Chicken Tinga Tacos in Instant Pot

Name: Chicken Tinga Tacos in Instant Pot
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup onion, chopped ((about 1 medium onion - white or red)); 2 teaspoons minced garlic ((2 cloves)); 1 cup chopped tomatoes (or fire roasted tomatoes (see notes)); 2 chipotle chilies in adobe sauce; 1 tablespoon adobo sauce; ¾ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground is ideal); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ cup water; 1 lb. chicken breast; 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas; ¼ cup chopped onions (red or white); ¼ cup chopped cilantro; 1 lime (cut in 6 wedges)

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These Chicken Tinga Tacos are generously packed with shredded chicken that's been simmered gently in the Instant Pot with a smoky, spicy tomato-onion sauce flavored with chipotle peppers. It's a colorful and customizable Mexican meal for a taco, tostada, burrito or enchilada.

four corn tortillas filled with chicken tinga with avocao dressing on black plate with sliced lime, chopped red onion and cilantro

Smoky, Spicy Chicken Tinga Recipe

I like to think of Chicken Tinga as a shredded chicken recipe that tickles your tastebuds. It's a traditional Mexican dish from Puebla, in which shredded chicken is simmered in a spicy, smoky red chili sauce, with just the right amount of heat from chipotle peppers.

It's a wonderfully versatile filling that you can turn into tacos, tostadas, burritos or enchiladas. Now that's a Mexican fiesta! 🙂

Traditional Slow-Cooked Chicken Tinga Flavors in 30 Minutes

The traditional recipe requires roasting and sautéing ingredients in multiple steps. In other words, a lot of time and effort. This Instant Pot Chicken Tinga is a quick and easy version that tastes just as authentic!

Chicken breasts are simmered in a sweet and smoky tomato-chipotle sauce, then shredded to bite-size pieces. To serve it authentic-style - wrap it in warm corn tortillas and generously top with cooling avocado, cotija or crema.

This Instant Pot Tinga recipe is regular in my home because:

It's a one-pot dish- Ingredients are cooked in one pot and an immersion blender allows me to blend the sauce in the same pot without any extra dishes.
30-minute meal- I can get the same restaurant quality slow-cooked flavors with very little effort.
I can easily double or triple the recipe for meal prep for the week and use it in different meals, like tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas .

chicken tinga tacos on black plate with avocado dressing, sliced limes, chopped red onion and cilantro

Ingredients - Notes & Substitutions

This easy chicken tinga starts off with olive oil, aromatics and tomatoes, along with the main ingredient - canned chipotle peppers in adobo. A few additional spices and chicken breasts and you have a succulent Mexican filling in no time!

onion, canned chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, spices in small bowls on wooden board

Tomatoes: I love to use one medium, fresh tomato (Roma or on-the-vine).
- If fresh tomatoes don't look good that day, I go for canned fire-roasted tomatoes. These add another layer of smoky flavor. I use 1 cup from a (14.5 ounces) can and store the rest in the fridge. Use within a week in another favorite Mexican recipe.
Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: These are smoked jalapeno peppers, so they add a spicy, smoky kick.
- Look for one small can in the Mexican or global food section of grocery stores.
- You will only need two peppers and a touch of the liquid out of the whole can. Freeze the remainder in an ice cube tray for a convenient re-use.
Chicken: Two chicken breasts (roughly 1-1.25 pound total) are enough to generously fill 8-10 corn tortillas.
- Purchase one package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (roughly 1-inch thick).
- If the thickest part of the breast is more than 1-inch, increase the pressure cooking time to 10 minutes so the chicken cooks through.
Tortillas: Corn tortillas make these chicken tinga tacos completely gluten-free.
- Warm directly over a gas burner on your stove, in a nonstick skillet or in a 350°F oven for a few minutes.
- Feel free to use small flour or whole wheat tortillas instead.
Toppings: I keep it simple and authentic with chopped onion, cilantro and lime.
- Add additional toppings such as avocado, cotija or greens.

How To Make Chicken Tinga - Step-By-Step Instructions

This homemade chicken tinga is so easy, the Instant Pot does most of the work for you. The real effort comes in assembling the toppings and tacos. Simply:

Step 1. Make the Shredded Chicken

Saute Onions: Select Saute mode and let the pot heat for about 30 seconds. Add chopped onions and saute for 3 minutes, until they soften (Pic 1).
Add Tomatoes, Chipotle and Spices: Add garlic, tomatoes, chipotle in adobo, adobo sauce, salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin and paprika. Stir and saute for 2 minutes, until the tomatoes soften (Pic 2).
Deglaze: Add water and deglaze the pot, scraping off any brown bits that may have stuck to the bottom (Pic 3).
Add Chicken and Seal: Place the chicken on top of the tomato-onion mix, do not stir. Lock the lid in place and select pressure cook (or manual) for 8 minutes. If the chicken breasts are thicker than 1-inch, select 10 minutes (Pic 4).

sauteeing onions with tomatoes, garlic, chipotle peppers, spices, pouring water into sauce, two chicken breasts on top of sauce

Naturally Release Pressure: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes (NPR), after which use the quick pressure release instructions. Open the lid only after the pin drops (Pic 5).
Blend the Sauce: Remove the chicken and using an immersion blender, blend the sauce to a smooth consistency. Tilt the pot if the blender head doesn't fully submerge in the sauce. If using a standalone blender, for safety reasons wait for the sauce to cool down before blending (Pic 6).
Shred the Chicken: Using two forks, shred the chicken to bite-size pieces (Pic 7).
Add Chicken Back In: Add shredded chicken back into the sauce and mix well (Pic 8). Chicken Tinga is ready, Enjoy!

two chicken breasts with sauce, pureeing tomato sauce, shredding chicken, shredded chicken in tomato sauce

Step 2. Serve Taco-Style

Warm Tortillas: To serve in tacos, warm or lightly toast the corn tortillas directly over a gas burner on the stove, in a nonstick skillet or in the oven.
Fill and Enjoy: Serve about ½ cup of chicken tinga with sauce on each taco and top with chopped onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Serving Suggestions - Create a Mexican Meal

Rather than tacos, feel free to enjoy chicken tinga as a complete Mexican meal in one of the following preparations:

Tostadas: Layer corn tortillas with refried beans, chicken tinga and cheese, then broil on High for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Rice and Beans: Serve with a side of Mexican rice and creamy black beans or Mexican style quinoa.
Burritos: Fill 4 large and warm flour tortillas with 1 cup chicken tinga, chopped onions, sliced lettuce, avocado, cilantro and lime juice. Fold, wrap and enjoy.
Enchiladas: Fill corn tortillas with tinga recipe and shredded cheese. Roll tight and place in a casserole dish layered with enchilada sauce. Top with extra enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, or until warmed through. Optionally broil on High for 2 minutes after cooking for extra crispy cheese.

And to add to this Mexican Fiesta, enjoy it with a Skinny Margarita. This certainly adds a fun, festive kick to my usual Taco Tuesday! 🙂

Using Cooked Chicken in this Recipe

This recipe is easy to use with cooked pre-shredded or leftover rotisserie chicken too. Simply make the sauce as per instructions (minus the chicken). Blend the sauce, add the cooked shredded chicken and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until chicken warms through and gets coated with the sauce.

shredded chicken with smoky tomato sauce in Instant Pot

Customizable Topping Choices

Chicken Tinga is a dish most often served as a tostada layered with refried beans. In our house, we love to serve them as tacos with an endless amount of topping choices to pick-and-choose. Some of our favorites include:

Creamy Avocado Dressing, Guacamole or Avocado Slices
Chopped Onions, Shredded Lettuce, Cilantro and Fresh Squeeze of Lime
Crumbled Cotija or Mexican Crema
Homemade salsa or try this Pico de gallo recipe

Recipe Tips & Notes

Use fresh or fire-roasted tomatoes. I love to use fresh tomatoes (Roma or on-the-vine work great), but if the tomatoes do not look good at the store that day, I go for a can of fire-roasted tomatoes. These add an extra smoky flavor. Use 1 cup out of the 14.5 ounces can and transfer the rest to an airtight container to store in the fridge. Use within a week in another favorite Mexican recipe.
Two chipotle peppers equal medium spice level. For mild spiciness, use one pepper. For hot, use three peppers.
Take note of chicken breast thickness. The thickness of the breast will alter the cooking time. My chicken breasts were 1-inch thick at the thickest part of the breast, so I set the Instant Pot for 8 minutes. If slightly thicker, increase the cooking time to 10 minutes.
Use an immersion blender for ease and convenience. This allows you to blend the sauce right in the Instant Pot. Simply tilt the pot to fully submerge the blender. If a standalone blender is all you have on hand, make sure to cool the sauce before blending.

Commonly Asked Questions for Chicken Tinga

What does Tinga mean?

Tinga is a Mexican dish made with shredded beef or chicken simmered in a red chile sauce made with tomatoes and onions.

Is Chicken Tinga hot?

Chicken Tinga is subtly smokey with the right amount of heat from the chipotle peppers (smoked jalapenos).

Where does Tinga come from?

Tinga comes from Mexico, originating in Puebla, Mexico.

More Mexican Recipes From My Kitchen

Instant Pot Carnitas: An easy dump and start pressure cooker recipe for juicy, tender and flavorful Mexican pulled pork.
Easy Chicken Fajitas: Homemade chicken fajitas with peppers and onions prepared on a Sheet Pan or in the Air Fryer.
Bean Burrito/Burrito Bowl: An authentic, versatile, build-your-own burrito packed with fresh vegetables and Mexican spices prepared in the Instant Pot.
Chicken Fajita Pasta: A colorful dish of bell peppers, onions, penne, chicken, salsa, homemade taco seasoning and a blend of Mexican cheeses!
Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Tacos: A fast and easy 3-ingredient chicken taco recipe ready in no time in the Instant Pot.
Taco Pasta: An easy 30-minute Instant Pot and Stovetop recipe for a vegetarian pasta dressed up with taco seasoning.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup: Tender chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, creamy beans and sweet corn come together in this earthy and zesty gluten-free soup recipe.

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