Easy & Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

This Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy a delicious, home-cooked meal with minimal effort. It’s a tender, shredded, spicy chicken dish that’s typically boiled on the stove top, but in this recipe, we use a slow cooker for convenience and to enhance the flavors.

The chicken is cooked with chipotle peppers, guajillo chiles, and other aromatic ingredients, then shredded and mixed with a sauce made from the same aromatics. Served on tostadas with refried beans and various toppings, it’s a crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken (4 pounds): This is the dish’s star. The chicken is slow-cooked until it’s tender and easily shredded. You can also use chicken pieces like breasts, legs, or thighs.

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (3.7 ounces): These peppers add a smoky and spicy flavor.

Tomatoes (2): Fresh tomatoes provide a fresh and tangy flavor.

Guajillo Chiles (3): These are dried chilies cleaned and de-stemmed. They add a sweet heat to the dish.

Garlic (4 cloves): Garlic adds a savory depth to the dish.

Dried Bay Leaf (1): This infuses the dish with a subtle, herbal flavor.

Medium Onion (1/2): Onion adds a savory and slightly sweet flavor.

Chicken Bouillon Powder (1 tablespoon): This is used to enhance the flavor of the chicken.

Salt and Pepper: These are added to taste.

Granulated Onion Powder: This adds an extra layer of onion flavor.

Granulated Garlic Powder: This enhances the garlic flavor in the dish.

For the Tostadas:

• Refried Beans: These are spread on the tostadas as a base for the chicken tinga.
• Onion and Shredded Lettuce: These are used as toppings for the tostadas.
• Avocado: Fresh avocado slices are used as a topping for the tostadas.
• Crema or Sour Cream: This is used as a topping for the tostadas, adding a creamy element.
• Queso Fresco: This is a fresh Mexican cheese that is crumbled on top of the tostadas.
• Corn Tortillas: These are fried until crispy to make the tostadas. You can also use store-bought tostadas.

Making The Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Preparing the Slow Cooker:
Place the chicken in the slow cooker and add all the other ingredients. Note that no additional liquid is added at this stage as the chicken will render its juices during cooking.

Cooking Time:
Cover the slow cooker with a lid and set it to high. Allow the chicken to cook until it is tender and falling apart. This should take around four hours.

Removing Aromatics:
After four hours, remove all the aromatics, chili peppers, tomato, onion, and garlic. These will be pureed to make a sauce to mix into the shredded chicken.

Shredding the Chicken:
Once all the vegetables and chili peppers are removed, shred the chicken. It should be so tender that it falls apart easily. Remove all the bones from the chicken as you go.

Preparing the Sauce:
Puree all the chilies, tomato, onion, and garlic removed earlier. Add salt to taste and one cup of water. Puree until smooth.

Combining Chicken and Sauce:
Pour the puree into the slow cooker with the shredded chicken. Mix well and adjust the seasoning as needed. Cover with a lid and set to low or keep warm until ready to serve.

Preparing Refried Beans:
Heat a pan and add a little avocado oil. Add diced onion and cook until aromatic. Add pre-boiled pinto beans and season with salt and pepper. Let them simmer and cook before mashing them into a paste.

Frying Tostadas:
Heat oil in a pan to around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry corn tortillas on both sides until they are light golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Assembling Tostadas:
Spread the refried beans on a tostada. Top with the shredded chicken tinga. Add lettuce, sour cream, queso fresco, and fresh avocado slices. Adjust the toppings according to your preference.

Serving:
Serve the tostadas immediately while they are still fresh and crispy. Enjoy this delicious meal.

Tips and Variations for the Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Recipe:

Tips:

1. Chicken: You can use boneless chicken breasts or thighs if you prefer, just adjust the cooking time as they may cook faster.
2. Spiciness: Adjust the amount of chipotle peppers and guajillo chiles according to your preference for heat.
3. Toppings: Feel free to customize the tostada toppings based on your preferences. You could add diced tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, or even a sprinkle of lime juice.
4. Refried Beans: If you prefer creamier refried beans, don’t let them simmer as long.
5. Tortillas: If you’re short on time, use store-bought tostadas instead of frying your own.

Variations:

1. Vegetarian Version: You could substitute the chicken with jackfruit or mushrooms for a vegetarian version.
2. Taco Version: Instead of tostadas, you could use the chicken tinga as a filling for tacos.
3. Enchilada Version: The chicken tinga could also be used to fill enchiladas. Roll it up in tortillas, add enchilada sauce and cheese, and bake.
4. Extra Spicy Version: For an extra kick, add some diced jalapenos or habanero peppers to the chicken while it’s cooking.
5. Cheese Version: For a cheesy twist, sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the tostadas and broil them until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga
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