This Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet transforms a classic Mexican dish into an easy, one-pan meal that’s ready in just 30 minutes! Each bite is filled with a smoky tomato-based tinga sauce, shredded chicken, pinto beans, hidden veggies, corn tortillas and melty cheese. This makes for a healthy, high-protein weeknight dinner that’s so flavorful and satisfying!
I feel like I peaked the moment I created my ground turkey enchilada skillet recipe. It’s one of my most remade recipes for good reason. It comes together in one pan, is super easy yet so satisfying and delicious. Safe to say, I’ve been itching to create something similar…but different….ever since.
After a lot of brainstorming I was like omg…what if I make a chicken tinga version!? Since chicken tinga is often served as a tostada (crispy tortilla) with refried beans, I knew I could transform all of those components into a one-pan skillet situation.
You’ll notice many similarities between this recipe and my enchilada skillet recipe, but the flavors are different so I def won’t judge you if you made both of them in the same week 😉 Both are amazing weeknight dinner options when you want something quick and easy yet healthy and flavorful!
Complete with a homemade smoky, slightly spicy tinga sauce, shredded chicken, pinto beans, corn tortilla strips, sneaky cauliflower rice, and melty mexican cheese, this chicken tinga taco skillet has everything you could possibly want in a meal! It’s high in protein, gluten free, and just a great one to add to the rotation. Hope you love it!
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet
- It’s a one-pan, 30 minute meal!
- This recipe transforms the flavors and components of chicken tinga into an easy, approachable weeknight dinner.
- Each serving has 31g of protein.
- It’s full of hidden cauliflower rice that you can’t even taste!
- This recipe is gluten free by using corn tortillas.
- The homemade tinga sauce is perfectly smoky and slightly spicy.
What You Need to Make this Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet
For the Tinga Sauce:
- Avocado Oil: You’ll need about 1.5-2 tbsp of oil total for this recipe, which will be used to sauté the onion and then later to sauté the cauliflower rice.
- Yellow Onion: 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into strips. This will get blended into the tinga sauce!
- Garlic: 4 fresh garlic cloves, peeled but no need to mince them since they’re going to get blended anyways.
- Cumin, Oregano, Kosher Salt & Black Pepper: Just a few seasonings required as most of the flavor comes from the chipotles in adobo and the aromatics!
- Roma Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are the base of this tinga sauce. In a pinch, you can try substituting 1 can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Chicken Broth: This will add a bit of flavor and also thin out the tinga sauce. Feel free to use chicken bone broth to add extra protein.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: These come in a small can and can be found in the international aisle of your grocery store. You’ll need about 3-4 of the peppers themself (depending on your spice tolerance) and a bit of the sauce that comes in the can as well.
- Honey: This is optional, but helps to counterbalance all the spicy flavors.
For the Taco Skillet:
- Frozen Cauliflower Rice: Of course we gotta sneak our veggies in here and cauliflower rice is the perfect way to do so. You can’t even taste it!
- Pinto Beans: Chicken tinga is often served on a tostada with refried pinto beans so I thought…why not add some pinto beans into this taco skillet!? You could also use black beans if you prefer.
- Shredded Chicken Breast: To keep this quick and easy, use rotisserie chicken or buy pre-shredded chicken from the grocery store. You can also boil and shred it yourself – see recipe notes for further instructions.
- Corn Tortillas: This is like a deconstructed taco, so we’re slicing corn tortillas into strips and mixing them right into the skillet. I prefer corn tortillas as they’re gluten free and sturdier than flour.
- Shredded Mexican-Blend Cheese: Top the skillet off with a layer of Mexican-blend cheese…I usually buy this pre-shredded at the grocery store.
- Cilantro: Optionally, garnish with a bit of cilantro.
How To Make this Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet
Sauté the Aromatics:
First, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add half of the avocado oil. Then, add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.
Blend together the Tinga Sauce:
Next, remove the onion mixture from pan and transfer it to your blender along with the Roma tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chicken broth and honey. Blend until smooth. Make sure to taste it and add more chipotle peppers or adobo sauce if you prefer it spicier! Set aside.
Sauté Cauliflower Rice, Then Add in Beans, Chicken & Tinga Sauce:
Then, return pan to medium heat. Add the remaining half of the avocado oil. Then, add cauliflower rice and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Add in the pinto beans, shredded chicken and tinga sauce (from the blender). Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt to your preference.
Stir in Tortilla Strips, Top with Cheese & Let Melt:
Next, gently stir in the tortilla strips. Then, sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover the pan with a lid and let cook until the cheese is fully melted. Finally, garnish with chopped cilantro. Enoy!
What Is Chicken Tinga? Is this an Authentic Recipe?
Chicken Tinga is a classic Mexican dish that involves shredded chicken tossed in a sauce made from tomatoes, chipotles in adobo, onion and garlic. It has a smoky, slightly spicy flavor! You’ll commonly see it served as a tostada – AKA on a crunchy, fried tortilla, accompanied by some refried beans.
My version is certainly not authentic, but I did draw extensive inspiration from the Mexican dish! I took many of the same components of a chicken tinga tostada but served it in a deconstructed form where the chicken tinga, tortillas and beans all get mixed together. In all my recipes, I prioritize convenience and accessible ingredients so that it’s approachable for everyone.
Is this Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet Really Spicy?
This chicken tinga taco skillet has a medium spice level, but you can adjust it to your preference! Most of the spice comes from the chipotle peppers in adobo, so feel free to add as much or as little as you prefer. We added 3 of the peppers, which yielded a medium spice level…and my husband would’ve definitely added more if it was up to him lol.
What are Chipotles in Adobo and Where Can I Buy them?
Fun fact: chipotles in adobo are actually smoked and dried jalapeños that are then rehydrated and canned in a delicious, flavorful adobo sauce. You can find them at most grocery stores, typically located in the international section near the enchilada sauce. They come in small cans – I often use the brand La Costena, but any will work. They are a key ingredient to add flavor and spice to this tinga sauce, so don’t skip them!
How Can I Make Shredded Chicken?
If you’re looking to keep this recipe under 30 minutes, I would recommend using rotisserie chicken or pre-shredded chicken breast from the grocery store. However, if you have a little extra time on your hand, feel free to cook and shred your own chicken!
I find the easiest method to make shredded chicken breast is to boil it. Simply add your chicken breasts to a large pot and season with salt & pepper. Then, cover with at least 1″ of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165F. Timing may vary based on the size & thickness of your chicken.
To easily shred the chicken, use your stand or hand mixer! Then, proceed with the recipe as written, making sure that you use 1 lb of cooked and shredded chicken breast.
How Should I Store Leftover Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet?
First, allow the chicken tinga taco skillet to cool down. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You may notice that the tortilla strips get slightly soggy as they sit and absorb the sauce, but it still tastes delicious! If you’re meal prepping this, you could also leave off the tortilla strips and add them in when you’re ready to re-heat. Or, serve it taco style instead!
Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.
Looking for More Mexican-Inspired Recipes?
- Easy Elote Pasta Salad
- Crispy Beef Tacos with Hidden Veggies
- Cilantro Lime Pasta Salad with Chipotle Chicken
- The BEST Ground Turkey Enchilada Skillet
- Elote Chicken Tacos
- Dutch Oven Carnitas Bowl Recipe
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Chili Lime Salmon Tacos with Peach & Pepper Salsa
Chicken Tinga Taco Skillet
Equipment
- large pan
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1.5 tbsp avocado oil divided
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves peeled (no need to mince)
- ½ tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 large roma tomatoes quartered
- 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo *
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce *
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
- 10 oz frozen cauliflower rice
- 1 can pinto beans drained & rinsed (15oz)
- 1 lb shredded chicken breast **
- 5 corn tortillas cut into strips
- 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
- chopped cilantro optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add half of the avocado oil. Then, add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.1.5 tbsp avocado oil, 1 medium yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, ½ tbsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt
- Remove onion mixture from pan and transfer it to your blender along with the Roma tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chicken broth and honey. Blend until smooth. Make sure to taste it and add more chipotle peppers or adobo sauce if you prefer it spicier! Set aside.3 large roma tomatoes, 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 tbsp adobo sauce, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tbsp honey
- Return pan to medium heat. Add the remaining half of the avocado oil. Then, add cauliflower rice and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.10 oz frozen cauliflower rice, 1.5 tbsp avocado oil
- Add in the pinto beans, shredded chicken and tinga sauce (from the blender). Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt to your preference.1 can pinto beans, 1 lb shredded chicken breast
- Next, gently stir in the tortilla strips. Then, sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top. Cover the pan with a lid and let cook until the cheese is fully melted. Finally, garnish with chopped cilantro. Enoy!5 corn tortillas, 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese, chopped cilantro
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.
Made this last night for the first time + my husband and I LOVED it! It will definitely be going into our normal rotation of recipes!
Aww thank you so much Mikayla 🙂