Name: Tea House Chinese Restaurants Chicken Tinga Tacos Recipe
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts); 1 tbs olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion; 3 each garlic cloves; 2 each chipotle peppers in adobo; 8 oz tomato sauce; 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (canned); 1 cup chicken broth; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 each bay leaf; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbs lime juice; 12 each corn tortillas; 6 each radishes, very thinly sliced; 1 small white onion, finely diced; 0.5 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 0.5 cup Mexican crema or sour cream; 2 each limes, cut into wedges; 1 tsp vegetable oil (for warming tortillas); 0.25 tsp salt (for radish/onion)

Method

Chicken Tinga

Prep: Thinly slice the yellow onion. Peel and crush the garlic. Remove 2 chipotle peppers from the adobo and roughly chop; reserve a bit of adobo sauce (about 1 tsp).

Sear chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Sear chicken 2–3 minutes per side until golden (it will finish cooking later). Transfer to a plate.

Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the same pan and cook 5–6 minutes until softened and slightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Build sauce: Add the chopped chipotle peppers, reserved adobo, 8 oz tomato sauce, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, bay leaf, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer chicken: Return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling it into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 18–22 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender (internal temp 165°F/74°C).

Shred: Remove chicken to a cutting board, discard the bay leaf, and shred chicken with two forks or chop finely. Return shredded chicken to the sauce and simmer uncovered 5–8 minutes to let flavors meld and sauce thicken slightly.

Finish: Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or chipotle/adobo to reach a balance of tangy and smoky.

Toppings & Assembly

Prep radish/onion: While the chicken simmers, thinly slice the radishes and finely dice the white onion. Toss radishes and diced onion with 1/4 tsp salt and set aside for 5–10 minutes so flavors meld.

Warm tortillas: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, spreading briefly. Warm tortillas in batches 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly charred at the edges. Keep warmed tortillas covered with a clean towel to stay soft.

Assemble tacos: Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of shredded chicken tinga onto each warmed tortilla (about 12 tacos from 1 lb chicken). Top with a few thin radish slices and a sprinkle of diced white onion.

Add crema and cilantro: Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon Mexican crema or sour cream per taco (or serve crema on the side). Finish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime from the wedges.

Serve: Serve immediately while warm. Offer extra lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and hot sauce if desired.