Set It and Forget It Chicken Tinga

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga is a culinary masterpiece that will revolutionize your weeknight dinners and become the star of your game day spreads. Abundantly flavorful, incredibly tender, and wonderfully juicy, this dish is surprisingly easy to prepare, making it a perfect choice for both novice cooks and seasoned home chefs. Prepare to be amazed by the depth of flavor packed into every succulent bite.

You asked for more effortless yet delicious slow cooker recipes, and I am thrilled to deliver a true family favorite: Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga. This recipe isn’t just “good”; it’s truly out of this world! It brings together robust Mexican flavors with the convenience of slow cooking, resulting in a dish that tastes like it simmered all day with minimal effort on your part.

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What Exactly is Chicken Tinga? A Taste of Puebla

Chicken Tinga (or Tinga de Pollo) is a vibrant and immensely popular Mexican dish with roots in Puebla, Mexico. It features shredded chicken bathed in a rich, smoky, and slightly spicy tomato and chipotle chile sauce. The dish is celebrated for its dynamic flavor profile, combining the tang of tomatoes, the deep smokiness and heat of chipotle peppers in adobo, and often a hint of sweetness and savory notes.

The word “tinga” itself translates to “stew,” perfectly describing the hearty, saucy nature of this beloved meal. It’s a comfort food staple across Mexico, often served in tacos, tostadas, or sopes, and cherished for its ability to feed a crowd economically and deliciously.

My first introduction to the wonders of chicken tinga came from a dear friend and colleague from Mexico. He often prepared this meal for his family and friends, not only because it was incredibly economical but also due to its exceptionally rich and complex flavors. He always emphasized how versatile it was and how much joy it brought to gatherings. It’s a dish that truly embodies warmth, community, and tradition, and bringing it to the slow cooker just makes it that much more accessible for busy lives.

Why Choose the Slow Cooker for Chicken Tinga?

While traditional chicken tinga can be made on the stovetop, adapting it for the slow cooker offers numerous advantages that make it an absolute game-changer, especially for modern households:

Effortless Preparation: Once the initial browning and sautéing are done, your slow cooker takes over, doing all the heavy lifting. This hands-off approach frees you up to tackle other tasks or simply relax.
Unbeatable Tenderness: The low and slow cooking process ensures the chicken thighs become incredibly tender and fall-apart shreddable, absorbing all the delicious flavors of the sauce.
Deep Flavor Infusion: Extended simmering allows the spices, chipotle peppers, and tomatoes to meld together perfectly, creating a sauce with unparalleled depth and complexity that intensifies over time.
Less Heat in the Kitchen: Perfect for warm weather months when you want to avoid turning on your oven or stovetop for extended periods.
Meal Prep Dream: Slow cooker chicken tinga is fantastic for meal prepping. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week, and you’ll have flavorful fillings for various meals.

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Creating this outstanding Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga requires a careful selection of ingredients that balance savory, smoky, and tangy notes. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

Olive Oil: For browning the chicken and sautéing the aromatics, building the foundational flavors.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: The star of the show. Thighs are preferred over breasts because they retain moisture better and become incredibly tender and juicy during slow cooking, preventing dryness.
Ground Chorizo Sausage: This is my friend’s special ingredient, and it adds an incredible layer of smoky, spicy, and savory depth to the sauce that truly elevates the tinga. It’s a game-changer!
Yellow Onion: Aromatic foundation, providing a sweet and savory base when sautéed.
Garlic: Essential for any robust savory dish, adding pungent aroma and flavor.
Crushed Tomatoes in Purée: Forms the body and tang of the tinga sauce. The purée helps create a smooth, rich consistency.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: The heart and soul of tinga. These smoked and dried jalapeños, preserved in a tangy, spicy adobo sauce, deliver a distinctive smoky heat and incredible depth of flavor. You can find them canned in the international aisle of most supermarkets (Goya is a reliable brand).
Light Brown Sugar: A touch of sweetness balances the acidity of the tomatoes and the heat of the chipotles, creating a harmonious flavor profile.
Dried Oregano & Thyme: Classic herbs that complement Mexican flavors, adding an earthy, aromatic quality.
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper: Fundamental seasonings to enhance all the other flavors.
Ground Cumin: A warm, earthy spice that is a hallmark of Mexican cuisine, adding authenticity.
Bay Leaves: Infuse the stew with a subtle, aromatic background note, which is discarded before serving.
Cotija Cheese or Queso Fresco: For serving, these Mexican cheeses offer a salty, slightly tangy crumble that perfectly contrasts the rich chicken.
Tortillas: The classic vessel for serving chicken tinga – corn or flour, warmed and ready to be filled.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Your Perfect Chicken Tinga

Achieving delicious slow cooker chicken tinga is straightforward with these simple steps. The initial browning and sautéing steps are crucial for building flavor, so don’t skip them!

Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the boneless, skinless chicken thighs for about 3 minutes per side, just until lightly golden. This step creates a beautiful crust and locks in moisture, adding another layer of flavor that slow cooking alone can’t achieve. Once browned, transfer the chicken to your slow cooker.
Build the Sauce Base: In the same skillet, you just used for the chicken (don’t clean it – those browned bits are flavor!), add the ground chorizo sausage. Cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes until it’s nicely browned and fragrant.
Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped yellow onion to the skillet with the chorizo. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and softened, which usually takes about 3-4 minutes. This mellows the onion’s flavor and sweetens it.
Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked chorizo and onions mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker with the chicken. Now, add the remaining sauce ingredients: minced garlic, crushed tomatoes in purée, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, light brown sugar, dried oregano, kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme leaves, ground cumin, and the bay leaves. Stir everything together gently to ensure the chicken is well coated in the flavorful sauce.
Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on high for approximately 2 1/2 hours, or on low for 4-5 hours. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on your slow cooker, so look for chicken that is incredibly tender and easily shreddable.
Shred and Serve: Once cooked, remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Using two forks, easily shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bay leaves from the sauce. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the rich, smoky tinga sauce.

Customizing Your Spice Level

The beauty of cooking at home is tailoring flavors to your preference. For this recipe, I initially added two chipotle peppers, which I chose not to seed, wanting that extra kick of spice. If you prefer a milder flavor, you can absolutely seed your chipotle peppers before chopping them, as most of the heat resides in the seeds and membranes. For those who crave even more heat, I sometimes push it to three peppers, keeping the seeds in for an exhilarating spice level. There’s no right or wrong here; it’s all about what you and your family enjoy.

Serving Suggestions & Occasions

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga is incredibly versatile and shines in many different contexts. It’s the perfect centerpiece for a casual weeknight dinner, but truly excels as a crowd-pleasing dish for gatherings.

Game Day MVP: This dish is an absolute winner for your game day menu. Its hearty, satisfying nature makes it ideal for feeding hungry fans. I’m already planning to keep this recipe in my back pocket for upcoming events like the Olympics later this summer!
Tacos and Tostadas: The most classic way to enjoy tinga! Warm tortillas (corn or flour) filled with shredded chicken tinga, topped with crumbled Cotija cheese or fresh queso fresco, a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime. For tostadas, simply use crispy fried tortillas as your base.
Rice Bowls: Serve a generous scoop of chicken tinga over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice for a fulfilling and balanced meal.
Quesadillas or Burritos: Use tinga as a delicious filling for quesadillas with melty cheese, or as the star ingredient in hearty burritos.
Nachos or Sopes: Spoon over crispy tortilla chips for elevated nachos, or on thick, masa-based sopes.
Make it a Party: When hosting, I’ll probably double or even triple the recipe, depending on the number of guests. Set up a topping bar with a variety of options: chopped avocado, sliced radishes, pickled red onions, different salsas, sour cream or Mexican crema, and extra fresh cilantro.

This easy slow cooker meal is always the answer when you don’t want to turn on the oven due to the summer heat. It offers maximum flavor with minimal effort, making your life easier without compromising on taste.

Please let me know if you give this fantastic recipe a try! I always love hearing your feedback and seeing your creations. And if you have any questions about the recipe or need further tips, feel free to drop a comment below. Enjoy this culinary journey!

Cook’s Notes & Pro Tips for Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Chipotle Pepper Management: As highlighted, the number of chipotle peppers and whether you seed them dictates the spice level. Two peppers, unseeded, provide a moderate-to-spicy kick. For milder tinga, seed the peppers before chopping. For extra heat, add another pepper or a splash of the adobo sauce from the can.
Where to Find Chipotle Peppers: Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are a pantry staple for Mexican cooking. Look for them in the international or ethnic foods aisle of your local supermarket. Goya is a widely available and reliable brand, but many good options exist.
Chicken Breast vs. Thighs: While chicken breasts can technically be used, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are highly recommended for their higher fat content, which keeps them moist and tender during the long cooking process. Breasts tend to dry out more easily.
Browning is Key: Don’t skip browning the chicken and sautéing the chorizo and onions. This step, known as the Maillard reaction, develops deep, savory flavors that significantly enhance the final dish.
Storage and Reheating: Leftover chicken tinga stores beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of chicken broth or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Meal Prep Ideas: Prepare a large batch and use it throughout the week. It’s excellent for lunch bowls, quick dinners, or even breakfast burritos.

More Delicious Slow Cooker Meals to Simplify Your Life

If you’re a fan of the “set it and forget it” convenience of slow cooking, then you’ll love these other fantastic recipes from my kitchen:

Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles

Easy Slow Cooker Gumbo

Chicken Scarpariello

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 6 servings

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga is out of this world! Abundantly flavorful, tender and juicy and so, so easy! It’s a great game day meal too.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 oz. ground chorizo sausage
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups crushed tomatoes in puree
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (from a 7 oz. can)
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 bay leaves
cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving
tortillas, for serving

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to slow cooker.
In the same skillet, cook chorizo, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until about 3 minutes. Add the chopped onion and continue to cook until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chorizo and onions to the slow cooker. Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, spices and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
Shred chicken with two forks. Discard bay leaves. Serve over rice or with tortillas.

Notes

As mentioned above, I used two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for this recipe. I did not seed them. I wanted some extra spice. If you enjoy things mild, seed your peppers and then chop.

You can purchase the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a can in the international aisle at your supermarket. The brand I use is Goya.

Nutrition

Keyword: Slow Cooker

Cuisine: Mexican

Course: Main Dish

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