Give your next taco night a serious upgrade with this slow cooker chicken tinga that practically cooks itself. With just five ingredients and a few spices, this smoky, spicy Mexican shredded chicken turns a regular Tuesday into the kind of dinner your family will get excited about.
You get incredible smoky chicken that makes regular taco shells taste like restaurant quality. The tomatoes and onions break down into a rich sauce that the chicken soaks up as it cooks, creating tender shredded chicken that goes perfectly in your tacos.
The ingredient that sets this apart is the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They create a deep, smoky heat that’s complex without being overwhelming. Chipotle peppers are just smoked jalapeños packed in a tangy sauce, and you’ll find them in the Latin foods aisle of most grocery stores.
This chicken is also fabulous for meal prep. Tonight, it’s tacos; tomorrow, it’s burrito bowls with rice and beans; Thursday, it’s quesadillas with whatever cheese you have on hand. One batch gives you multiple meals with little extra effort, which is precisely what busy families need.
Let me show you the simple steps to make this Mexican-inspired dish, along with all my best tips and tricks. Learn how six hours in your slow cooker can solve your dinner dilemmas.
Looking for more taco-inspired recipes? Try taco tater tot casserole, slow cooker chicken birria tacos, or taco meatloaf.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken Thighs: I specifically use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay incredibly tender during the long cooking process. While you could use chicken breasts, thighs have more flavor and won’t dry out as easily in the slow cooker.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: These come in small cans in the Mexican food section of your grocery store.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add an extra layer of smoky flavor if you can find them.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Spices: You will need salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Use Mexican oregano, if you have it.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Recipe
- Start by seasoning your chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Place them in your slow cooker.
- Slice your onion into thin rings (I like them about ¼-inch thick) and mince the garlic cloves. Layer these aromatics right on top of the chicken.
- In your blender, combine the canned tomatoes and chipotle peppers with their adobo sauce, cumin, and oregano. Blend until smooth – this usually takes about 30 seconds.
- Pour this vibrant red sauce over all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Make sure all the chicken is well covered.
- Cover and set your slow cooker to low for 6 hours.
- Once the cooking time is up, remove the chicken pieces to a plate. They should be so tender they practically fall apart! Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Let it warm through for about 5-10 minutes to soak up all those delicious flavors. Keep it on warm until you are ready to serve the chicken tinga.
Serving Ideas
My favorite way to serve this chicken tinga is with warm tortillas and all your favorite taco toppings. In my house, we love it with diced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime!
It’s also amazingly stuffed into burritos or served over a bed of rice for an easy burrito bowl. If you want to keep things low-carb? Spoon it over crisp lettuce for a hearty taco salad. The tender, spicy chicken is also fantastic in quesadillas – add some melty cheese, and you’ve got dinner ready in minutes.
For toppings, I always set out:
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Crumbled queso fresco
- Lime wedges
- Diced onions
- Sour cream
For taco night, I keep the chicken tinga warm in the slow cooker and let everyone build their own tacos. It’s perfect for a casual dinner.
How to Store
This chicken tinga recipe makes plenty of leftovers, which is good because it stores beautifully! Store the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Place in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. It will keep well for up to 3 months. I often make a double batch and freeze half for busy weeknights.
To thaw, transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to use it. Then reheat gently, and it’s ready to enjoy all over again!
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are what bring the heat, so adjust accordingly. For mild, use two peppers. For medium, which is what I usually do, use three peppers. For spicy, use more!
- Removing the chicken from the slow cooker makes it easier to shred.
- You can prep all ingredients the night before and store them in the fridge. Then dump everything in your slow cooker in the morning!
- While you can use chicken breasts, I recommend sticking with thighs. They’re more flavorful and stay juicier during the long cooking process.
- The chicken is more tender when cooked on a low setting.
- You can double the recipe as long as your slow cooker is big enough to hold it all.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs about 6
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 can tomatoes 14.5 ounces
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the slow cooker.1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Slice the onions and mince the garlic, then add them to the slow cooker.onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Put the tomatoes, chipotle peppers with sauce, cumin, and oregano in a blender or food processor. Mix well.3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 can tomatoes, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano
- Pour the sauce from the blender over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook for 6 hours on low.
- After the chicken is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred it. Return it to the slow cooker and mix. Keep on warm until you are ready to serve.
- Serve with tortillas, avocado, cilantro, and all your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
- The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are what bring the heat, so adjust accordingly. For mild, use two peppers. For medium, which is what I usually do, use three peppers. For spicy, use more!
- You can prep all ingredients the night before and store them in the fridge. Then dump everything in your slow cooker in the morning!
- While you can use chicken breasts, I recommend sticking with thighs. They’re more flavorful and stay juicier during the long cooking process.
- The chicken is more tender when cooked on a low setting, so I recommend sticking with that.
- You can double the recipe as long as your slow cooker is big enough to hold it all
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
