Instant Pot Chicken Tinga
Shredded chicken in a smoky chipotle-tomato sauce made quickly in the Instant Pot.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?2 pounds 900 gchicken breastsboneless and skinless
- ?1/2 teaspoonsalt
- ?1/4 teaspoonground black pepper
- ?2 tablespoonsolive oil
- ?1 onionthinly sliced
- ?3 clovesgarlicminced
- ?114-ounce candiced tomatoespreferably fire roasted
- ?2 chipotles in adoboand 1 tablespoon of the sauce
- ?1 teaspoondried oregano
- ?1 teaspoonground cumin
- ?1/2 teaspooncinnamon
- ?2 bay leaves
- ?1/2 cupchicken stock/brothor vegetable stock
- ?1 limejuiced
- ?6 corn or flour tortillas
- ?avocado
- ?fresh cilantro
- ?diced red onion
Instructions
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with the ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE – NORMAL. When hot, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Add the thinly sliced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion is deeply browned and caramelized, about 5–6 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove the onion and garlic from the pot and transfer them to a blender or food processor.
- Pour a small amount of the ½ cup chicken stock/broth or vegetable stock into the hot Instant Pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom to deglaze. Turn off SAUTE.
- To the blender with the onion and garlic add the 114-ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted), the 2 chipotles in adobo plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and the remaining chicken stock/broth. Blend until smooth.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. Pour the blended sauce evenly over the chicken and add the 2 bay leaves. Tilt or gently stir so the sauce covers the chicken.
- Secure the lid and set the steam release to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL on HIGH and set the cooking time for 10 minutes. (The Instant Pot will take additional time to come up to pressure.)
- When the cook time ends, allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully perform a quick release to fully release the remaining steam.
- Open the lid, remove the chicken breasts and the bay leaves, and place the chicken on a cutting board or plate. Shred the chicken with two forks.
- Squeeze the juiced lime over the sauce remaining in the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat; let the chicken sit in the sauce for 1–2 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Warm the 6 corn or flour tortillas if desired. Serve the chicken tinga in the tortillas topped with sliced or diced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, and diced red onion.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Notes
While this recipe calls for chicken breasts, you can use chicken thighs if you prefer.
Frozen chicken can also be used, but you’ll have to add 5 minutes to the cooking time. Set the timer at 15 minutes, and cook on high pressure then naturally release the steam for 5 minutes.
The chipotle in adobo sauce is what gives the sauce a smoky flavor, so do not skip it!
Make chicken broth or vegetable stock/broth in your Instant Pot instead of buying it at the grocery store. It’s SO easy to make, healthier, and cheaper!
I use just regular canned diced tomatoes, you can substitute with fresh tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes for extra smokiness!
If you don’t have a food processor or a blender, you can just finely chop everything and add it to the Instant Pot. The result won’t be exactly the same, but it will still be delicious.
The recipe is dairy-free, and gluten-free if you serve in gluten-free corn tortillas or in a salad or burrito bowl. Also, Whole30 compliant, low-carb, and Paleo.
If you double the recipe, keep the cooking time the same.
If you have leftover plain shredded chicken, you can easily make it in a pan or in the Instant Pot without pressure cooking (using the SAUTE setting).
Storing: Store the leftover tinga in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze chicken tinga in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge completely before reheating and serving.
Frozen chicken can also be used, but you’ll have to add 5 minutes to the cooking time. Set the timer at 15 minutes, and cook on high pressure then naturally release the steam for 5 minutes.
The chipotle in adobo sauce is what gives the sauce a smoky flavor, so do not skip it!
Make chicken broth or vegetable stock/broth in your Instant Pot instead of buying it at the grocery store. It’s SO easy to make, healthier, and cheaper!
I use just regular canned diced tomatoes, you can substitute with fresh tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes for extra smokiness!
If you don’t have a food processor or a blender, you can just finely chop everything and add it to the Instant Pot. The result won’t be exactly the same, but it will still be delicious.
The recipe is dairy-free, and gluten-free if you serve in gluten-free corn tortillas or in a salad or burrito bowl. Also, Whole30 compliant, low-carb, and Paleo.
If you double the recipe, keep the cooking time the same.
If you have leftover plain shredded chicken, you can easily make it in a pan or in the Instant Pot without pressure cooking (using the SAUTE setting).
Storing: Store the leftover tinga in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze chicken tinga in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge completely before reheating and serving.