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Chicken Tinga Tacos

A bowl of chicken tinga dressed with cilantro.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 4 1/2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • 1/2 white onion, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 carrots, cut into chunks
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into chunks
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 4 bay leaves
  • Optional: 1 sprig fresh mint
  • Optional: 1 sprig fresh thyme

For the tinga sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
  • 10 garden plum tomatoes, quartered 
  • 1/2 white onion, halved
  • 6 peeled cloves garlic, 3 sliced and 3 chopped 
  • 4 cups reserved chicken stock (from cooking chicken breasts)
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano 
  • 1 teaspoon cumin 
  • Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons guajillo chile powder
  • Optional 1 to 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
  • 1 to 2 ounces chipotles in adobo sauce (use more or less depending on desired heat level)
  • 1 to 4 chipotle in adobo chiles, chopped (use more or less depending on desired heat level)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 white onion, sliced 

For the lime crema:

  • 2 cups crème fraîche
  • 1 Key lime or Mexican lime, juice and zest
  • Kosher salt, to taste

For serving: 

  • Fresh corn tortillas
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped 
  • Queso fresco
  • Sliced avocado
  • Lime crema, recipe follows

Method

For the chicken: 

  1. In a large pot on the stove, bring 8 cups of water and 3–4 good pinches of salt to a boil over high heat.
  2. Add chicken breast and the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and mint and thyme (if using) to the pot, cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium and allow to poach for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove chicken from the cooking liquid and set aside until cool enough to handle. Reserve the stock.
  4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred with forks, discarding the bone and skin, and set aside. 

For the tinga sauce:

  1. In an enameled cast-iron braiser, heat 3 tablespoons of avocado oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the tomatoes, halved onion, and chopped garlic and sauté for about 10 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the tomatoes have started to break down.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a blender with the chicken broth, Mexican oregano, cumin, chile powders (if using), and chipotle in adobo sauce and chiles (if using).
  4. Blend until smooth.
  5. To the same braiser that you sautéed the tomatoes in, add 1 tablespoon avocado oil, sliced onion, and the sliced garlic and sauté for 1–2 minutes over medium-high heat.
  6. Add the blended tomato mixture to the pan along with the shredded chicken.
  7. Mix and salt to taste.
  8. Serve with fresh corn tortillas, cilantro, queso fresco, avocado, and lime crema.
  9. Enjoy!

For the Lime Crema:

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. Serve with chicken tinga tacos. 

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