These Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos are a delicious smoky take on a Mexican food favourite – made with fire-roasted tomatoes and a hint of chipotle, they're gluten-free, come together in 30 minutes and you can prep the toppings while the chicken cooks!
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Chicken Tinga Tacos you forever have my heart.
I always get them from my fave taco place in Toronto called Mi Taco Taqueria, located along Queen Street West. You know, the street that was voted the second coolest neighbourhood in the world by Vogue?
I feel so lucky to call this city home! <3
So…my gym is around the corner from Queen West, and about a five minute walk from this taco place. They've got this AMAZING elote (Mexican street corn in a cup) along with some super tasty tacos, and they're pretty cheap. I'll usually grab a couple on my way home if I don't feel like cooking. And let me tell you, I'm in love with the chicken tinga.
So obviously when I saw Pinch of Yum feature chicken tinga tacos from the cookbook The Minimalist Kitchen, I knew I had to try them. And after about 3 or 4 times making them without even having to peep the recipe anymore, I knew I had to try a version in the Instant Pot!
Oh Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos.
You are most definitely going to be on repeat for the next little while!
How to Make Chicken Tinga Tacos
Let me break down what makes these chicken tinga tacos so amazing. First of all, it's definitely the sauce. You really can't go wrong.
Start with onions and garlic, add in a little bit of cumin and chili powder followed by some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Add in a teensy bit of chicken broth, a little salt, fire roasted diced tomatoes and boom, you've got a chicken taco sauce that's to die for. Seriously, I don't think you'll ever make chicken tacos any other way after this!
The traditional version called for some sauteeing of these ingredients before you blend them in the blender, but for the sake of making this an easy dump dinner Instant Pot recipe, I've only blended the fire roasted tomatoes.
Because that's the thing every time I've made these chicken tinga tacos: I've had to cook the chicken ahead of time or rely on leftover/rotisserie chicken, and I find that the chicken cooking takes up SO MUCH TIME that you could spend actually eating it.
So, what's a girl to do?
Cook the sauce and the chicken at the same time, and in one pot!
Basically, you're going to dump all your sauce ingredients in and then add three whole chicken breasts, then cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. That's all there is to it!
You could definitely also make this a chicken tinga slow cooker recipe by doing the exact same thing and cooking on low for 8 hours (or on high for 5-6 hours). I haven't exactly tested it this way but based on my knowledge of the slow cooker I'd say you're in the clear here.
Really, this chicken tinga recipe is all about cooking the chicken in the sauce, then removing the chicken and shredding it before adding it back to the sauce. Soooooo simple.
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!
And because, like I said, I live in the greatest city in the world, I also happen to live close by to the infamous Kensington Market! Across the street, really. So that means that when I'm not too lazy to cook, I have the chance to swing by all the international food markets and grab ingredients like cotija cheese and real corn tortillas.
None of those grocery store flour bullshit ones. I hate those!
Of course all the toppings I've listed below are just ideas so you can use up whatever you have lying around in your fridge, but I highly recommend the cheese and the sliced avocado. The perfect pairings for these Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos…well, any type of tacos really.
And don't forget the cilantro! I always add extra on mine!
Will you be making these Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos?
I swear they are my new fave taco – I don't think I could ever eat any other type of taco filling ever again!
If you try any of my recipes be sure to let me know on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or in the comments – I’d love to see what you come up with!
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!
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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)
- 3 medium-sized chicken breasts
- 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!
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.