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A new go-to weeknight dinner, Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowls. Chipotle seasoned chicken roasted on a sheet pan with peppers and onions and served bowl style with rice, chunky avocado salsa (yummy), cheese, and chips on the side for scooping everything up! These colorful chicken tinga bowls are the simplest meal prep dinner to make and come together in under 45 minutes.
I almost made it another taco Tuesday, but I thought we’d venture slightly off and enjoy a Mexican-inspired chicken tinga bowl today. I’ve been holding onto this recipe for what feels like the longest time, and now, with Cinco de Mayo just over a week away, it feels like the perfect easy recipe to share!
I love this time of year when we’re approaching Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and summer is on the horizon. My recipes transition to lighter, fresher options that are always fun for warmer days.
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- Red enchilada sauce
- Chipotle peppers in adobo
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Salt
- Bell peppers
- Yellow onion
- Cooked rice
- Shredded cheddar/ cotija cheese
- Yogurt/ sour cream + limes
- lettuce
Chunky Avocado Salsa
- Avocados
- jalapeño
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Flaky salt
There will be lots of tacos, big salads, simple grill recipes, fresh berry-filled desserts, and even ice cream!! Plus cocktails, of course.
Cinco de Mayo always gives me an easy excuse to make even more Mexican-inspired recipes.
I wanted to create something with the delicious flavors of chicken tinga and chipotle seasoned chicken. I’ve made tinga tacos multiple times before, so instead of a taco, I thought a bowl could be so delicious! And we all know how much I love good bowl recipe, so you know I had fun with these!
These are the details
Step 1: roast the chicken and cook the peppers
Working on a sheet pan, toss the chicken together with olive oil, chipotle peppers, enchilada sauce, and the seasonings/ spices (oregano, cumin, and salt). Paprika would also be a flavorful addition.
On the other side of the chicken, add the onions and peppers. I usually use two bell peppers. If I have a poblano on hand, I love to throw in one of those too. They’re always so good!
Bake until those peppers begin to char. There’s nothing else to it, I’m not adding anything complicated today!
Step 2: make the chunky avocado salsa
While the chicken cooks, I like to make my chunky avocado “salsa”. It’s not really a salsa, but for simplicity, we’re going to call it that.
Just chunks of avocado, chopped-up cilantro, a jalapeño, lime juice, and flaky sea salt. Again, nothing fancy, but still so delicious.
Step 3: shred the chicken
Now that that chicken is cooked, shred it using two forks. Once shredded, you can toss the chicken with the sauce on the sheet pant.
Tip, if you want a crispier chicken, try broiling the shredded chicken for a minute or two to give it a little char.
Step 4: create the bowls
Now, take some steamed rice and spoon it into your favorite bowl. Add the peppers and the chicken, then I like to top the warm chicken with shredded cheese.
The last thing is the avocado, a dollop of plain yogurt, and a squeeze of lime juice. I just love this dish!
And if you want to go a step further, I always recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa or pico de gallo. I love a good fruity salsa. Black beans or refried beans would complement this bowl as well. Oh, and chips on the side for scooping everything up! YUM!
Looking for more simple Mexican recipes? Here are a few favorites:
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas with Lime Smashed Avocado
Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos with Garlic Lime Special Sauce
Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Lastly, if you make these Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowls
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 453 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 3/4 cup red enchilada sauce
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3-4 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar/cotija cheese
- yogurt/sour cream + limes, for serving
Chunky Avocado Salsa
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 2. On a baking sheet, toss the chicken with 2 tablespoons olive oil, enchilada sauce, chipotle peppers, oregano, cumin, and salt. 3. Add the bell peppers, onion, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Arrange everything evenly on the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the peppers begin to char. 4. Shred the chicken and toss with the sauce on the pan.5. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Toss all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt.6. Serve the chicken and peppers over bowls of rice. Top the chicken with cheese and avocado. Add a dollop of yogurt + zest, and squeeze the limes over each bowl. Enjoy with warmed tortillas or chips. YUM!
This post was originally published on April 23, 2024
I first had this at a girls’ getaway weekend and had to have the recipe. I just made it at home and my husband also said it was a keeper. I did not have any raw chicken on hand but I did have a rotisserie chicken. I shredded the chicken, added the sauce, and then put it in a covered casserole dish and put it in the oven along with the vegetables while they roasted. Turned out perfectly!
Hey Sandy,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, love to hear it was a winner! xx
This was delicious. We did things slightly differently. We doubled the sauce, marinated the chicken in half of that, and grilled it. Then we shredded the chicken and tossed it with the remaining warmed sauce. I think next time we would do as you recommended and broil the chicken for a minute for a little crispiness. We did the veggies in the oven as directed. It was a great meal for an informal family gathering.
Hey Andrea,
Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xT
This meal was simple and very tasty! I read another reviewer’s comment and they roasted the veggies seperately. I did the same, because I like my veggies with extra char, not so much for my chicken. The veggies roasted a litte longer while I shredded the chicken. My son said it was like Chipotle and asked if I could make a beef version. This would be a nice meal for company, tastes like you spent a lot of time in the kitchen, but was really easy. Thanks for sharing Tieghan! I have delighted my family with several of your recipes. Your meals are awesome!
Hey Nicole,
Yay! Love to hear this:) Thank you so much for making this recipe and your comment! Have the best day!!
Made this last night. Excellent recipe. Def a keeper.
Thanks so much, Diego! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for giving it a try! XxT
Tried this last night, it was an absolute HIT! Great flavor, good balance of spicy (my fam likes spicy foods) and filling meal. It was so simple and even more simple clean up. My husband requested to add it to our “go to” list. My kids (3yr, 1yr) both devoured what I served them. I meal prep on Sundays so I had premade rice/quinoa batch which made it even easier to just throw together. Great job with this one Tieghan!
Hey Daniela,
Awesome! So glad to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe, thank you so much for making it! xT
This was great…a little spicy (we’ll need antacids later, lol). So much easier than the recipe I was using which dirtied a food processor, blender and instant pot. Serving it in a bowl with rice…genius! Thank you for an easy way to make meals.
Hey Carol,
Sorry about the spice! Thanks so much for your comment, love to hear that this recipe turned out nicely for you, I appreciate you giving it a try! x