Name: Chicken Tinga Tacos for the Table
Yield: 5

Enjoy Chicken Tinga Tacos with charred tortillas, saucy shredded chicken, guacamole, and pickled onions for a spicy, flavorful bite.

Pair Chicken Tinga Tacos with some fresh corn! home cooks enjoy this straightforward corn salad or elote.

author’s note

Taco Night Just Got a Whole Lot Better!

My family loves these Rotisserie Chicken Tacos—my boys seriously request them at least once a week! It is satisfying to them too, not just for the flavor, but for how quickly they come together with the help of rotisserie chicken.

To mix things up while satisfying my boys’ taco cravings, I decided to experiment with different sauces and seasonings. That’s when Chicken Tinga Tacos were born.

These tacos have become a weeknight favorite over the past few months. I usually make a double batch so I can enjoy leftovers for lunch all week. They’re hearty, and the flavor only gets better as they sit!

Pickling the red onions, sautéing onions and garlic, adding seasoning and tomato paste, and mixing everything together.

Ingredients In Chicken Tinga Tacos

Olive oil: Used for sautéing onions and garlic, providing a base for the sauce.
Sweet onion & garlic: Slice the onion thin so it cooks quicker.
Tomato paste: Cook it for a minute to bring out the flavor.
Seasonings: Taste at the end and add more if needed.
Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes: Regular crushed tomatoes work as well.
Chipotle peppers in adobo: Start with a little and add more to taste.
Rotisserie chicken: Rotisserie makes it super straightforward and quick.
Lime juice: A quick squeeze brings everything together.
Corn tortillas: It is satisfying to to char them so they fold easier and taste better.

Adding roasted crushed tomatoes to the onions, then transferring the onion and tomato mixture to the blender, blending it, and pouring it over the chicken to complete the chicken tinga tacos recipe

How To Make Chicken Tinga Tacos

Pickled Onion: Mix red onion with red wine vinegar, salt, and sugar. keep nearby, stirring occasionally.
Sauce: Sauté sweet onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomato paste, spices, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Simmer with chipotle peppers for 6-8 minutes.
Chicken: Blend sauce until smooth, return to skillet, add shredded chicken, and mix well. Add lime juice if desired.
Guacamole: Mash avocado with salt, pepper, and lime juice.
Char Tortillas: Spray tortillas with cooking spray, char on both sides, then fold.
Assemble: Spread guacamole on Chicken Tinga Tacos, top with chicken, pickled onions, and other toppings like cheese and cilantro.

Quick Tip

When blending hot sauces, don’t overfill the blender. Use a folded kitchen towel instead of the lid to let steam escape and catch splatters.

Variations

Switch Things Up

Chicken Tinga Tostadas: On a tostada shell, layer mashed avocado, tinga chicken, red onions (pickled or raw), crema or sour cream, cotija cheese, and cilantro.
Baked Chicken Tinga Tacos: Use this beef taco recipe as a reference guide. Fill crispy taco shells with chicken tinga and cheddar cheese, bake, then top with red onions, crema, avocado, and cilantro.
Nachos: Layer chicken tinga and Mexican cheese on tortilla chips, adding preferred toppings.
Chicken Tinga Burrito Bowls: Start with cauliflower rice, add chicken tinga, beans (black or pinto), avocado, red onions, crema, and cilantro for a low-carb option.