Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo)
Ingredients
For the shredded chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns crushed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 medium onion sliced
- 2 cups GF chicken stock
For the tinga
- 5 oz pork chorizo
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
- 3 medium tomatillos husked, rinsed, and diced
- 1 chipotle in adobo sauce finely diced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
To make the pulled chicken
- Place the chicken, peppercorns, salt, garlic, and onion in a saucepan. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken from the liquid and set aside to cool. Add the cooking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth. Reserve for later use. When the chicken is cool, shred with two forks.
To make the tinga
- Heat a large 12-inch sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Cook the chorizo until fully cooked and a little crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients along with the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Then turn the heat down to a simmer and reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15–20 minutes. (Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.)
To finish the tacos
- Serve with crispy tostadas or soft corn tortillas and your favorite taco toppings. We recommend avocado slices, fresh cilantro leaves, crispy jicama matchsticks or shredded cabbage, and a squeeze of lime.