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Instant Pot Chicken Tinga is Mexican shredded chicken in a smoky tomato-chipotle sauce that is super easy to make and is used in chicken tacos, tostadas, nachos, chalupas, burritos, and enchiladas.
There is nothing better than that flavorful, saucy shredded chicken that is used in several of our favorite Mexican food recipes, such as chicken tacos, chicken tostadas, chicken enchiladas, chicken empanadas, nachos, chalupas, or burritos.
Table of Contents
- What Is Chicken Tinga?
- Why Make Chicken Tinga In An Instant Pot?
- Authentic Chicken Tinga
- Substitutions For Homemade Chipotle Sauce
- How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Tinga
- How To Serve Instant Pot Chicken Tinga
- Can Chicken Tinga Be Made In A Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot?
- What To Serve With Chicken Tinga
- Recipe
- Reviews
What Is Chicken Tinga?
Chicken Tinga, or Tinga De Pollo in Spanish, unlike chicken fajitas, which is more Tex-Mex, is an authentic Mexican recipe that was first created in Puebla, Mexico.
It is chicken that is stewed in a tangy, smoky tomato and chipotle pepper-based sauce and is used as a filling for chicken tacos, chicken tostadas, chicken enchiladas, chalupas, nachos, empanadas, and just about any other Mexican dish you can think of.
Why Make Chicken Tinga In An Instant Pot?
Any recipe where chicken is boiled or stewed lends itself to being pressure cooked in an Instant Pot. The pressure cooker builds pressure to create steam to cook the food. And it can cook the food often much faster than in traditional ways.
What I love best is that the pressure cooking makes the food taste like you spent hours cooking it, but it only took a fraction of the time it normally would.
Authentic Chicken Tinga
To make a homemade version of the chipotle sauce, which is a more authentic version, I recommend starting by making my homemade Chipotle Sauce. I have a blog post with detailed, step by step instructions, along with process photos, that show you How To Make Chipotle Sauce.
This Chipotle Sauce or Salsa is so good that it can be used in multiple recipes, including this Chicken Tinga, as well as Enchiladas Rojas De Queso. The sauce starts with oven-roasted tomatoes. I love my instant pot but oven roasting the tomatoes gives the sauce a more rich, smoky flavor.
I recommend making the Chipotle Sauce ahead of time, maybe a day ahead because it gives it time for the flavor to fully develop. This tomato-based Chipotle Sauce is the basis for the sauce used in making Instant Pot Chicken Tinga.
Don’t forget to visit How To Make Chipotle Sauce for the detailed instructions for the Chipotle Sauce.
Substitutions For Homemade Chipotle Sauce
If you don’t want to take the time to roast the tomatoes, you could substitute a jar of store-bought Chipotle Salsa to use in the Instant Pot Chicken Tinga recipe.
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How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Tinga
Once you have the Chipotle Salsa, the rest of the recipe is really easy to make in the Instant Pot. Just follow these easy steps to make Instant Pot Chicken Tinga. Also, see the corresponding step by step photo collage below the detailed instructions. Please note that I made this recipe in an Instant Pot IP-DUO60 6 Qt (Amazon affiliate link).
- Pour a 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the inner liner pan of the Instant Pot.
- Next, place about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) in the inner liner pan of the Instant Pot.
- Try to place the chicken breasts in one layer in the Instant Pot, as shown in the photo below.
- Pour 1-1/2 cups of chipotle sauce or chipotle salsa on top of the chicken.
- Add one teaspoon cumin.
- Add one teaspoon Mexican oregano. (You can substitute regular oregano or Italian Seasoning.)
- Close the lid, and move the venting knob on top of the Instant Pot to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL on some models) and adjust the time to 10 minutes.
- NOTE: It will take the Instant Pot about 5 or 10 minutes to come up to pressure before it starts to pressure cook for 10 minutes. During this time the display will show “On.” After the Instant Pot has come up to pressure, it will start to pressure cook and will display the amount of time left to pressure cook.
- After the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking for 10 minutes, let it release naturally (meaning do nothing). After the pin on top has dropped, then carefully open the lid of the Instant Pot.
- Using a long-handled slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board or a plate. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the Instant Pot with the liquid.
- Press the SAUTE button. This will heat the liquid and the chicken (which had cooled while it was shredded) and will thicken the sauce. Once the sauce is thickened, then the Chicken Tinga is ready to serve!
How To Serve Instant Pot Chicken Tinga
Chicken Tinga is so versatile that it can be served as a chicken filling in a variety of Mexican food recipes, such as chicken tacos, nachos, or chicken enchiladas. Traditionally, it is served on top of a tostada as Chicken Tinga Tostadas, or as a chalupa with rice and beans. Then you can top it with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, guacamole or pico de gallo.
Can Chicken Tinga Be Made In A Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot?
Yes. Make the chipotle sauce separately. Once the chipotle sauce is made, place all ingredients, including the chipotle sauce, in the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high and 8 hours on low.
What To Serve With Chicken Tinga
- Tortillas – Serve with either corn or flour tortillas, or a fried tostada if you want a chalupa. This recipe from Grumpy’s Honeybunch is my go-to recipe.
- Guacamole – Serve either as a garnish or a side dish.
- Pico De Gallo – Use this pico de gallo salsa as a topping or as a side dish.
- Mexican Rice – My most popular recipe on the blog right now. This Mexican rice makes a perfect side dish for any Mexican main course.
- Refried Beans – Refried beans are full of fiber and are made with pinto beans. This recipe from Isabel Eats includes stovetop, slow cooker, and canned beans instructions.
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice – A low carb version of Mexican Rice.
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Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (recommend low salt broth)
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
- 1-1/2 cups chipotle sauce (either homemade or store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (can use regular oregano or Italian Seasoning)
Instructions
- Pour a 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the inner liner pan of the Instant Pot.
- Next, place about 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) in the inner liner pan of the Instant Pot. Try to place the chicken breasts in one layer in the Instant Pot.
- Pour 1-1/2 cups of chipotle sauce or chipotle salsa on top of the chicken. Add one teaspoon cumin. Add one teaspoon Mexican oregano. (You can substitute regular oregano or Italian Seasoning.)
- Close the lid, and move the venting knob on top of the Instant Pot to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL on some models) and adjust the time to 10 minutes. NOTE: It will take the Instant Pot about 5 or 10 minutes to come up to pressure before it starts to pressure cook for 10 minutes. During this time the display will show "On." After the Instant Pot has come up to pressure, it will start to pressure cook and will display the amount of time left to pressure cook.
- After the Instant Pot has finished pressure cooking for 10 minutes, let it release naturally (meaning do nothing). After the pin on top has dropped, then carefully open the lid of the Instant Pot.
- Using a long-handled slotted spoon, carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board or a plate. Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts.
- Add the shredded chicken back into the Instant Pot with the liquid. Press the SAUTE button. This will heat the liquid and the chicken (which had cooled while it was shredded) and will thicken the sauce. Once the sauce is thickened, then the Chicken Tinga is ready to serve!
Leah says
Can this recipe be doubled or trippled?
Michele says
Hi Leah,
Yes. You should be able to double the recipe. I don’t know if you could triple it in a 6 Qt Instant Pot. If you have an 8 qt, then you could probably triple the recipe.
Thanks,
Michele
Silvia says
Can I make this a few days prior? Would i then skip the final step of sautéing to thicken it and do that the day I serve it?
Michele says
Hi Silvia,
Yes, you can certainly make this recipe a few days prior to serving. Actually, I would probably follow the entire recipe and then you can refrigerate it, or freeze it, until you are ready to serve.
Thanks,
Michele
Jaime says
Can I add potatoes in this recipe cut small to make empanada filling?
Michele says
Hi Jamie,
Yes you could certainly do that. It would be delicious.
Michele
Diane says
I have chicken thighs, but bone in, how do I adjust the cooking time? thanks
Michele says
Hi Diane,
I recommend adding a couple of minutes to the cooking time. Therefore, you’ll be cooking the bone-in chicken thighs for about 12 minutes instead of 10 minutes. I hope you like it.
Thanks,
Michele