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.
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 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:
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.
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.
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.
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
Equipment
Slow Cooker
Slotted Spoon
Large Bowl
Forks (to shred)
Saucepan
Ladle
Recipe Details
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