Instant Pot Chicken Tinga

chicken tinga tacos topped with red onion, cilantro and lime juice

4.71 from 17 votes

Instant pot Chicken Tinga is a Mexican dish made up of tender shredded chicken breast served in a smokey, sweet and spicy sauce. It's healthy, packed with flavor and versatile for a dinner the whole family will love. We serve it in tacos, over rice or on top of a salad. It reheats well and makes a great meal prep recipe!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: 15 minute meal, 30 minute meal, shredded chicken, spicy

Servings: people

Author: Molly Thompson

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast about three 6-8 ounce breasts
1 medium yellow onion cut in half then sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes, not drained
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/3 cup chicken broth

Instructions

Set the instant pot to saute mode and add the olive oil. While the oil is heating, season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside. When the oil is hot, add the yellow onion and cook to soften for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add the fire roasted tomatoes, chipotle peppers in adobo, oregano, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika and chicken broth. Stir well then add the chicken breast and mix to combine to cover the chicken. Close the lid of the instant pot and make sure the vent is set to the “sealing” position. Press the manual (pressure cook) button and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Use a wooden spoon to turn the valving from sealing to venting to quick-release the steam. You can put a dish towel over the steam to catch the steam and quiet the noise.
Carefully remove the chicken breast to a cutting board and shred with two forks.
Transfer the sauce to a blender (that can handle heat) or a food processor and blend on high until smooth. You could also keep the sauce in the instant pot and use an immersion blender if you have one.
When the sauce is smooth, transfer it back to the instant pot and add the shredded chicken. Stir well to coat the chicken completely in the sauce. Serve warm as tacos, in a bowl with rice and toppings, over chips as nachos or in burritos or enchiladas.

Notes

How to store: Allow the chicken Tinga to cool completely then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It makes a great meal prep option! You can store it in individual containers with your sides.

How to reheat: Add it to a saute pan over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes until warmed through. You can also warm in the microwave in 30 second increments.

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