A delicious crockpot chicken tinga recipe that tastes like it came straight from a Mexican restaurant. So easy and only takes 5 minutes to prep. These tinga tacos are authentic and amazing!
Mexican food is my absolute favorite…I could eat it every day! This recipe is one of my top picks, along with one pot burrito bowls, sweet pork tacos and slow cooker taco lasagna.
These chicken tinga tacos are incredible and taste like they came straight from a Mexican restaurant. My inspiration for this recipe came from a trip I took to Nashville. We went on a walking food tour through the city and ate at 4 different taco shops in 4 hours. I ate some of the best tacos of my life that day.
On the tour, I had the most delicious chicken tinga tacos and knew I had to try and recreate the recipe at home to share with you. At another restaurant, I tried the most amazing feta crema sauce on a taco as well, so I thought I would take the two and make one amazing taco. And the combination did not disappoint…these tacos are amazing and SO easy to make!
What is chicken tinga?
Chicken tinga (also known as tinga de pollo in Spanish) is a Mexican recipe that consists of shredded chicken that’s topped in a tomato, chipotle pepper and onion sauce. Additional seasonings may be added to the sauce based on preference, such as garlic or taco seasoning.
How to make tinga tacos in the crockpot
My favorite thing about this recipe is that you only need 5 minutes and 5 ingredients to make it. So easy and delicious!
- SAUCE. Place the tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onion and seasonings in a blender and pulse about 5 times. The peppers and taco seasoning add just the right amount of heat.
- COOK. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker and cook on low for about 4 to 6 hours (or on high for about 2.5 to 3.5 hours). Once the chicken simmers in the sauce, it will have a nice smoky chipotle flavor. Shred the chicken once tender, then place back in crockpot and cook an additional 15 to 30 minutes.
- SERVE. Serve the chicken inside of tortillas with toppings like crema sauce, cilantro and red onion.
Crema sauce
The feta crema sauce seriously takes the chicken tinga from ordinary to extraordinary. It’s definitely worth trying, and only takes a couple extra minutes to make. Promise!
- Stir the cream cheese, feta and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth.
- Add milk to crema sauce as needed to thin it out.
Note: Place crema in a zip top bag and then cut off the top to drizzle over the chicken tacos. It’s a little thick, so you could also just add a big dollop to the center of the tacos. :)
More delicious toppings
- Avocado slices or guacamole
- Cilantro
- Cotija cheese
- Lime juice
- Chopped onions
- White sweet corn
Other Mexican dishes you’ll love:
- One Pot Mexican Rice
- Shredded Chicken Taco Salad
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Instant Pot Taco Bowls
- Steak Tacos
Crockpot Chicken Tinga Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 onion , diced
- 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobe (more if you like heat)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt , more to taste
Crema Recipe:
- 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 3 Tablespoons feta cheese
- 1/2 lemon , juiced
- whole milk (if needed)
For serving: tortillas, diced onions, chopped cilantro, crumbed feta or cotija cheese, lime slice
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
- Add the tomatoes, onion, peppers, garlic, taco seasoning and salt to a blender. Pulse 3 to 5 times. Then pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until you are able to shred the chicken. Shred and then cook an additional 15 to 30 minutes. Place slow cooker on warm until ready to serve.
- For the feta crema, stir the cream cheese, feta and lemon juice until smooth. Add milk to crema sauce as needed to thin it out.
- Serve the chicken inside of tortillas. Add your favorite toppings such as, onion, cilantro and feta cheese.
this was so good! And the crema, I could have just had that!
This was delicious! It was so easy to make in the slow cooker and turned out so flavorful and the chicken was incredibly juicy! The whole family loved it!
My family really loved this. Now they kept on asking this for dinner!
These tasted so authentic! Definitely making again. Hello Taco Tuesday!
Excited to make this recipe but typically my family only eats 1 pound of chicken total per meal. Could half of the cooked chicken tinga be frozen for 3-4 weeks?
Yes definitely!
Is it half the time if you cook on high ?
I would do 2.5-3.5 hours!
Do you add water to the croc pot before putting chicken in or u just put the chicken and salsa in ?
I just do the chicken and salsa! :)
I’m going to make this but forgot to thaw the chicken. Can it be made with frozen breasts?
Of course! I would just use the greater of the cooking time!
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I made it tonight for my family and EVERYONE was back for seconds! It’s such an easy week night meal…but would also be a treat for a casual get together or a party! YUM YUM YUM!
I’m so glad it was a hit!!
This is such a delcious, easy, cheap recipe. I made it yesterday for a birthday party and am making it again today because there was only a little bit left over and it’s all I ever want to eat again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Jen! :)