Instant Pot Chicken Tinga - Spicy Chicken Dinner Recipe! (2024)

Chicken Tinga is a flavor-packed Mexican dinner made with juicy, shredded chicken, tomato puree, and chipotle peppers. Prepared in the Instant Pot, this chicken stew is a breeze to put together and serve!

Saucy Instant Pot Chicken Tinga

Today I’m coming to you with this Instant Pot Chicken Tinga, and I promise you’ll fall in love with it. Homemade chicken tinga is made with juicy shredded chicken, sautéed onions, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and more. The sauce that forms with this meal is the component that sealed the deal for me – it’s a little spicy, perfectly seasoned, and tastes amazing in a taco or over rice!

What is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken tinga is a traditional Mexican dish with shredded chicken, tomatoes (tomato purée), chipotle peppers or chilis in adobo sauce, and onions. It’s flavored with several seasonings such as dried oregano and cayenne, which elevate its savory elements and add a little heat. Chicken tinga is essentially a stew on its own, but you can serve it in tacos too, or on a tostada!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Flexible: It’s just the right fit for tostadas, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or any Mexican delicacy you choose.
• Tasty: The DIY sauce is a breeze to prepare and packs a punch in flavor!
• Healthy: It’s made with fresh produce, and the complete dish complements fresh toppings like lettuce, cilantro, and avocado.

Ingredients For Chicken Tinga

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Olive Oil
• Onion & Garlic
• Seasonings: You’ll need ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne, and a bay leaf.
• Tomato Purée: Use one 14-ounce can – any brand will work.
• Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Minced, plus 1 tablespoon of the sauce. I usually use two chipotle peppers, but if you like it really spicy, use more.
• Chicken Broth: I like to use low sodium chicken broth for this recipe.

How to Make Chicken Tinga in the Instant Pot

Chicken tinga is the perfect meal for busy weeknights – it doesn’t require much prep work, and basically, all you have to do is add the ingredients to the Instant Pot.

• Sauté the Onions: Select the “Sauté” button on the Instant Pot. Add the oil and heat it up until shimmering. To the instant pot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes.
• Make the Sauce: Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and the ½ teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Stir in the tomato purée, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the sauté.
• Prepare and Cook the Chicken: Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add chicken breasts to the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 8 minutes. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
• Shred the Chicken: Open the Instant Pot, take the chicken out, and shred it using two forks. Stir the shredded chicken back in the pot and turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode.
• Cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Serve.

Tips for Success

Here are a couple of extra tips on how to make the best chicken tinga in the Instant Pot:

• Can I Do Quick Pressure Release? Sure. I generally do natural pressure release, but if you’re crunched for time, feel free to do a quick pressure release.
• Adjust the Spice to Your Tastes: If you aren’t big on spice, feel free to a) leave out the cayenne and b) use less of the chipotle peppers in the adobe sauce. Conversely, if you like a little heat, feel free to add a little more of each.
• Can I Use Chicken Thighs? Yes, you can. Both chicken breasts and chicken thighs will taste great in this recipe. You may have to slightly adjust the cooking time, though, and make sure that the chicken cooks all the way through. Chicken is done when internal temperature registers at 165˚F. Use an instant read meat thermometer to check.

Serving Suggestions

• There are a few different directions that you could serve Chicken Tinga. Serve it in tacos, on tostadas, with a salad, in lettuce wraps, etc. It’s really up to you. You can also present it over white or brown rice to keep things simple.
• If you’re going to serve chicken tinga as chicken tacos, I have a couple of suggestions. In my house, we use these low carb flour tortillas as the base. We then include shredded cabbage, avocado, cotija cheese, some cilantro, and serve it with lime wedges.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• The best way to reheat chicken tinga is on your stovetop. Include the chicken and the sauce in a pan over medium heat, and cook until the chicken is warm.

More Chicken Dinners

• Juicy Stove Top Chicken Breasts
• Juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs
• Easy Baked Chicken Breasts
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings

ENJOY!