warm in the sauce. Serve as desired!
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat the avocado oil over medium heat in a heavy lidded dutch oven or braiser. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté 3-5 mintues. Add the chipotles, garlic, and spices and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the tomatoes and 1-1/2 cups of chicken stock, season with 1-1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper, and stir. Nestle the chicken into the stock and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered 35-45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and easily shreds with 2 forks. Add more stock if it seems to be drying out too much! Remove the chicken to a plate and shred. Return it to the pot and check for seasoning. Simmer the mixture uncovered to thicken 10 minutes more if the sauce is too thin. Serve hot as desired!