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chicken tinga tacos with onion and cilantro on a plate

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Tinga Tacos

Julia | The Yummy Bowl
This chicken tinga recipe is a traditional Mexican dish made with shredded chicken in spicy tinga sauce that can be served in corn tortillas (or flour tortillas) or burrito bowls with fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese, creamy avocado, sour cream, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
4 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Servings 8 tacos
Calories 230 kcal

INGREDIENTS
  

  • 3 medium-large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  • 1 large brown onion, diced fine
  • 1 x 15 oz canned tomato puree, or good quality Passata + 2-3 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, whole or chopped + 2 tablespoon adobo sauce/liquid
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2-3 teaspoons teaspoons of garlic, freshly minced
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried herbs, see notes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

For Serving:

  • Soft or hard Taco shells, GF or corn tortillas if needed
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Chopped Brown or red onion
  • Salsa

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • Spray a 4-quart slow cooker/crock pot (you can use a larger too) with cooking oil and place all the ingredients. I used 3 medium to large chicken breast halves for this recipe.
  • Cook 2-3 hours on HIGH or LOW for 4-5 hours.
  • Remove the chicken and shred it in a medium bowl. Return shredded chicken filling into the cooker. Warm up tortillas and stuff with shredded chicken tinga, salsa and toppings. Enjoy!

NOTES

  • Nutrition is calculated without the serving options (tortillas, toppings and etc.)
  • I’ve used a 4-quart slow cooker for this recipe, but you can use a larger slow cooker too.
  • If you aren’t sure whether the chicken is cooked through, insert a food thermometer into the thickest section of the meat. It should read 165F for the chicken to be safe to eat.
  • To Store. Let the chicken cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. The sauce will thicken and you may need to add some water or broth to return the initial consistency.
  • Dried herbs - a combination of thyme, oregano, and cilantro works great here but for a quick fix, I like to use a prepackaged Italian herb mix.

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NUTRITION

Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 10gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 132mgPotassium: 2107mgFiber: 11gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 2242IUVitamin C: 56mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 11mg
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