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Shredded smoky chipotle chicken tinga in a bowl

Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga

Smoky shredded chicken slow-braised in a blended chipotle–fire-roasted tomato sauce with no added liquid — authentic Mexican tinga, made easy in the slow cooker. Perfect for tostadas and tacos.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Tinga Sauce (blended — no added liquid)
  • 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 14.5 oz / 410g, with their juices
  • 1 can tomato sauce 8 oz / 225g
  • 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from the can — adjust to your heat preference, plus 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
  • 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
  • 2 jalapeños halved and seeded (optional, for extra heat)
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Slow Cooker
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs 900g (breasts work, but thighs stay juicier)
  • 4 oz Mexican chorizo 115g, casings removed and crumbled (optional but adds incredible depth)
For Serving (Tinga Tostadas)
  • 8-10 tostada shells warmed
  • 2 ripe avocados sliced or mashed
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
  • shredded lettuce or cabbage
  • thinly sliced red onion
  • fresh cilantro chopped
  • lime wedges

Equipment

  • 6-quart slow cooker
  • blender

Method
 

  1. Step 1: Blend the Tinga Sauce — Add the fire-roasted tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, chipotle peppers plus a spoonful of adobo sauce, chopped onion, jalapeños, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. This is your tinga sauce — smoky, brick-red, and thick. No broth or water goes in; the chicken provides all the extra liquid as it cooks.
  2. Step 2: Layer Everything in the Slow Cooker — Spread a thin layer of the blended sauce over the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer. If using chorizo, crumble it over and around the chicken. Pour the remaining sauce over everything, making sure the chicken is well coated and mostly submerged.
  3. Step 3: Cook Low and Slow — Cover and cook on LOW for 2½ to 3 hours, or on HIGH for 1½ to 2 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork. The sauce will look slightly thin at first — don't worry, the chicken juices enrich it as it cooks.
  4. Step 4: Shred the Chicken — Transfer the chicken to a large bowl or cutting board and shred it with two forks into bite-size pieces. Taste the sauce left in the slow cooker and adjust: a pinch more salt, an extra spoonful of adobo sauce for heat, or a squeeze of lime juice to brighten it.
  5. Step 5: Return and Reduce — Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. If the sauce is thinner than you'd like (thighs release more juice than breasts), cook uncovered on HIGH for 20–30 minutes, stirring once, until it thickens to a rich, spoonable consistency. The final tinga should be saucy, not soupy.
  6. Step 6: Build Crispy Tinga Tostadas — Warm the tostada shells in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes until crisp and hot. Spread each with a layer of mashed avocado or refried beans, pile on a generous heap of chicken tinga, then top with shredded lettuce, crumbled queso fresco, sliced red onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately while the shells are still crackling-crisp.

Notes

No added liquid — chicken and tomato juices are enough; shred and reduce sauce uncovered if needed; thighs stay juicier than breasts; leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.