This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga is out of this world! Abundantly flavorful, tender and juicy and so, so easy! It’s a great game day meal too.
You asked, so I’m delivering folks.
Another slow cooker meal that’s guaranteed to be a family fave.
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga is out of this world!
What is Chicken Tinga?
It’s a Mexican dish that originated in Puebla, Mexico that’s made of shredded chicken in a tomato chipotle chile sauce.
What does “tinga” mean?
The word tinga means stew.
I first heard of chicken tinga from a friend I used to work with who was from Mexico. It was a meal he made often for his family and friends because it was not only extremely economical, but incredibly flavorful.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- olive oil
- boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ground chorizo sausage
- yellow onion
- garlic
- crushed tomatoes in puree
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- light brown sugar
- oregano
- thyme
- kosher salt and pepper
- cumin
- bay leaves
- Cotija cheese
- tortillas
This dish features boneless, skinless chicken thighs, crushed tomatoes in purée, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, some onions and garlic and my friends special ingredient, some ground chorizo sausage.
Step-By-Step Instructions
The first step is to brown your chicken about 3 minutes per side and then transfer the chicken to your slow cooker.
The next step is to cook the chorizo, breaking up with a wooden spoon. You’ll add the chopped onion and continue to cook until onion is translucent and then add to the chicken in the slow cooker followed by the garlic, crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, spices and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
The last step is to shred the chicken with two forks. Discard bay leaves. Serve over rice or with tortillas.
I added two chipotle peppers which I chose not to seed because I wanted some additional spice. I sometimes add three for even more heat. It’s all up to what you prefer really. There’s no right or wrong.
It’s perfect for your game day menu. I’m keeping this one in my back pocket for the Olympics later this summer. I’ll probably double or triple the recipe depending on how many people I’ve got coming and I’ll serve it with tortillas, some queso fresco or cotija cheese and fresh chopped cilantro.
Hope you give this easy, slow cooker meal a try folks. When you don’t want to turn on the oven this summer because of the heat a simple slow cooker meal is always the answer.
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
As mentioned above, I used two chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for this recipe. I did not seed them. I wanted some extra spice. If you enjoy things mild, seed your peppers and then chop.
You can purchase the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a can in the international aisle at your supermarket. The brand I use is Goya.
More Delicious Slow Cooker Meals to Enjoy
Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 8 oz. ground chorizo sausage
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes in puree
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (from a 7 oz. can)
- 2 tsp. light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- cotija cheese or queso fresco, for serving
- tortillas, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, cook chorizo, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until about 3 minutes. Add the chopped onion and continue to cook until onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chorizo and onions to the slow cooker. Add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, brown sugar, spices and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
- Shred chicken with two forks. Discard bay leaves. Serve over rice or with tortillas.
First of all….how fun is ‘chicken tinga’ to say?? Second of all, delish!! Love the chicken and chorizo combo! Talk about flavourful and hearty! Trying this out soon. Hubby would love to. Pinned :) Happy Monday, my friend!
Haha! You’re so funny Dawn! Honestly, this dish is SUPER scrumptious! Mr. Picky who doesn’t like dark chicken meat LOVED this!
Slow cookers are pretty much magic! It seems like something as delicious and hearty as this shouldn’t be quite so easy to prepare. Have a great week, Mary Ann!
It’s honestly so easy Kelsie and one of my most favorite slow meals EVER! So much flavor!
We usually host a taco night for family over the holidays, and I’m thinking chicken tinga needs to be added to the menu too! This looks so flavourful and I love that it can be made in the slow cooker! Pinned!
Oh, I really hope it is Leanne! You’d really LOVE it!
Yesssss!! Gimme all the cozy, slow cooker meals!!! This chicken tinga is absolutely screaming my name!! I love that you added chorizo – I bet that kicks it up a few flavorful notches! And, I’m all for that smoky heat, so I’ll be adding lots of chipotles! Such a perfect meal! Pinned!
You’d really enjoy this one Chey! It’s so incredibly easy and full of flavor!
I am slowly starting to cook again and your chicken tinga is something I like to try. Easy to make and so tasty. Pinned!
So happy for you Gerlinde! Hope you give it a try!
Time to pull out the slow cooker! You have inspired me, big time!! We’ll start with this chicken tinga and see where we go from there! Happy Monday, my friend!! Pinned!
This one’s a winner, winner chicken dinner Annie!
Loving the sound of these flavours – and that it is made in the slow cooker! Brilliant!
I hope you give it a try Alex. It’s so tasty!
Mary Ann, I love this! The addition of chorizo is genius!! I am a HUGE Mexican food fan so you best believe my husband and I will be making this soon! The fact that it’s made in the slow cooker is makes it even better! Yay! Pinning!
You’re going to love it Haylie. I just know it! Enjoy!
This is my ideal weekend dinner! I love slow cooker meals like this. We get to enjoy the wonderful smell of it cooking all day and then an easy and delicious meal at the end of it :)
This one is crazy delish Jennifer! Tom couldn’t get enough. He loves it!
if I double the recipe should I increase cook time?
Hi Gwen. Start with the original cook time of 2 1/2 hours on high. You will be browning the chicken on both sides in the skillet before adding to the slow cooker. And the chorizo will be fully cooked with the onion before adding to the slow cooker also. After the 2 1/2 hours remove one of the thighs to shred. If it’s totally cooked through (no pink) and extremely easy to shred, you’re good to go. If you think it needs more time, continue to cook on high for another 30 minutes or until it appears fully cooked. Enjoy! This one’s delish!
I seriously can’t wait to make this one! Totally up our alley. Etienne and I would prefer it extra spicy but we’ll have to keep it toned down for the munchkins. I know they’d love it served in a tortilla! The slow cooker saves me on cold winter days! Pinning!
Me too Katherine! Hope you all enjoy it!
Oooh, Mary Ann! I love a good tinga! And the addition of chorizo just elevates this to awesome! So much flavor! I love this, it’s likely to make an appearance at my house, soon!
Yay! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do Laura!
Your chicken tings looks like perfection, Mary Ann! I love that you used chicken thighs for this too…so much flavor!
I love a good chicken thigh dish Marissa! And this one’s a winner, winner!
Chicken tinga is new to me, but I’m already a fan! This looks so full of flavor and is perfect for watching football – or just a family dinner!
You’d LOVE it Kathy. This is one flavorful, easy dish!!
I’m obsessed with Tinga flavors, Mare and this looks fabulous! No doubt, add those extra chopotles and leave in the seeds. I’m all in!
Yay! It’s so good Traci! Tom loved it and he doesn’t usually go for dark meat chicken! He’s learning!
So much flavor! This is for sure a winner, winner chicken dinner!
You’d really enjoy it Kevin! Thanks!
Mary Ann, the whole family would go crazy over this chicken tinga! Love, love, love the flavors. And slow cooker meals are such a life saver on busy weeknights.
Hope you give it a go Kelly! You won’t be disappointed!
Chicken Chorizo from Sprouts worked great with this recipe. We had boneless skinless chicken breast and it worked out great. We will make this again.
So happy you enjoyed it Walt! Glad to know the chicken breasts and chicken chorizo work too!
Super delicious – thank you. Made as-is except without the chorizo and stopped cooking at 2 hours. Everyone loved, and my daughter ate the leftover broth as tortilla soup!
So happy you all enjoyed it Wendy!! Thanks so much for following along here at the BHK!
Made this last night with smoked lamb chorizo sausage. Since the chorizo was already smoked, I just cut it up and added it after the onions had sauteed a minute or two. Used 4 chiptotle peppers. It was divine!!!
So happy you enjoyed it Leslie! It’s one of my favorites. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! Happy Holidays!
I am so excited to make this!
I bought Beef Chorizo that’s in a tube and it’s the crumbly kind.
Is that okay to use?
You mean in a link Jolene? If so, yes that’s correct. They are fresh links of chorizo. You’ll see the chorizo featured in the photos with the raw chopped onions on top. You’ll cook the chorizo until it’s cooked though. Enjoy! We love this tinga!
I use Cacique brand soy chorizo and it works great
This is one of my favorite recipes on the blog Daniel! Glad you enjoy it too!
I would love to try this recipe but cannot find chorizo sausage. What would be a good substitute? Thank you.
Hi Linda. You could actually omit the chorizo and just additional chicken thighs in its place. It’s not usually included in classic chicken tinga recipes anyway. I just added it for extra flavor as recommended to me by my friend from Mexico. It will be delicious with or without it.