Tortas de Tinga (Chipotle Chicken Sandwiches)
Toasted crusty rolls spread with refried beans and stuffed with smoky tinga chicken, avocado and melted cheese.
Made with Chipotle tinga sauce and Refried beans (frijoles refritos) and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.08 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) and shredded chicken (see the base recipe) in a pan and simmer for 8 minutes until thick and hot all the way through.
8 min - 2
Warm your refried beans (see the base recipe) in a small pan with a splash of water until spreadable.
- 3
Split the rolls and pull out a little of the soft crumb from each half. Spread the cut sides with butter.
- 4
Toast the rolls cut side down in a frying pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes until golden.
2 min - 5
Spread beans on the bottom halves, add the chicken tinga, cheese and jalapeno. Grill or heat under a hot grill for 2 minutes until the cheese melts.
2 min - 6
Top with avocado, tomato and soured cream, close the rolls and press down. Serve warm.
Tips
- Pull a little crumb out of the rolls to make room. Otherwise the filling squeezes out of the sides when you bite.
- Spread the beans on the bread first. They act as a seal and stop the tinga juices turning the roll soggy.
- Bolillos are sold in some Mexican shops. A soft ciabatta roll is the best UK supermarket substitute.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten at once. Keep spare chicken tinga in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What is a torta?
A torta is a Mexican sandwich on a soft white roll such as a bolillo or telera. Fillings range from ham and cheese to tinga, milanesa and carnitas, usually with beans, avocado and chillies.
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes. Use gluten free rolls and check the labels on the tinned chipotles and any pickled jalapenos. The filling itself contains no gluten if made as in the base recipes.
Can I use leftover tinga?
Yes, this is a great way to use it. Reheat it until steaming hot, then pile it into rolls the same day.
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.