This Instant Pot Chicken Tinga is another one in my series of freezer meals that I’m working on to make your (and my) life easier. These recipes are all ones that you can prep ahead of time, freeze, and plop in the Instant Pot once you’re ready to cook. Straight from the freezer, no thawing required!
Instant Pot Chicken Tinga is almost too easy to make. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Because of how the Instant Pot works, you don’t need to adjust the cooking time if you’re cooking from frozen. The time doesn’t start until the cooker comes up to pressure, and that won’t happen until things get very, very hot. So while the overall time might be longer since it will take slightly longer to come up to pressure, you don’t need to worry about adjusting time accordingly. Cool? Cool.
The obvious treatment of this Chicken Tinga is tacos, but it would also be great in a baked sweet or white potato*, over rice or cauliflower “rice”, or in lettuce leaves with taco fixings. Don’t forget the GUAC!
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This flavor-packed Chicken Tinga takes about 5 minutes active time and under 20 minutes total.
Ingredients
- 1 14- ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes, (juices drained (see note))
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo plus 1 tablespoon of the sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, (peeled and left whole)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- queso fresco, cilantro, and diced onions (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- In the insert of your Instant Pot, combine the diced tomatoes, chipotle pepper and sauce, garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, onion powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the chicken and coat with the sauce.
- Lock on the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 12 minutes.
- Once the time is up, turn the valve to venting and allow the pressure to release and the lid to unlock before removing it.
- Using tongs, remove the chicken to a plate and shred with two forks.
- Puree the sauce either with an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender. Mix in all or some of the sauce into the shredded chicken, depending on how you plan to serve it.
Notes
- If prepping to freeze to make later: Combine all of the ingredients in a zip top bag or freezer-safe container. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, transfer all the ingredients to your Instant Pot and proceed with the recipe starting at step 2.
- Save the reserved juice for soup or stew, flavor bombs, or a bloody Mary
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Rachel says
How do you make the lovely taco shells in the photo?
Kate says
Rachel – looks like this recipe: https://www.zenbelly.com/?s=tortillas
zenbelly says
They’re actually just corn tortillas, which I eat when I don’t feel like making them from scratch 🙂 But my recipe for Plantain Tortillas is my favorite! There’s a flour tortilla recipe in my book Paleo Soups and Stews, too, that uses cassava flour.
Keri says
What brand of chipotle in adobo do you use? Everyone I’ve seen has nasty additives in it.
zenbelly says
Hi Keri, These La Morena ones aren’t bad, if you’re okay with a little sugar.
Sheree says
Hey there! I made this tonight…it was EXCELLENT!!!! Question – Have you ever doubled it? I’d like to try that, but I didn’t know if I’d have to double everything? Or just the meat? I’d appreciate your thoughts 🙂 Thank you!
★★★★★
zenbelly says
I’m so glad you loved it! I haven’t doubled it, but am sure it will work fine. Depending on how you plan to serve it, I think you could just double the meat because there should be more than enough sauce. Unless of course you want the end result to be saucier, in that case I’d double the entire recipe.
Sheree says
Thanks so much for the response! I appreciate it 🙂 I will give it a shot with doubling the meat.
Roz says
This was wonderful! After getting everything in the instant pot, I had time while the chicken was cooking to prep and cook zucchini half rounds (sauteed in butter and seasoned with primal palate’s adobo seasoning because lazy), microwave leftover sweet potatoes, chop half a red onion and some cilantro for the garnish.
I like to use chipotle paste in a tube from https://olofoods.com/ it can be pricey but has a very clean ingredient list and I find it keeps better.
★★★★★
zenbelly says
That all sounds great. Roz! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂
Sarah says
My husband made this for dinner tonight and granted I wasn’t cooking but it seemed really easy and took no time at all and was delicious! Adding this to our rotation! Are you going to make an ebook of freezer instant pot meals? I would love that! We are expecting our first baby this spring and starting in January I am going to do anything I can do ahead of time to prep easy paleo meals.
★★★★★
kim says
Is this spicy? serving to kids. love your recipes and cookbooks-thank you
zenbelly says
The chipotle can give it a little kick, but you could leave them out and add some smoked paprika or a roasted red pepper instead! Thanks, Kim!
Greyhound Girl says
Do you have any tips for trying with chicken breasts instead of thighs? Or is that not advised? I’ve tried to convince myself that I like dark meat chicken, but I’m afraid it’s not working…
zenbelly says
It should definitely work! It might be a little dry, but cooked in all that sauce it should be okay. And you might light dark meat in this application, it gets all shredded so there’s not the usual dark meat texture. Either way, I hope you love it!
Abdul Hafiz says
Served this to kids they really liked the taste of it. Thanks for the recipe. Simple but yummy!!!
zenbelly says
so glad to hear it!
Phyllis says
Ok, just made this last night for the first time and OH MY GOD it was absolutely the best, most delicious shredded chicken/taco filling I’ve ever made! My husband couldn’t stop eating it and raving about it between bites (btw, we ate it ALL). Served it as recommended on Siete almond flour tortillas with a side of cauliflower rice pilaf. YUM.
★★★★★
Phyllis says
P.S. Simone, you are amazing and I’m so appreciative of all the work you do in creating and providing such delicious and healthy recipes.
xo
zenbelly says
aw thanks so much, Phyllis! I really appreciate that. <3
zenbelly says
yay I’m so glad to hear that you loved it!