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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Great for busy nights and such a fun option for Taco Tuesday! This recipe is all about those set-it-and-forget-it vibes everyone needs sometimes.
• So easy: Seriously — all you have to do is season the chicken, and the crockpot does the rest of the work for you.
• Restaurant-quality tacos at home: Listen, I love going out to eat as much as the next person, but sometimes I want to be able to enjoy a really great meal at home without ordering takeout. These tacos always do the trick!

Ingredients and Substitutions

These are the main ingredients and substitutions for my chicken tinga tacos. Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and instructions.

Chicken Breast: I like chicken breast here as it’s super easy to find and work with. It also becomes incredibly tender after a few hours in the slow cooker!

Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Gives this chicken tinga tacos recipe that “roasted all day” flavor in about half the time. You can use regular tomatoes if you can’t find a can of fire-roasted ones.

Onion & Garlic: These powerful aromatics are small but mighty, and add so much flavor to the mix.
Chipotles in Adobo: Adds a touch of heat — you can play around with the amount you use based on your spice preference.

Homemade Taco Seasoning: I combined chili powder, salt, coconut sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast, cumin, black pepper, and dried parsley to make my seasoning blend. You could also always opt for store-bought too.

Toppings, Garnishes, & Tortillas: To put everything together! I typically like corn tortillas best, plus my favorite toppings: cotija cheese, cilantro, lime, shredded green cabbage, and some sliced avocado. Feel free to switch things up based on what you like.

How to Make Chicken Tinga Tacos

Prepare the chicken

Pat the chicken dry and season with the taco seasoning. Pour some extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot, then add the chicken. Sprinkle with the onion and garlic.

Make the sauce

Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotles in adobe sauce, and chicken broth to a blender. Blend until smooth and then pour over the chicken.

Slow cook

Cover the crockpot and cook on Low for 6 hours, or High for 4 hours. When it’s done, remove the lid and shred with two forks. Cover again and cook for another 30 minutes.

Assemble the tacos

When the chicken is done, assemble each chicken tinga taco on the corn tortillas. Add your toppings, squeeze with lime juice, and enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• Chicken tinga also pairs nicely with avocado crema and pickled red onions on top. You can make both yourself or simply pick up some store-bought options. 
• Control the heat: Remember that the amount of chipotle peppers in adobo you use will determine how spicy this chicken tinga tacos recipe will be! If you don’t like spicy foods, you can use less than I recommend. Or, use the whole can if you love a super fiery taco.
• Warm the tortillas for serving. Your tacos will be even better! You can warm up the tortillas in the oven, a skillet, or even in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel. Not only are warm tortillas totally delish, but they are actually much easier to fold.

How to Serve and Store Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos

Serve chicken tinga tacos as soon as the chicken is hot and ready from the crockpot! If it’s done but you’re not ready to eat just yet, I recommend leaving the slow cooker set to “Keep Warm” so it stays fresh. 

Pile on your favorite toppings and then dig in!

I recommend storing each chicken tinga taco component separately. The chicken and sauce will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Taste And Texture

Slow cooker chicken tinga tacos are super flavorful! The shredded chicken is perfectly tender, spicy, and a touch smoky thanks to the fire-roasted, chipotle adobo sauce. 

That tender, juicy chicken paired with the chewy corn tortillas (or crunchy, if you toast them first!), plus the cotija cheese and creamy sliced avocado, create such a fun and tasty texture contrast. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does tinga mean in Mexican cooking?

Tinga refers to a specific method of preparing meat — it involves shredding cooked meat and then simmering it in a flavorful sauce. It’s typically made with tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and onions. So, when you see chicken tinga, it simply means shredded chicken cooked in a spicy tomato-based sauce!

Is chicken tinga spicy?

It depends on what you consider spicy, but yes, I would say that my chicken tinga taco recipe is a bit on the spicy side due to the chipotle peppers. Again, add them in slowly and taste the sauce as you go. If you want it spicier, you can always add more.

Can I make chicken tinga tacos with a rotisserie chicken?

Yes! If I’m super short on time I sometimes make my chicken tinga tacos recipe with a rotisserie chicken instead. All you need to do is add the chicken to your crockpot along with the fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, seasonings, and chicken broth. Cook on High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours and voila!

Other Recipes You May Like:

• Gourmet Shrimp Tacos
• Crispy Vegan Potato Tacos
• Breakfast Street Tacos
• Viral Big Mac Tacos

If you make this chicken tinga taco recipe, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, Tiktok, or Pinterest!

Pin Print

Chicken Tinga Tacos

4.75 from 4 ratings

Hannah Kling

Chicken Tinga Tacos come together so easily in the slow cooker! Simply add the chicken and the rest of the ingredients and let the crockpot work its magic. When it’s done, you’ll have incredibly tender and juicy shredded chicken in a flavorful tomato and chipotle sauce, perfect for tacos!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

Chicken

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• 28 oz can of fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 can chipotles in adobo ((or more depending on spice level))
• 1 cup chicken broth

Seasoning:

• 1 tsp chilie powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Assembly:

• Corn or flour tortillas
• Cotija cheese (crumbled)
• Cilantro
• Lime
• Pickled onions
• Shredded green cabbage
• Avocado

Instructions

• Pat the chicken dry and season with the seasoning mixture on both sides.
• Drizzle 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot, then add in the chicken. Top with minced garlic and the diced yellow onion. 
• Next, make the sauce by adding the fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotles in adobe sauce, and chicken broth to a blender. Blend until smooth and then pour over the chicken.
• Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours. When it’s done, remove the lid and shred the chicken with two forks. It should be tender and fairly easy.
• Cover again and cook for an additional 30 minutes to allow the chicken to soak up the sauce. Or you can switch to keep warm for a few several more hours. 
• When the chicken is done, assemble each chicken tinga taco on the corn tortillas. I prefer to warm my tortillas up on the stove first. Then, add your toppings, squeeze with lime juice, and enjoy!

Notes

• Chicken tinga also pairs nicely with avocado crema and pickled red onions on top. You can make both yourself or simply pick up some store-bought options.
• Control the heat: Remember that the amount of chipotle peppers in adobo you use will determine how spicy this chicken tinga tacos recipe will be! If you don’t like spicy foods, you can use less than I recommend. Or, use the whole can if you love a super fiery taco.
• Warm the tortillas for serving. Your tacos will be even better! You can warm up the tortillas in the oven, a skillet, or even in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel. Not only are warm tortillas totally delish, but they are actually much easier to fold.
• Use the chicken for other meals: This chicken tinga makes a great meal prep all week long. Throw the shredded chicken on top of salads, in a sandwich or make a burrito.

Did you make this recipe?Don’t forget to tag @lovelydelites across all social media platforms!