These Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos are Mexican inspired – made with fire-roasted tomatoes & chipotle, they're gluten-free and ready in 30 minutes!
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Ingredients in chicken tinga
Oh Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos.
You are most definitely going to be on repeat for the next little while because they are SO addictive! Here's what you need to make them:
- yellow onion, finely diced
- garlic minced
- chili powder, cumin and salt
- adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
- chicken broth
- a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
- chicken breasts
- corn or flour tortillas
What does Tinga mean?
Tinga is a Mexican dish typically made with shredded chicken (though pork or beef can be used) and seasoned with tomatoes, chipotle chilis and onions. This version is made special for the pressure cooker!
Where does Tinga originate from?
Tinga originates from Puebla, Mexico, which is very close to Mexico City.
How to make Instant Pot Tacos
Here's how to make these easy tacos:
- Add onions, garlic, seasonings, chicken broth, tomatoes and chicken to your Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred them before adding back to the sauce in the Instant Pot. Stir well and let it sit for 5 minutes to soak up the flavour.
- Meanwhile, microwave your corn tortillas and prepare toppings of choice. Add toppings and chicken to tortillas, then serve and enjoy!
How do you shred chicken breast?
You can easily shred chicken with two forks or a fork and knife. Personally, I prefer to pull it apart with my hands but with this Instant Pot shredded chicken, it should be tender enough to start falling apart once you shred with a fork and knife. You can also use a hand mixer right in the Instant Pot to shred it.
Making this recipe in the slow cooker
You can also make this taco recipe in the slow cooker! Here's how:
- Add olive oil, onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, adobo sauce, broth, tomatoes and chicken to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
- Once done, remove the chicken breasts and shred. Add back to sauce in slow cooker, then serve with corn tortillas and toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Ingredient substitutions
Chicken – You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or even chicken drumsticks to make this recipe. Just be sure to discard the chicken bones if using drumsticks.
Fire roasted tomatoes – Use a can of regular diced tomatoes if you can't find fire roasted, or use crushed tomatoes.
Adobo sauce – This comes from the can of chipotle peppers. If you don't have them on hand, the flavours will change but you can try the following to get it close to the real thing: mix up some minced pickled jalapeno pepper with 1 tbsp smoky BBQ sauce.
Spices – You can use taco seasoning instead of chili powder and cumin.
Tortillas – I prefer corn tortillas for this recipe (find them in the bakery or frozen foods section of your local grocery store), but flour will work just as well.
Topping ideas
Of course while the chicken tinga is cooking away (whether you go the slow cooker route or with the Instant Pot), you'll have more than enough time to get all your toppings ready!
Here's what I used, but feel free to use whichever toppings you'd like:
- Raw onions (this is what tinga is traditionally served with!)
- Tomatoes
- Romaine lettuce
- Sliced avocado
- Chopped fresh cilantro (another traditional serving)
- Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use feta)
Storing and reheating
I suggest storing the chicken tinga separate from the tortillas and toppings so you can reheat it separately. Sprinkle some water overtop to help the chicken retain moisture, then reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Assemble your tacos fresh from there.
Freezing the chicken
You can also freeze the chicken for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat as usual to serve.
More Instant Pot taco recipes
Tools to make this recipe
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60
is the version I use in this recipe. - Grab some Glass meal prep bowls for your leftovers.
- And of course I get all my free-range chicken breasts from Butcher Box!
is the version I use in this recipe.
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Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers)
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup fire roasted diced tomatoes (pureed in a blender)
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 8 corn tortillas
Topping Ideas
- Raw onions, diced
- Tomatoes, diced
- romaine lettuce, chopped
- Sliced avocado
- chopped fresh cilantro
- Cotija cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Add olive oil, onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, adobo sauce, broth, tomatoes and chicken to the Instant Pot in that order. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes (Instant Pot will take 10-15 min to preheat) and do a quick pressure release once the cooking cycle is finished.
- Open the lid when safe to do so and remove the chicken breasts. Shred apart with a knife and fork, or let cool and shred with your hands. Add back to sauce in Instant Pot and stir until well combined. Replace lid and let sit another 5 min.
- Meanwhile, microwave corn tortillas for 30 seconds and prepare toppings of choice. Add toppings and chicken to tortillas, then serve and enjoy!
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
- Add olive oil, onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, adobo sauce, broth, tomatoes and chicken to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
- Once done, remove the chicken breasts and shred. Add back to sauce in slow cooker, then serve with corn tortillas and toppings of choice. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Sabina says
Great recipe!
To adapt it for a slow cooker, I suggest using whole chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Chicken breasts will breakdown in the slow cooker while thighs won’t and can be shredded. 🙂
Taylor Stinson says
That’s a great idea! Thanks Sabina!
Barbara Haar says
5 minutes on high. Yes yes yes. Others suggest 10 and 8 with 10 minute natural release. Me thinks that’s overcooking the chicken. I feel a deep connection and the warm glow of affirmation here
Taylor Stinson says
Haha, Barbara you are speaking my language!!!! Maybe people creating those recipes are using different models of Instant Pots…I’m not sure! I always find my diced up chicken cooks in 2-5 minutes on high; though natural pressure release provides more tender chicken overall so maybe it’s ok on the 10 minute mark with NPR and quick release. Either way, I want my food ready QUICKER, lol!
Virginia Granados says
Can this recipe be doubled?
Taylor Stinson says
You should be able to double it! I don’t think you need to adjust cook time either (based off feedback I’ve heard from other people on other Instant Pot recipes I have). Let me know how it goes 🙂
Virginia Granados says
Will do. Thanks!
Colleen says
Taylor..this sounds like something I just may make this weekend, My daughter is coming home from Toronto tonight for the long weekend. I do not have an instant pot..not sure at my age it’s worth the investment. I have lots of time on my hands ..lol..and was never fond of meat cooked in a slow cooker. To me it always tasted “texture -wise” like it’s been steamed. I have a regular pressure cooker..but anyways…I didn’t realize you’d moved “into” the big city! I was just down around King and Queen a couple of weeks ago….Where oh where are you finding your cojita cheese??? I have never ever seen it. St. Lawrence market? I must tell my daughter about this Mi Taco Taqueria. Thanks Taylor!
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Colleen! So sorry for the delay in response I was actually painting and moving some more the last few days, hah! I found my cotija cheese in Kensington Market actually at La Tortilleria! They sell some other Mexican ingredients and I think they have a few locations across the city 🙂
Colleen says
Oh..and what would be a good sub for the cheese?
Corry says
I look forward to making this, it sounds fabulous! I have one clarifying question. When I read the blog it sounded like I was going to put the peppers in chipotle sauce into my blender. When I read the recipe I will only need the sauce from the peppers. Can you help me understand what to do with this ingredient? Thank you!!
Taylor Stinson says
Sorry for any confusion! You will just be adding 2 tbsp of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles as the recipe states. The peppers themselves don’t go in, just the sauce they come in. Hope that helps!
Ashley says
How long would you cook it with frozen chicken
Taylor Stinson says
I haven’t tried it myself but I have heard you add 5 more minutes to the cook time for frozen chicken. You can always try it and see if that works! If they are larger breasts I recommend adding 10 more minutes to the cook time.