Karen's Mexican Pulled Chicken Tinga - and how to make fabulous tacos!
TINGA is a Mexican Specialty with pulled chicken in a full- flavored Chipotle-Tomato Sauce. Moderately spicy and definitely smokey. See how to make the best tacos.
Servings: 10 servings (Tinga Sauce & Chicken)
Ingredients
Seasoning the Chicken:
- 1 3/4 pounds chicken breasts on the bone 2 large ones
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 pinches each salt & pepper
Tinga Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion medium, peeled, coarsely chopped
- 6 medium garlic cloves peeled, left whole
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 cup tomatoes in puree
- 2 medium chipotle peppers* (in adobe) from can
- 1 tablespoon adobe sauce (from chipotle can)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar I use organic Bragg variety
- 1 cup chicken broth preferably home made
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Instructions
Chicken:
- Clean and dry chicken, add to a plate. Drizzle with one teaspoon evoo and rub all over with chipotle powder, salt & pepper.
- Heat a dutch oven to medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil. Add chicken, skin side down and cook until golden, about 2 minutes, turn over with tongs and cook 2 minutes more - Remove to a plate.
Tinga Sauce:
- Add onions and garlic to the fat left in the pan, cook stirring over moderate heat until they are golden, 4 minutes. Add oregano (crumble with your fingers), and stir a few seconds. Add chopped tomatoes in puree, chipotle peppers, adobe sauce, maple syrup & vinegar - stir well and simmer 3 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and sea salt, bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts into the sauce, skin side up. Spoon some sauce over the chicken (will be partially submerged in the sauce.)When the sauce is simmering - cover and cook until the chicken has cooked through, and is firm to the touch (165 degrees is just right) about 35 minutes. (Check that the sauce is just simmering, not higher heat.)
- Remove chicken to a clean plate to cool slightly. Puree the sauce using an emersion blender**
Shred Chicken
- Remove skin, simply shred the chicken with a fork - place in a bowl with some Tinga Sauce it has cooked in. Discard all bones. You will use most of the remaining Tinga Sauce for the tacos. Yields: approximately 3 1/2 cups shredded chicken.
Let's Make Tacos! Ingredients:
- 10 corn tortillas, heated in a skillet with a little oil.Sauté 1 medium onion, sliced in evoo until cooked and slightly blackened. Sauté corn kernels from one ear in evoo until cooked and slightly blackened. Slice colorful radishes very thin - pickle them if you like. Slice half of a avocado thinly. Chop 3 tablespoons of cilantro or parsley. Crumble 1/2 cup Cotija cheese.
Taco Time:
- Add a portion of pulled chicken on each tortilla - top with 2 teaspoons Tinga Sauce. Portion and add all vegetables, herbs and cheese. Fold and eat! Serve with some Tinga Sauce on the side.
Notes
*Chipotle Peppers (dried chipotles) are sold in cans in adobo sauce. I most supermarkets and Mexican markets. Please read ingredients, ad some contain high fructose corn syrup and wheat flour, which you do not want.)
**Use an Immersion Blender (easiest, one pan cooking) - can also puree in a food processor to blender.
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.
Nutrition
Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg