Chipotle Chicken Tinga Recipes

CHIPOTLE BBQ CHICKEN TINGA TACOS

Steps:

• Put chicken, 1/2 of the onion, and 6 garlic cloves in a pot. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Remove chicken from the pot. Discard garlic and cooking water. Shred chicken when cool enough to handle.
• Combine ketchup, beer, vinegar, jalapeno pepper, brown sugar, ground chili pepper, mustard, cumin, paprika, and salt in a bowl for sauce.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining onion and minced garlic; cook until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over the chicken and stir until well mixed and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve chicken mixture in tortillas.

TINGA DE POLLO (CHICKEN WITH CHIPOTLE AND ONIONS)

Steps:

• Cook the chicken: Combine the chicken, onion, celery and carrots in a large saucepan and add 4 cups cold water. Add more water if needed to cover the solids. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bones, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a bowl. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, then pull the meat into very fine shreds. Strain the broth and reserve for Tamales de Pollo or another use.
• While the chicken cooks, make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. While the onion cooks, puree the tomatoes, chipotles and garlic in a blender until smooth. Add to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken to the sauce and gently fold to evenly coat and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately or cool to room temperature to use a filling for Tamales de Pollo.

BITE-SIZE CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SOFT TACOS (TINGA DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Combine chicken with water, half of onion, whole garlic clove, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium (3- to 4- quart) saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer for 10 minutes. Cover and let sit until chicken is just cooked through (165°F on an instant-read thermometer), about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Strain and reserve 1 cup of broth for tinga and save remaining broth for another use.
• When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding skin and bones.
• Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato. Blanch in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl of ice water. Peel and core, then finely chop.
• Cook remaining chopped onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and crumble in oregano, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still saucy, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (a toaster oven works fine, too).
• Add chicken, 3/4 cup of reserved cooking liquid, and chipotle to the tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and excess liquid is almost completely evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool to warm and moisten with additional cooking liquid if mixture looks dry.
• Meanwhile, using cookie cutter, cut out a circle from each tortilla, stacking 12 in each of two folded sheets of foil (reserve remaining tortilla scraps for chilaquiles). Wrap each stack in foil and warm through in oven, 5 to 10 minutes.
• To serve, arrange warm tortillas on a heated platter and divide chicken mixture among them (about 1 rounded tablespoon per tortilla), spooning it onto center of each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese and top each taco with a cilantro sprig.