Description
These Baked Chicken Tinga Tacos are packed with smoky, spicy flavors and topped with a tangy, creamy avocado cilantro crema. Using shredded rotisserie chicken in a chipotle tomato sauce, then baked with melted Mexican cheese inside warm corn tortillas, these tacos deliver a delicious and easy weeknight meal with a crisp finish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tacos
- 2 Teaspoons Avocado Oil
- ½ Yellow Onion, diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 15 Ounces Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 Chipotle Pepper, chopped (from the can)
- 2 Tablespoons Chipotle Sauce (from the can)
- ¼ Cup Chicken Broth
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Oregano
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 3 Cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
- 12 Soft Corn Tortillas
- 2 Cups Shredded Mexican Cheese
- ⅓ Cup Cotija Cheese, crumbled (for topping)
- Pickled Onions (optional)
For the Cilantro Avocado Crema
- 2 Avocados
- ¾ Cup Greek Yogurt
- ½ Cup Cilantro, roughly chopped with stems
- ½ Jalapeño, deseeded
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 Lime, juiced
- ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Cilantro Avocado Crema: In a blender, combine the avocados, Greek yogurt, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, and kosher salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste. If the crema is too thick, add one or two tablespoons of water to reach your desired consistency. Set aside.
- Shred the Chicken: Using two forks, finely shred the rotisserie chicken and set aside.
- Make the Tinga Sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the avocado oil. When hot, add the diced onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the minced garlic, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, chopped chipotle pepper, chipotle sauce, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Blend the Sauce: Carefully transfer the simmered sauce mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the blended sauce back into the skillet.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Add the shredded chicken to the skillet and stir well to coat all the chicken with the smoky tinga sauce. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Preheat Oven and Warm Tortillas: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Warm the corn tortillas by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for about 30 seconds to make them pliable.
- Assemble the Tacos: Spoon a generous amount of the chicken tinga mixture onto one half of each tortilla. Top each with 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded Mexican cheese. Fold the tortillas in half and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Use a spoon to hold down the fold if needed while assembling the rest.
- Press and Bake: Place a second baking sheet directly on top of the assembled tacos to gently press them down. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet carefully and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortillas turn golden and crisp.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve the tacos topped with cilantro avocado crema, pickled onions if desired, and a sprinkle of crumbled cotija cheese. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- For extra heat, leave some seeds in the jalapeño or add more chipotle peppers.
- Pickled onions add a nice tangy crunch but are optional.
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience, but leftover cooked chicken works well too.
- If you don’t have chipotle sauce, substitute with adobo sauce from the chipotle pepper can.
- Soft corn tortillas work best to withstand folding and baking without cracking.
- You can prepare the cilantro avocado crema ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
