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Baked Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos

Chicken breasts are slowly simmered in a mixture of tomatoes, chipotles, onion, oregano, thyme and bay leaf until they can be easily shredded for the filling of these tacos.
Course taco
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken, chicken breast, chipotle, cilantro, corn tortilla, shredded, shredded chicken, tortilla
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Calories 676kcal

Ingredients

For the chicken tinga:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 canned chipotles in adobo, drained and chopped
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total)
  • Kosher salt, as needed

For assembly:

  • 12 small 6” corn tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 16-ounce can refried beans, warmed
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • ¼ packed cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

For the chicken tinga:

  • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and heat through. Add the onion and sauté, simmering until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, chipotles, chicken broth, oregano, thyme and the bay leaf, stirring to combine.
  • Add the chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool until the chicken can be shredded.
  • Return the pan to medium-low heat and continue to simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens, about an additional 10 minutes. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce, stirring to combine. Season with salt to taste and set aside until ready to use.

For assembly:

  • Heat oven to broil on high. Warm the corn tortillas for 30 seconds over a gas flame or in the microwave. Rub the tortillas on both sides with the oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  • Spread a spoonful of the beans on half of each of the tortillas and top with a spoonful of the chicken tinga mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese and fold the other half of the tortillas over the filling, pushing to adhere.
  • Broil the tacos until the first side is crispy, checking them frequently, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the tacos with a spatula and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are crisp, about an additional 2 minutes.
  • Serve the tacos topped with cilantro and green onions and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Nutrition

Calories: 676kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 1078mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 716IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 307mg | Iron: 3mg