Happy Cinco de Mayo! How are you going to celebrate? (Pssst! If you're not planning on eating tacos tonight, it's time to reevaluate your choices.)
Lately I've been absolutely swamped with things to do, so I've been trying to be a bit minimalistic in the kitchen. Simple recipes with a relatively short list of ingredients that pack in big bites of flavor have been my saviors, and I have found that tacos are a great option for crazy busy days. Chicken Tinga Tacos are no exception! These tacos, which originated in Puebla, Mexico, feature shredded chicken that is stewed in a spicy chipotle tomato sauce with plenty of onion and garlic -- I think of the sauce as the Mexican version of marinara. When made in the slow cooker with just a short list of ingredients, they require hardly any effort and are easy on the wallet as well. Who could resist?
Because the chicken filling is already quite tomato-y, I decided not to top my tacos with traditional salsa. Instead, I made a pico de gallo that would back up the flavors in the tinga, using bacon to kick up the smokiness and radish to bring out the spiciness and lend some crunch. Is it still technically pico de gallo if there are no fresh tomatoes in sight? I'm not sure, to be honest. It may not be authentic, but my goodness is it delicious.
Top your Crock Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos with creamy avocado and crumbly cotija, wash them down with a strong margarita, and snap a picture for Instagram with the tag #hostthetoast to show off your foodie fiesta.
Crock Pot Chicken Tinga Tacos with Bacon Pico De Gallo
- Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 tacos 1x
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tinga Tacos:
- 2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Bacon Pico de Gallo:
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 small radishes, chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime
- 8 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Cotija cheese, crumbled, to top
- 1 avocado, sliced, to top
- 16 corn tortillas, warmed
Instructions
- Combine the Chicken Tinga Taco ingredients in a slow cooker and set to low for 5-6 hours, or until chicken shreds easily. Discard the bay leaf. Remove the chicken from the tomato sauce mixture and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- As the chicken cooks, make the Bacon Pico de Gallo. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the onion, garlic, radishes, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice. Toss to mix. Then, toss in the crumbled bacon. Set aside.
- Scoop the Chicken Tinga mixture into corn tortillas, top with a slice of avocado, Bacon Pico de Gallo, and crumbled cotija cheese. Serve warm.
Notes
The chipotle peppers are spicy, so if you're sensitive to heat you may want to stay on the conservative side. You can always add more at the end if you'd like.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 6 hours
Karen @ On the Banks of Salt Creek says
We LOVE our tacos. No reason not to add another version to my repertoire. Pinned.
Amy@wholesomelicious says
Oh my goodness, I love everything about this dish. The slow cooker, the chicken, chipotle, bacon pico de gallo: you're speaking my love language!!
Cindy says
made the chicken part of this receipe and I must say that its a keeper. I had a group of 20 people over and I made a mild and spicy version. Yes, two crockpots! It was great! Very flavorful and tender chicken plus it was so easy. I had all the ingredients in my home. Keeping this one for sure since I do a LOT of entertaining large groups.
Ash says
This was absolutely amazing.
Judy says
This recipe is outstanding! I have made it at least 10 times since coming across it last summer. Even the pico de gallo is great. Thanks for sharing this. I'll be making this for a crowd this Sunday. Go Falcons!
Morgan says
I'm so glad to hear it, Judy! =)
Elizabeth says
Love this recipe! I've made it many times. I love that it's great for a big group of people or even just the two of us, as the rest freezes well after cooked. I like the bacon in the pico but usually make it w/o it, as its delicious w/o it! Thanks for the recipe!!
Ashley says
I have made this so many times. Today I made it in a pressure cooker. It is so so so good. Thanks for an awesome recipe!!!