Chicken Tinga is a Mexican dish where chicken is braised with smoky, spicy chipotle peppers, savory tomatoes, and sour tomatillos. The chicken is slow-cooked in the sauce and then shredded for the perfect taco texture. We put together a simple side of pinto beans, which you can leave whole or mash up to create a refried beans texture. Spread some beans on the warm tortillas, top with the spicy shredded chicken and top off with some cheese and fresh cilantro. This easy dish works all year long and will be a great addition to your taco Tuesday lineup. You can also prep this dish on the weekend and let the chicken marinate until Tuesday morning when you schedule your Suvie to cook. This dish makes enough chicken for next-day leftovers.
Chicken Tinga Tacos
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 oz tomatillo puree
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 chipotle peppers
- 1 red onion, divided
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 cans (15.5 oz) pinto beans
- 8-12 small corn or flour tortillas (warmed)
- 1 small bunch cilantro
- 2 oz cotija cheese or queso fresco
- 1-2 limes for garnish
Directions
Thinly slice ¼ of the red onion and reserve for garnish, dice the rest and mince the garlic. Combine the diced onion and garlic with 1 tbsp olive oil. Combine the cumin and oregano, add 1 tbsp of the spice mix to a Suvie pan. To the same Suvie pan add 1 can of pinto beans with their liquid, drain and rinse the other can of pinto beans and add to the pan. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat sauté the diced onion, minced garlic, and the rest of the cumin-oregano spice mix for 4-5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Transfer to a Suvie pan and add the tomato paste and minced chipotle peppers (note: if you want to reduce the heat only add one chipotle pepper), stir to combine.
Add the chicken thighs to this mixture and make sure they are evenly coated, season generously with salt and pepper.
Insert both pans into your Suvie, input settings, and cook now or schedule.
Suvie Cook Settings
Bottom Zone: Slow Cook Low for 6 hours
After the cook is finished, remove the chicken and beans from Suvie.
Shred the chicken with two forks and stir into the sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper. Mash the beans with forks until smooth, but leave a few beans left whole for texture (if you’re in a rush the beans are delicious whole too!).
Crumble or grate the cotija cheese for garnish (queso fresco is a great alternative or another mild cheese like Monterey jack or cheddar). Rinse and finely chop the cilantro. Build your tacos by spreading a spoonful of the beans on a warmed tortilla, top with shredded chicken and sauce, then top with cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!
Note: If you would like to make this recipe in Suvie 1.0, insert pans into the top zones of Suvie, fill reservoir, and set to Slow Cook on Low for 6 hours.
Wine Pairing
A good glass of Sauvignon Blanc will go down a treat with this smoky and spicy dish. Sauvignon Blanc pairs beautifully with chicken and will really bring out the flavor of the herbs and spices.
