Chicken Tinga Tacos (Smoky Chipotle Shredded Chicken on Warm Corn Tortillas)

Tinga de pollo (chicken tinga) is one of Mexico's great everyday dishes: chicken poached until tender, shredded, then simmered in a sauce of charred tomatoes, sliced onion, garlic and chipotle chiles in adobo. The chipotles give it a deep, smoky heat rather than a sharp one, and the sauce clings to every strand of chicken. Spooned into warm corn tortillas with cool crema, salty queso fresco, avocado, raw onion and cilantro, it is the kind of smoky, warming taco you want as the evenings get cooler, and it costs very little to make.

Three things make this version work. Poaching the chicken in lightly seasoned water gives you moist meat that shreds easily and a cup of flavorful broth to thin the sauce. Charring the tomatoes and garlic on a dry skillet (or under the broiler) adds sweetness and a little bitterness that plays off the chipotles. And the onion is cooked separately until golden before the sauce goes in, so it keeps a soft, silky texture in the finished tinga instead of turning to mush in the blender.

The tinga can be made a day ahead and is even better reheated. Warm the tortillas, set out the toppings and let everyone build their own.

Ingredients

For the chicken and sauce

• 600 g (1.3 lb) boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 750 ml (3 cups) water
• 1 large white onion, halved: one half left whole for poaching, the other half thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves: 1 peeled for poaching, 2 unpeeled for charring
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 500 g (1.1 lb) ripe tomatoes (about 4 medium), or one 400 g (14 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce (use 2 chiles for a milder tinga)
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to balance the tomatoes)

For the tacos

• 12 corn tortillas, 15 cm (6 inches)
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) Mexican crema or sour cream
• 100 g (3.5 oz) queso fresco, crumbled (or feta)
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Put the chicken in a medium pot with the whole onion half, the peeled garlic clove, the bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Add the water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 to 18 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through (74°C/165°F in the thickest part). Lift the chicken onto a plate and reserve 250 ml (1 cup) of the broth. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat with two forks.
2. Meanwhile, heat a dry cast-iron skillet or comal over high heat. Add the whole tomatoes and the 2 unpeeled garlic cloves. Char for 8 to 10 minutes, turning with tongs, until the tomato skins are blackened in spots and the flesh is soft; the garlic will be done after about 5 minutes, so pull it out early and peel it once cool. Alternatively, broil the tomatoes and garlic on a tray for 8 minutes.
3. Put the charred tomatoes (skins and all), peeled garlic, chipotles, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin and the reserved 250 ml broth in a blender and blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft and golden at the edges.
5. Pour in the blended sauce (it will spatter, so stand back) and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce darkens to a brick red and thickens enough that a spoon dragged through it leaves a trail.
6. Stir in the shredded chicken and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the chicken has soaked up the sauce and the mixture is saucy but not soupy. Taste and add the sugar if the tomatoes taste sharp, plus more salt if needed.
7. Warm the tortillas: heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and toast each tortilla for 30 to 45 seconds per side, until pliable with a few lightly toasted spots. Stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm and soft.
8. To assemble, spoon about 3 tablespoons of tinga onto each tortilla. Drizzle with crema, then top with crumbled queso fresco, a slice or two of avocado, chopped onion and cilantro. Serve right away with lime wedges, 3 tacos per person.

Tips

• Substitutions: shortcut the whole thing with 400 g (14 oz) shredded rotisserie chicken and 250 ml store-bought chicken stock, skipping step 1. A can of fire-roasted tomatoes replaces the charring in step 2. No chipotles in adobo? Blend in 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or chili flakes.
• Control the heat by starting with 2 chipotles and adding the third at the end if you want more. Most of the smokiness is in the adobo sauce, so keep those 2 tablespoons even for a mild version.
• Storage and make-ahead: the tinga keeps in the fridge for 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water or stock over medium heat until steaming; it tastes even better the next day. Keep the toppings fresh and add them just before serving.
• Serve with Mexican red rice and refried black beans for a full plate, or a quick cabbage slaw with lime for crunch. The same tinga is classic on crisp tostadas, in tortas (Mexican sandwiches) or spooned over rice bowls.
• Corn tortillas crack when cold, so always warm them, and use two stacked tortillas per taco if the filling is extra juicy.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is an estimate only: about 520 kcal, 38 g protein, 22 g fat, 45 g carbohydrate per serving of 3 tacos with toppings.