Tacos de Tinga de Pollo (Chicken Tinga Tacos)
Soft corn tortillas piled with smoky shredded chicken in chipotle sauce, quick pickled onions and cool avocado.
Made with Chipotle tinga sauce and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.02 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put your ready made chipotle tinga sauce (see the base recipe) in a wide pan over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 2
Add your ready made shredded chicken (see the base recipe) and the sliced white onion. Stir well and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce clings to the chicken and the onion is soft.
9 min - 3
Warm the corn tortillas (see the base recipe) one at a time in a dry frying pan for 30 seconds each side, then wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep them soft and pliable.
- 4
Spoon the chicken tinga onto the tortillas, about 2 tbsp each.
- 5
Top with avocado, crumbled queso fresco and coriander. Serve straight away with lime wedges.
Tips
- Eat these as soon as they are filled. Tinga is juicy and corn tortillas go soft and tear if they sit.
- Use two tortillas stacked per taco if yours are thin, as street taquerias do, so the filling does not leak.
- If the sauce looks wet, simmer it uncovered for a few more minutes. It should coat the chicken, not pool.
Storing and freezing
Keep leftover tinga chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Fill fresh tortillas just before eating.
Questions
Is this gluten free?
Yes, if your tinga sauce and corn tortillas are made gluten free as described in the base recipes and you check the label on any tinned chipotles. Corn tortillas are naturally wheat free.
Can I use leftover roast chicken?
Yes. Shred about 400 g of cooked chicken and add it to the simmering sauce for 8 minutes. Make sure the chicken is piping hot all the way through before serving.
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes. Leave out the queso fresco and add a little extra avocado and a squeeze of lime. The filling itself is dairy free.
More made with chipotle tinga sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.