Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Discover the rich flavors of Mexico with this slow cooker chicken tinga! This traditional Mexican dish features tender, shredded chicken simmered in a smoky, spicy tomato sauce.

The slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld beautifully.

What I love about this dish is its versatility. You can serve it on soft tortillas, and I also use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas.

I guarantee it will become a new favorite in your household! 

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Easy Meal Prep: This recipe allows for effortless meal preparation, as it can be cooked in a slow cooker for 2-6 hours.

Taste Sensation: The combination of chipotle peppers, cumin, and oregano creates a rich, smoky, and savory taste. It’ll leave you craving more.

Time-Saving: With a slow cooker, you can simply set it and forget it. Focus on other tasks while your meal cooks to perfection.

Minimal Cleanup: Using just the slow cooker and a blender for the sauce, this recipe makes cleanup a breeze.

Ingredients

• Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: The star of the show, providing tender, juicy meat for the chicken tinga.
  
• Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings enhance the flavor of the chicken.
  
• Olive Oil: It’s used to sauté the onions to perfection.
  
• Onion: It’s thinly sliced and sautéed to add a sweet, caramelized flavor.
  
• Garlic: The pungent flavor blends seamlessly into the sauce.
  
• Ground Cumin and Dried Oregano: Aromatic spices add depth and warmth to the dish.
  
• Tomato Sauce or Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: The base of the rich, tangy sauce to coat the chicken.
  
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Spicy and smoky, they add a bold kick to the sauce.
  
• For Serving: Use tortillas, sliced red onion, fresh chopped cilantro, and cotija cheese as the finishing touches.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

You won’t believe how easy this recipe is to make! 

1. Season the chicken. Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Place them in the slow cooker.

2. Sauté the onions. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the onions to the slow cooker.

3. Blend the sauce. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus the extra adobo sauce. Purée until blended into a smooth sauce.

4. Cook the chicken. Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

5. Shred and simmer. Transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Let it simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes on the low or warm setting.

6. Serve. Serve the chicken tinga on tortillas, topped with sliced red onion, fresh cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

These simple tips will make your dish even more irresistible.

• Be generous! Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper before adding it to the slow cooker.
  
• Adjust the spice level. Adjust the spice level by adding one chipotle pepper for a milder taste or three for a spicier dish.
  
• Try tasty variations. Add diced potatoes, carrots, or bell peppers to the slow cooker for extra vegetables and texture.
  
• Take a big shortcut. This recipe can also be made in an Instant Pot. Pressure cook for 8 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.
  
• Serve it your way. Serve the chicken tinga on warm tortillas, topped with sliced red onion, fresh cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese for a delicious and authentic meal. You can also use the chicken tinga as a filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or as a topping for nachos or tostadas.

How to Store

If you have leftovers, you can use them throughout the week. Here’s how to store them.

To Store: Place the cooled chicken in an air-tight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To Freeze: Transfer the cooled chicken to freezer-safe containers or bags, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. You can also combine the leftover chipotle and tomato sauce in batches and freeze them in small containers for future tinga preparations.

To Reheat: Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until hot throughout. Or reheat in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water if needed.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Course: Main CourseCuisine: Mexican

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

6

hours 

30

minutes

Calories

503

kcal

This slow cooker chicken tinga is the easiest way to enjoy this classic Mexican meal! Just set it, forget it, and enjoy it!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)

• 15 oz can tomato sauce or fire-roasted tomatoes

• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce

• Tortillas (corn or flour), for serving

• Sliced red onion, fresh chopped cilantro, and cotija cheese, for serving

Instructions

• Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Place them in the slow cooker.
• Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the onions to the slow cooker.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus the extra adobo sauce. Purée until blended into a smooth sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions in the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
• Transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Let it simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes on the low or warm setting.
• Serve the chicken tinga on tortillas, topped with sliced red onion, fresh cilantro, and crumbled cotija cheese.

Notes

• Adjust the spice level by adding one chipotle pepper for a milder taste or three for a spicier dish.
• For a convenient tip, combine leftover chipotle and tomato sauce in batches and freeze them in small containers for future tinga preparations.
• This recipe can also be made in an Instant Pot. Pressure cook for 8 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally.