shortcut chicken tinga
This is without a doubt the tastiest thing I’ve ever made with leftover cooked chicken. Thank you Rick Bayless for the recipe, and John for having the presence of mind to look it up as I chopped some onions thinking I could wing it.
Tinga is a Pueblan stew made with meat (pork, chicken, or beef), chipotle chiles (smoked jalapeños), and tomatoes. The recipe calls for 6 hours of slow-cooking, but we used cooked shredded chicken, let it simmer for about 30 minutes, and it tasted juuuuuust fine. You can also go the traditional route by starting with raw meat and letting it soak up all the flavorings as it cooks. Added bonuses are minimal prep work and a short list of very accessible ingredients. And it’s great for feeding a crowd.
(adapted from Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday)
2 medium (about 1/2 pound) red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I left this out)
half of a 3-pound whole roasted chicken, meat shredded
15-ounce can of whole or diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire roasted, but if not, it’s ok)
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles, sliced 1/4-inch thick (seeded if you want it mild)
2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce from the canned chipotles
several dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (the Mexican kind if you have it)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 medium onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
decent amount of salt
My stovetop version:
Put everything in a large pan (break up the tomatoes) and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
If you have a slow-cooker:
Spread the potatoes over the bottom of the slow-cooker and top with a 1-pound piece of boneless pork shoulder, boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or boneless beef chuck. Mix tomatoes and their juice with the chipotles, adobo, Worcestershire, oregano, garlic, onion, and about 3/4 teaspoons salt. Pour the mixture evenly over the meat and potatoes. Cover and slow-cook on high for 6 hours. Spoon off any accumulated fat before serving. You could also double the recipe; might as well if it’s going to take several hours.
If you don’t have a slow-cooker but have a Dutch oven or other heavy pot:
Lay the meat in the pot and top with the potatoes. Cover with sauce mixture, set the lid in place and braise in a 300-degree oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is tender. Might as well double the recipe for this method too.
When you’re ready to eat you can top the tinga with a few ounces of freshly fried Mexican chorizo (casing removed and totally optional). Serve with warm tortillas, crumbled cotija cheese, and sliced avocado. Or sandwich it all in some crusty bread.
