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Mar 26

Instant Pot Chicken Tinga

Keto
Paleo
Whole30
Gluten Free
Kid-Friendly
Less than 30 minutes
Instant Pot
Keto
Paleo
Whole30
Gluten Free
Kid-Friendly
Less than 30 minutes
Instant Pot

Instant Pot Chicken Tinga makes for the best version of chicken tacos….EVER! A meal that resembles restaurant quality, but comes together so quickly at home in the Instant Pot!  Paleo and Whole30 friendly.

Yes, these are the absolute best way to enjoy chicken tacos! Yes, they are ridiculously easy! And yes, I did just post another taco recipe last week: Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos.

Do you guys mind? I didn’t think so. Especially after reviewing so many reader requests on my Instagram that you all want more Instant Pot and more chicken. Definitely two of my specialties 😉

So let’s talk Chicken Tinga…

What is Chicken Tinga?

What is Chicken Tinga? I’m glad you asked. Because honestly guys, this Mexican food loving girl born and raised in California didn’t even know what it really was until last month. Not going to hold anything back here. After a double header baseball game in Richmond, VA, we decided to eat out at the closest and authentic sounding/looking Mexican restaurant we  could find.

It’s the best thing to do after you’ve been sweating all day in baseball clothes. It’s several levels above fast food, deliciously tasty, and no one judges your baseball outfits. We’ll be back soon to visit.

But but. The best part about this gem of a restaurant? They had an entire section of “Mexican bowls”. Totally my jam. One of the dinner options was chicken tinga with lots of vegetables over a bed of rice. They also served you a nice portion of guacamole, and a Mexican salad.

EXACTLY what I wanted for dinner.

I discovered after my first bite, that Chicken Tinga was a chipotle tomato infused braised pulled chicken. And that if I had to name this recipe a few months ago, I would have called it: Instant Pot Shredded Chipotle Chicken.

But now I know better. It has a proper name. And it is everything you want for dinner!!!!

Making Instant Pot Chicken Tinga:

A few notes:

  1. To make this recipe have more of that chipotle flavor, use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I have yet to find one that is Paleo/Whole30 compliant because most brands contain trace amounts of sugar. BUT, you can easily swap with chipotle spice powder.
  2. The Instant Pot works wonders in this dish, giving you that pulled tender chicken in just 10 minutes!
  3. It tastes even more delicious after it sits for a day, which also allows the sauce to thicken (hello leftovers)
  4. DO NOT forget about all of the goodies: salsa, avocado, guacamole, fresh tomatoes, cilantro, etc.

Can you make this in the slow cooker?

Oh yes! Saute the onion and garlic in a regular saucepan before making the sauce, this helps to bring out more flavor. Now add this onion/garlic mixture to the blender with the rest of the sauce ingredients. You could cut the chicken broth to just 1/2 cup. Add the chicken breast to the bottom of the pot, then top with sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours, then shred with a fork.

ENJOY!!

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Instant Pot Chicken Tinga

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 221 kcal
Author Amy Rains
5 from 10 votes
Print

Ingredients

For the Chicken Tinga:

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce*
  • 1 tbsp adobo sauce*
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2/3 cup chicken broth
  • 2 lbs chicken breast or thighs

For serving:

  • 3 cups cauliflower rice**
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 large avocado sliced
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Select the saute function on the Instant Pot. Once hot, coat the bottom of the pot with oil. Toss in onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Select cancel. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a high powered blender or food processor. Clean the bottom of the pot (this will help to prevent a burn message when you bring the chicken to pressure).

  2. Now add the diced tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, ground cumin, salt, and chicken broth to the onion/garlic in the blender. Pulse until smooth. 

  3. Pour the sauce into the Instant Pot. Add the chicken, and secure the lid. Select manual (or high pressure) and cook on high pressure for 9 minutes. Use a quick release.

  4. Once steam has been completely removed, remove the lid and take out the chicken. Dice or shred using a fork and knife. Return the chicken back to the pot. At this point you can select cancel, and let the sauce cool and thicken. Or serve immediately.

  5. Serve with rice or cauliflower rice, or tortillas. Top with tomatoes, avocado, onion, or fresh cilantro.

Recipe Notes

*If following a Whole30 or strict Paleo diet, you can use 2 tsp chipotle spice powder in place of the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.

**You can quickly saute the cauliflower rice to cook, or buy frozen rice and heat in the microwave. 

Calories 221kcal
Fat 8g
Saturated fat 1g
Cholesterol 72mg
Sodium 488mg
Potassium 789mg
Carbohydrates 9g
Fiber 3g
Sugar 3g
Protein 26g
Vitamin A 440%
Vitamin C 37.5%
Calcium 42%
Iron 1.4%
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Reader Interactions

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Join the Conversation
  1. Heather says

    March 27, 2019 at 11:15 am

    Sounds so good! What level of spiciness would you say this is? Wanted to serve to the kiddos.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      March 27, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      It’s medium spiced. With the chipotle powder in place of actual chipotle peppers, its very mild. You can cut the peppers to 1, and just about 1/2 tbsp of adobo sauce to make it mild. My kids love it!

      Reply
  2. Laura says

    March 27, 2019 at 2:39 pm

    No instant pot but I love the flavor of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce! To convert to a slow cooker, just through everything in at once and cook on low for approx 6hrs? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      March 27, 2019 at 10:56 pm

      Yes! Also cut the broth to 1/3 cup.

      Reply
  3. Lena says

    March 28, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    In the pot right now!
    Can’t wait for dinner 😀

    Reply
  4. Paula W says

    July 6, 2019 at 1:14 pm

    This recipe freezes exceptionally well! Delicious and easy.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      January 13, 2020 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      So happy to hear that!

      Reply
  5. Susan says

    May 12, 2020 at 10:34 am

    Hi thanks for the recipe! When you say “adobo sauce” do you mean the sauce from the can of adobo chipotle peppers or a separate adobo sauce? We don’t have sauce but we do have Adobo powder seasoning so wondering if we can make a sauce out of that. Excited to make this tonight!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 12, 2020 at 11:46 am

      Yes! I mean the adobo from the can of chipotle peppers. If you don’t have that, you can use the powder seasoning with a little apple cider vinegar and tomato paste. Let me know if that helps!

      Reply
  6. Amanda says

    May 24, 2020 at 5:57 pm

    5 stars
    We’ve made this recipe a few times, everyone loves it! We leave some chicken out after shredding but before we put back into the adobo sauce and it’s not too spicy for the kids. I’ve shared this recipe many times and everyone has loved it! Thanks for all your hard work!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      November 10, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      So happy to hear that, Amanda!! Glad you love it.

      Reply
  7. Amanda says

    May 24, 2020 at 5:59 pm

    I’ve made this many times and the whole family loves it! I leave out some chicken after we shred but before adding back into the adobo sauce and it’s just the right amount of flavor for the kids! I’ve shared your recipe a few times since so many people love it! Thanks for your hard work and a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      May 25, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you, Amanda!! Glad your whole family loves it!

      Reply
  8. Guenda Castro says

    May 26, 2020 at 3:14 pm

    5 stars
    Hello!

    I’ve had my IP for a week and still feel a little intimidated so I love the way you write out your instructions! I can’t wait to check out the rest of your page.

    Tinga is my daughter’s favorite. So excited to try it this way. I also appreciate your organization and how easy it is to figure out if its a W30 or IP recipe.

    Keep up the amazing work!
    🤓🇲🇽

    Reply
    • Amy says

      November 10, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you Guenda for your kind words!

      Reply
  9. Heather says

    May 30, 2020 at 11:14 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is perfect! I’ve been trying to find one that really hit the spot like the chicken tinga I’ve enjoyed at restaurants. This is the real deal. Unbelievably simple and fast, and it really is delicious. I trimmed up my chicken breasts prior to cooking, so I could shred every morsel without getting bites of fat or tendon. And that was the toughest part.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      November 10, 2020 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      I agree, just like the restaurant style! Glad you loved it.

      Reply
  10. Susanna Sentell says

    November 9, 2020 at 9:43 pm

    WOW, is all I can say. This is a fantastic recipe. Deeelicious! I did add juice from 1/2 lime and used pineapple juice with the chicken stock to equal the correct listed amount. Yummy! Thank you so much, this is a keeper.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      November 10, 2020 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      I love the addition of lime and pineapple juice!

      Reply

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Recipe Key

Keto
Paleo
Whole30
Vegan
Gluten Free
Kid-Friendly
Less than 30 minutes
Slow Cooker
Instant Pot
Air Fryer

Welcome!

I’m Amy, foodie, nutritionist, recipe developer, wife, and busy mom of 2. I am on a mission to create everyday nutritious recipes that taste absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I love comfort food with a healthy twist. Follow me as I share the simple meals I make for my family. I’ll make meal planning easy by telling you exactly what we eat every week! Read More

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