Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe

If you have been craving the best chicken taco Mexican food, then you need this Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos recipe. It has delicious chipotle peppers, and tender chicken thighs, all cooked the best way with a smoky flavor.

Close up of a platter of Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos

This is one of the easy ways to meal prep by preparing a little bit more than you think you need because the chicken makes great leftovers and can be used in different ways.

You can also use the crockpot chicken tinga meat to create your own burrito bowls, rice bowl, or even delicious burritos.

Here are even more delicious easy recipes for Mexican dishes:

Ingredients used to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos:

Ingredients needed to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos

Ingredients For the chicken tinga

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs; cook time will be the same)
Sea salt
Cumin
Smoked paprika
Olive oil
Yellow onion, sliced (white onion can work too!)
Cloves garlic, sliced
Chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped with 2 tablespoons of sauce
Enchilada sauce, mild red is best
Bay leaves
Cornstarch

For the cilantro crema (optional)

Sour cream
Fresh cilantro
Lime juice
Clove garlic
Jalapeno, small and seeded
Sea salt

To serve

Corn tortillas
Cotija cheese, crumbled
Sliced avocado
Chopped fresh cilantro
Cilantro crema (optional)

How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos:

Top view of a platter of Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos

For the Chicken

Place the chicken in the bowl of the slow cooker (or Instant pot on slow cook setting) with sea salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and olive oil.
Massage the olive oil and seasonings into the chicken to coat it evenly.
Add the yellow onion, garlic, chipotles in adobo, enchilada sauce, and bay leaf, and give everything a stir.
Place the lid on top of the cooker and cook the chicken on high for 4 hours in the slow cooker.
After the cooking time remove the bay leaves and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a large bowl and shred it with a fork.
Transfer the cooking liquid (similar to tomato sauce) from the crock pot to a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
Ladle 1/3 cup of the sauce into a small bowl and mix with the cornstarch until smooth.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and continue to boil for ~2 minutes or until thickened.
At the end of the cooking cycle when the sauce has thickened up, add the sauce to the shredded chicken and mix to combine.

For the cilantro crema

1.Add the sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, and sea salt to a blender and blend on medium-high speed until smooth.

Close up view of Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos with sauce and toppings.

To serve

1.Divide the chicken tinga between 12 tortillas and garnish with Cotija cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of cilantro crema.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos topped with crema sauce, avocado and cheese with a lime wedge on the side

Toppings for crock pot chicken tinga tacos:

This recipe would seriously be delicious as is, but you can always spice it up a bit with even more toppings. Here are a few suggestions:

Chopped red onion
Diced jalapeno peppers
Black beans
Pico de gallo
Chipotle chile peppers (if you want even more spice!)
Fresh tomatoes, diced

How to store this slow cooker chicken tinga recipe:

Place the leftover chicken into an airtight container with all of the sauce after it has cooled down, and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.

You can also place the shredded chicken in a freezer-safe bag and let it freeze for up to 3 months for later use.

What to serve with the most delicious chicken tinga tacos:

Other slow cooker chicken recipes:

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Serves: 6 2 Tacos per serving

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe

If you have been craving the best chicken taco Mexican food, then you need this Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos recipe.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 4 hrs

Assembly Time 10 mins

Total Time 4 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

Chicken Tinga

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (thighs or breasts; cook time will be the same)
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
4 chipotles in adobo sauce chopped with 2 tablespoons sauce
1½ cups enchilada sauce mild red is best
2 bay leaves
2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Cilantro Crema (Optional)

¾ cup sour cream
¾ cup fresh cilantro
1 lime juice of
2 garlic cloves minced
½ jalapeno small and seeded
½ teaspoon sea salt

To Serve

12 corn tortillas
½ cup Cotija Cheese crumbled
1 avocado sliced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 recipe of Cilantro Crema optional

Instructions

Chicken Tinga

Place the chicken in the bowl of the slow cooker with sea salt, cumin, smoked paprika ,and olive oil.
Massage the olive oil and seasonings into the chicken to coat evenly.
Add the yellow onion, garlic, chipotles in adobo, enchilada sauce, and bay leaf, and give everything a stir.
Cook on high for 4 hours in the slow cooker.
Remove the bay leaves and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a large bowl and shred with a fork.
Transfer the cooking liquid (sauce) from the crock pot to a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Ladle 1/3 cup of the sauce into a small bowl and mix with the cornstarch until smooth.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot and continue to boil for ~2 minutes or until thickened.
Add the sauce to the shredded chicken and mix to combine.

Cilantro Crema

Add the sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, and sea salt to a blender and blend on medium-high speed until smooth.

To Serve

Divide the chicken tinga between 12 tortillas and garnish with Cotija cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of cilantro crema.

Notes

Nutritional Information includes Cilantro Crema Sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 530 kcal · Carbohydrates: 41 g · Protein: 40 g · Fat: 24 g · Saturated Fat: 7 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g · Trans Fat: 0.02 g · Cholesterol: 125 mg · Sodium: 1846 mg · Potassium: 949 mg · Fiber: 9 g · Sugar: 7 g · Vitamin A: 1146 IU · Vitamin C: 14 mg · Calcium: 166 mg · Iron: 3 mg