Chicken tinga tacos

Chicken tinga tacos – fun to say, fun to eat… And a great leftover to use in packed lunches throughout the week.

Another bonus of making chicken tinga is the delicious stock that results from poaching the chicken. Sometimes I freeze it, but more often it gets added to soups or risotto over the following days.

While the tinga sauce should have a kick, it shouldn’t be blistering hot. And as I need to remind myself regularly, one person’s kick is another person’s wallop.

I’ve learned to go light on the chillies, then rachet the volume on my tacos with a dash of hot sauce.

Chicken tinga tacos
(serves 4-6)

• 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces (thighs or breasts)
• 1/4 of a large onion
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

For the tinga sauce:

• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 50g chorizo, diced
• 3/4 of a large onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 x 400g (14 oz ) tins whole plum tomatoes, well drained
• 2 Tb chipotle paste (or to taste)
• a pinch of chilli flakes (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper

To serve:

• corn tortillas
• crema (or creme fraiche)
• sliced avocado
• strong cheese (crumbled)
• chopped coriander

1. Remove the skin and any fat from the chicken pieces. Arrange in a heavy pot and just cover with cold water. Add the onion, bay leaves and garlic cloves.
2. Bring to a  boil over a medium flame. Skim any foam from the surface, then turn the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer the chicken for about half an hour, or until thoroughly cooked.
3. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate; strain and retain the stock. When the chicken is cool, shred it into pieces with your fingers and set aside.
4. To make the tinga sauce, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until it starts to crisp. Add the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and oregano.
5. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Cook until they are starting to form a sauce.
6. Add the chipotle paste, chilli flakes and a 1/4 cup of the reserved chicken stock. Stir in the shredded chicken and season with salt and pepper.
7. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about ten minutes to allow the flavours to develop. If the tinga looks wet rather than juicy, increase the heat and cook off the excess liquid.
8. Serve on warmed corn tortillas with crema (or creme fraiche), crumbled cheese, avocado slices and coriander.

Tags: avocado, chicken, chorizo, Mexican food, tortillas