Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos
These Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos are the kind of meal that tastes like you spent all day cooking, even though your slow cooker did all the work. With just a little prep in the morning, you can come home to tender, flavorful chicken that is ready to be transformed into a satisfying dinner.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tinga:
- 2 ½ pounds of bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 28 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes
- 2 to 3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 handful of fresh cilantro or 2 teaspoons dried cilantro
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 onion chopped into large chunks
For the Tacos:
- 10 to 12 corn or flour tortillas
- ¾ cup crumbled feta or queso fresco
- ½ red or white onion diced
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup sour cream
- Juice of 1 lime plus extra lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Blend the Sauce: In a blender, combine crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, garlic, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Blend until smooth.
- Layer the Slow Cooker: Place the chopped onion at the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the chicken thighs on top. Pour the blended tomato-chipotle sauce over everything. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and fork-tender.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken thighs, discard the bones, and shred the meat. Return it to the slow cooker and mix it well with the sauce.
- Assemble the Tacos: Warm the tortillas. Spoon chicken tinga into each tortilla and top with sour cream, crumbled cheese, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
✔️ Bone-in thighs give more flavor and stay moist during slow cooking
✔️ Adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the spice level
✔️ Use corn tortillas for a more traditional taco or flour for a softer option
✔️ Chicken can be made ahead and reheated for quick weeknight dinners
✔️ Adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the spice level
✔️ Use corn tortillas for a more traditional taco or flour for a softer option
✔️ Chicken can be made ahead and reheated for quick weeknight dinners
