These delicious and simple shredded chicken Tinga tacos are dairy free, gluten free, and made with the best healthy toppings! Satisfy your taco craving with this healthier, nourishing taco recipe!
Easy Shredded Chicken Tinga Tacos
The other weekend we had our first patio party in our backyard and it felt like the official kick-off to summertime. The weather is finally warm enough to bring my tropical plants outside and we spent the evening with friends sitting outside as the sun slowly set. This truly is my favorite time of year and I’m all about fun warm-weather inspired recipes now. Like tacos for example, tacos instantly make me think of sunshine, margaritas on the patio and all things summer. Do they do the same for you??
I’ve been meaning to whip up a taco recipe and I finally had the chance to make some outrageously yummy, super easy and healthy chicken tinga tacos for the blog. I’ve been giving some of my newest small kitchen appliances from The Brick a spin over the past month (remember my No-Bake Peanut Butter Energy Balls?) and this easy chicken tinga taco recipe highlights the many functions of a stand mixer. I used to always think of a stand-mixer as a bakers ultimate tool, and they seemed a little intimidating to be honest, as I’m definitely not a seasoned baker. While I’ve always loved the look of a shiny, sleek stand mixer (my Cuisinart Precision Master Stand Mixer is a serious beauty) I’ve never had the guts to bring one into my kitchen. That seems silly now as I’ve become familiar with my Cuisinart stand mixer and have realized they are actually super user-friendly and can be used in a multitude of ways!
In general you might not think tacos could be made with a stand mixer, but any taco that requires a shredded meat such as chicken or beef is a perfect fit. My Cuisinart stand mixer not only shredded up my chicken for my tinga tacos recipe perfectly, I was also able to make my chunky guacamole using the stand mixer as well!
What Are Chicken Tinga Tacos?
At this point you might be wondering what are chicken “tinga” tacos? Or, what is chicken tinga? My first taste of these delicious tacos was at a restaurant I used to work at called Earls but that’s definitely not where they originated! Tinga tacos originated in Mexico and are made using “chicken tinga” which is a traditional dish made with shredded chicken that is tossed in a sauce of tomatoes, chipotle chilis, and onions. The shredded chicken in the sauce is then often served on taco shells or tostadas with a layer of refried beans, avocado, lettuce, Mexican cheese (called cotija) and salsa. The flavour is rich, smoky, and so delicious.
For my version of the tacos I decided to stick with most of the classic ingredients of chicken tinga, including tomatoes, chipotle, and onion but I also changed it up by using salsa verde, hot sauce, chipotle powder (rather than whole chipotle peppers) and lots of lime for added freshness.
I shredded whole chicken breast in the stand mixer (using the flat mixing paddle attachment) then poured in the tinga sauce which I made on the stovetop and gave it all one more whirl in the stand-mixer. Then I added avocado, salsa verde, lime juice and salt to the stand mixer and used the chef’s whisk attachment to make a chunky, rustic homemade guacamole for my chicken tinga tacos.
For additional garnishes I topped the white corn tacos with shredded lettuce, cilantro, green onion, red onion, a locally made dairy-free feta cheese, and a drizzle of Mexican hot sauce called Cholula.
With so many fresh whole-food ingredients, no refined sugars, loads of veggies, and no dairy or gluten, these chicken tinga tacos are fit for anyone who wants to enjoy delicious mouthwatering tacos while giving their body a boost of nutrition! I know I’ll be making these maaany more times this summer!
Now, to come up with a healthy margarita recipe….
- 6 white corn taco shells
- 2 cooked chicken breasts
- ½ tablespoon Cholula hot sauce (or any hot sauce of your choice)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¾ cup canned tomato sauce
- ¼ cup salsa verde (jarred green salsa, I used La Costena brand)
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder or ground chipotle
- Easy Guacamole:
- 2 avocaods, pitted and peeled
- 1 tablespoon salsa verde
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- Taco Garnishes:
- ½ cup canned refried beans (1 tablespoon per taco)
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup crumbled dairy free cheese or Mexican cotija cheese (if you can eat dairy)
- Hot sauce to garnish (if desired)
- 2 lime wedges
- Prepare the tinga sauce by adding the ½ tablespoon hot sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, ¾ cup tomato sauce, ¼ cup salsa verde, and ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder to a small pot or saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbling and heated through then remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the cooked whole chicken breasts to a stand mixer with the flat mixing paddle attachment and mix on low to medium until the chicken breasts are shredded into smaller bits.
- Pour the tinga sauce into the stand mixer with the shredded chicken and mix once more on low for 30 seconds until everything is well combined. Transfer the tinga chicken to a bowl and rinse the stand mixer bowl clean.
- Switch out the stand mixer attachment for the chef’s whisk and add all of the guacamole ingredients to the stand mixer bowl. Mix on low speed increasing to medium speed for 1 minute or so until the mixture is well combined and a “chunky” guacamole is achieved. Mix longer for a smoothie guacamole consistency.
- Prepare the tacos by heating the taco shells for 30 seconds in the microwave (wrap them in a damp paper towel) or slightly toast the taco shells over gas stove burner. Layer on the refried beans, then the chicken tinga (divide evenly among the taco shells), then the lettuce, onion, cilantro, and dairy-free cheese. Drizzle with hot sauce if preferred and a squeeze of lime.
- Enjoy!
Lastly, don’t forget to PIN the photo below to save this recipe for later and of course, share the love!
Have a wonderful Sunday,
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST WAS MADE IN PARTNERSHIP AND SPONSORED BY THE BRICK. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.
