Hen Tinga (Tinga de Pollo)

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In the event you’re a fan of Mexican delicacies, it’s a must to attempt hen tinga! This scrumptious dish is a traditional from the Puebla area and is made with shredded hen that’s been simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with smoky chipotle peppers. The result’s a savory, barely spicy, and oh-so-tasty dish that’s excellent for tacos, tostadas, or simply served over rice. Belief me, when you style it, you’ll be hooked!

Mexican meals is simply divine. The meats are all the time so tender and flavorful, because of all the scrumptious spices and seasonings they’re slow-cooked in! After you attempt hen tinga, you’ll must make some shredded candy pulled pork or chorizo on your subsequent taco night time!

Top-down view of 4 chicken tacos on a green plate. They are topped with chopped onions, cheese crumbles, and cilantro.

What’s Hen Tinga?

Hen tinga, also called tinga de pollo, is a standard Mexican dish that consists of shredded hen that’s been slow-cooked in a tomato-based sauce. It’s made with a wide range of smoky spices, reminiscent of chipotle peppers, cumin, and Mexican oregano. The tip result’s a dish that’s filled with taste and simply the correct amount of warmth. Whilst you can actually discover pre-made hen tinga at your native grocery retailer, making it from scratch shouldn’t be solely straightforward, however it lets you customise the flavors to your liking!

Hen tinga might be served in a wide range of methods! Take pleasure in it on a tostada, taco, or burrito, or serve it on a mattress of Mexican rice for a filling and flavorful meal. The hen itself is tremendous flavorful, however you possibly can all the time add toppings like onions, cilantro, avocados, or crumbled queso fresco to take your meal to the subsequent degree. I do know you’re going to like this flavorful shredded hen as a lot as I do! It’s the easiest way to modify up taco night time in a brand new and scrumptious approach.

Substances Wanted

Time to indicate your spice rack some love! Hen tinga makes use of tremendous easy elements, most of which you most likely have already got readily available. Collectively, they take advantage of flavorful hen ever! See the recipe card beneath for precise measurements wanted.

  • Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the onions and garlic with.
  • White Onion: Provides a barely candy and savory style to the dish.
  • Garlic: You’ll be able to’t go improper with garilc, particularly in relation to hen tinga. It provides a ton of taste and a delicate kick that’s positive to please.
  • Hen Broth: Provides the hen moisture and in addition provides a wealthy, savory taste!
  • Hen Breasts: Let’s face it, hen breasts are the MVP of the poultry world. They’re lean, versatile, and excellent for shredding into tender, juicy items. You can too use boneless, skinless hen thighs in the event you desire.
  • Roma Tomatoes: These are the important thing to giving your sauce a brilliant, contemporary taste. Make sure that to take away the seeds earlier than mixing them up with the opposite elements.
  • Salt, Black Pepper, Mexican Oregano, Floor Chipotle Pepper, and Cumin: These are all of the spices and seasonings I used! Collectively, they provide the hen a taste that’s out of this world. Savory and wealthy with the proper quantity of warmth!

Methods to Make Hen Tinga

It’s really easy, you’re going to like this hen tinga recipe! Many of the cooking time is hands-off whereas it simmers, so you should utilize that further time to make a scrumptious facet dish to go together with your meal (like these refried beans!), and even simply watch an episode of your favourite TV present!

  1. Saute Onions and Garlic: In a medium pot, warmth your olive oil over medium excessive warmth and sauté your onion till the onion is clear, 3-4 minutes. Add within the garlic and saute simply one other minute.
  2. Cook dinner Hen: Add your hen broth, hen breasts, ready tomatoes, salt and pepper to the pot. Convey every part to a boil then cowl and scale back warmth to low. Simmer till the hen is cooked by means of, about 30-40 minutes.
  3. Shred: As soon as the hen is cooked, take away it from the pot and shred it. Then put aside.
  4. Mix Sauce: Use a slotted spoon to take away all of the tomatoes and onions from the pot and add them right into a blender with ¾ cup of your boiling liquid. Mix till easy. Discard the remaining liquid from the pot after which return the pot to medium warmth.
  5. Mix: Add the hen and blended combination to the pot alongside together with your oregano, chipotle pepper, and cumin. Cook dinner the hen within the sauce, stirring repeatedly for about 5 minutes. The hen ought to be evenly coated and the sauce will scale back barely. You’ll be able to add further salt and pepper to style.
6-photo collage of onion and garlic being sautéed, chicken being cooked, and sauce being prepared.

Methods to Use Hen Tinga

In the event you’re in search of methods to make use of hen tinga, listed here are some concepts! This versatile and flavorful hen can be utilized in so many various dishes. Get inventive and check out it out in your favourite Mexican-inspired recipes!

  • Tacos: First up, hen tinga tacos. Who doesn’t love a great taco? Hen tinga is a traditional taco filling that pairs completely with tender or crispy tortillas, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, guacamole, and bitter cream. It’s a crowd-pleaser that’s straightforward to make and enjoyable to eat.
  • Burritos/Quesadillas: In the event you’re in search of one thing a bit of heartier, attempt utilizing hen tinga as a filling for burritos. Wrap it up in a big tortilla with beans, rice, cheese, and another toppings you want for a filling and satisfying meal.
  • Nachos: For a enjoyable and shareable appetizer or snack, make hen tinga nachos. Layer tortilla chips with hen tinga, cotija cheese, salsa, jalapenos, and another toppings you want. It’s the proper dish for sport days or a film night time.
  • Burrito Bowls: Serve hen tinga over a mattress of rice with black beans, pico de gallo, and sliced avocado for a filling and flavorful meal.

Chicken tinga in a white and blue skillet.

Storing Leftovers

Hen tinga makes nice leftovers. You can too use it for meal prep! After getting a pot of this flavorful hen made, right here’s the best way to retailer it:

  • Within the Fridge: Switch hen tinga to an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 4 days.
  • Within the Freezer: Retailer in a freezer bag for as much as 2 months. Let it thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating.
  • Reheating: Reheat within the microwave or over the range on medium warmth till warmed by means of.

Closeup of a taco being picked up.


  • In a medium pot, warmth your olive oil over medium excessive warmth and saute your onion till the onion is clear, 3-4 minutes. Add within the garlic and saute simply one other minute.

  • Add your hen broth, hen breasts, ready tomatoes, salt and pepper to the pot. Convey every part to a boil then cowl and scale back warmth to low. Simmer till the hen is cooked by means of, about 30-40 minutes.

  • As soon as the hen is cooked, take away it from the pot and shred it. Put aside.

  • Use a slotted spoon to take away all of the tomatoes and onions from the pot and add them right into a blender with ¾ cup of your boiling liquid. Mix till easy. Discard the remaining liquid from the pot and return the pot to medium warmth.

  • Add the hen and blended combination to the pot alongside together with your oregano, chipotle pepper, and cumin. Cook dinner the hen within the sauce, stirring repeatedly for about 5 minutes. The hen ought to be evenly coated and the sauce will scale back barely. You’ll be able to add further salt and pepper to style.



Serves: 6

Energy133kcal (7%)Carbohydrates5g (2%)Protein13g (26%)Fats7g (11%)Saturated Fats1g (5%)Polyunsaturated Fats1gMonounsaturated Fats4gTrans Fats0.01gLdl cholesterol38mg (13%)Sodium754mg (31%)Potassium417mg (12%)Fiber1g (4%)Sugar3g (3%)Vitamin A643IU (13%)Vitamin C11mg (13%)Calcium27mg (3%)Iron1mg (6%)

All dietary info relies on third social gathering calculations and is barely an estimate. Every recipe and dietary worth will range relying on the manufacturers you employ, measuring strategies and portion sizes per family.

Course Dinner

Delicacies Mexican

Key phrase hen tinga, hen tinga recipe, tinga de pollo



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