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Weeknight-style Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema. Chicken thighs seasoned up with smoky chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce, then mixed with cheese, stuffed into tortillas, and oven-baked. Each tinga taco is crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a creamy, salty, honey-lime avocado crema sauce, and a mix of your favorite toppings. These come together easily and are so delicious. The perfect crispy taco that everyone loves!
It’s definitely no secret that we love Mexican food, especially tacos. Honestly, anything Mexican is a go for my family. Spicy, cheese, lots of flavors, avocado, and cilantro. These are some of our favorite flavors/foods.
I have told the childhood taco story here one too many times, so we’ll skip that today. But if you’re new, basically I grew up on my dad’s crispy, cheesy hard shell tacos.
His were very basic, but to this day my brothers still request them. Hard not to love any kind of taco, you know?
But today we have a chicken tinga tacos recipe, one of my very favorite flavors. If you’re not familiar with Chicken Tinga, it’s a Mexican dish consisting of shredded chicken in a tomato-based chipotle sauce with sliced onions. Like a lot of popular Mexican dishes, it’s pretty simple. The flavors from the chipotle peppers are KEY and what’s most traditional with any Tinga dish.
I’ve done a few variations now, but this is probably the most traditional. Well kind of, I use a shortcut in the sauce to save a little time!
The quick details
They are easy you guys. I want to start out by saying you can make these in either the crockpot, instant pot, or on the stove. We all love options when it comes to dinner, so use whichever method suits you best! They will all give you the same outcome.
For the crockpot, just add all the ingredients for the chicken right into the crockpot. So the onions, chipotle, enchilada sauce, and the seasonings. Let it all slow cook, then shred the meat. Done.
The very same with the instant pot, except the cooking time is much, much shorter (just 8 minutes).
And for the stove-top, there is slightly more involved, but it’s still easy. Just cook the chicken in a skillet until seared. Add the onion, then everything else. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Then shred the chicken and that’s that.
For the crispy shells
Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas and stuff them with the chicken tinga and cheese. I throw them into the oven to bake until the tortillas are crispy.
This method is my favorite and I use it every time I make tacos for my family. We love the crispy oven “fried” shells and melty cheese. It’s the best when some of the cheese melts out onto the pan and gets crispy too. Delicious.
And finally the crema
Do you all remember the creamy jalapeño sauce I made with my Cuban quesadillas? Well, that sauce uses pickled jalapeños. Ever since making those I’ve been using pickled jalapeños in everything.
For this crema, I whipped avocado in a food processor with the jalapeños and lots of cilantro. I added garlic and a little honey to balance the heat, and then some fresh lime juice and sea salt.
It is so creamy, and the pickled jalapeños give the best taste. Spicy, but not SPICY. Serve up the crema on each taco, then add whatever other toppings you love most. I always recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. I love a good fruity salsa.
Looking for more simple, Mexican recipes? Here are a few favorites:
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 Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema, 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!
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Jalapeño Avocado Crema
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 517 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
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup red enchilada sauce
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12-16 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- shredded lettuce and pickled onions, for serving
Crema
- 2 large avocados, halved
- 1/4-1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1-2 teaspoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 limes (juice from)
- flaky salt
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the chicken, onion, enchilada sauce, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.2. When finished cooking, shred the meat and toss with the sauce. Preheat the oven to 425° F.3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each tortilla flat and then layer evenly with cheese and chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.5. Serve the tacos topped with avocado, lettuce, limes, and any other desired toppings.
Instant Pot
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. In the bowl of your instant pot, combine the chicken, onion, enchilada sauce, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once done cooking, release the steam. 3. Follow the directions as directed above for steps 2-5.
Stove-top
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken. Cook until 2-3 minutes, then flip and add the onion. Cook another 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the enchilada sauce, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt, and 1/3 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.5. Serve the tacos topped with avocado, lettuce, limes, and any other desired toppings.
This post was originally published on March 1, 2022
So easy and delicious! I didn’t do the thing with the tortillas but we certainly enjoyed the chicken and the avocado sauce (just on flour tortillas).
Hi Bethany,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xxT
Amazing! These were delicious!
Hey Sarah,
Happy Friday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xxT
I’ve made the stove-top version of this recipe for my family a couple of times now. I’ve gotta say, you hit it out of the park with this one, Tieghan! This is a killer recipe, and was a huge hit with everyone I’ve made it for!
Hi Suzy,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a winner! xTieghan
Hi there! In the video you made, it appears you add another liquid than just the enchilada sauce. Did I miss a step? Making these for tonight!
Hey Jordan,
Nope, you can follow the recipe as is:) Let me know how it turns out, I hope you love it! xx
Really want to make these, I live in the UK and I am struggling to find red enchilada sauce and chipotle peppers. Do you have a homemade recipe recommendation for the enchilada sauce and any substitutes for the chipotle chillis?
Thanks
Hey Fiona,
You can just skip the chipotle peppers. So sorry, I do not have a recipe for the enchilada sauce. How about using some salsa? Let me know! xTieghan
Such flavorful chicken. I roll it up with cheese in tortillas, spray with oil, and cook in air fryer – so easy and delicious.
Hey Jamie,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xx
First let me say I love every recipe I’ve made of yours! You have a gift ? this is my first time commenting but I will start commenting regularly because wow. Everytime.
So I Made these for dinner tonight in the insta pot. The Flavor of the meat and juice was SO good and we enjoyed the avacado crema. I found the corn tortillas never crisped up and I think it was because of too much juice from the meat. I prefer corn tortillas and usually fry them so I was interested to see how these would come out in the oven. I want to make them again but I think the trick would be to drain the juice well from the chicken and then use the sauce as a dip once they come out. Thanks! Can’t wait to try another soon.
Hey Julie,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
very yummy recipe will definitely make these again as the family really enjoyed them I added diced up red and orange bell pepper(would have done a green one, but didn’t have one.) into the crockpot. I was also going to add corn inside but forgot so just added it onto with diced tomatoes onto of the cream
I also had trouble keeping them folded over, even tried toothpicks I think next time I will warm tortillas with the cheese in the oven for a minute or 2- hopefully the melty cheese will help them stay together Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Christine,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
This is a good tinga recipe and super simple in the Instant Pot. I had some trouble getting my tacos to stay folded on the sheet pan without breaking at the seam even with heating them slightly in the microwave (they were freshly bought), so I’m not sure of the solution to that. But will make again even to put the filling in burritos or over rice.
Hi Noell,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Delicious!
The flavor was everything. For some reason my tortillas broke apart on the bottom when cooking which is my own error. Any advice?
Hey Samantha,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Sorry to hear about your tortillas, I find it helpful to warm them and coat in olive oil before stuffing. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Thank you to this incredibly gifted young lady for providing recipes that are visually beautiful and delicious! My daughter, I’m guessing they’re close in age, introduced me to this community. I’m especially grateful for the healthy ish recipes where lower calorie meals are a treat not a punishment. This recipe is delicious! I also experienced difficulty with the shell splitting and then sticking to the pan. Definitely warm the tortillas as instructed. Also, instead of folding and pressing, I flopped the side over as one comment suggested. Lastly, I put them in an air fryer instead of on a baking sheet in the oven resulting in delicious AND beautiful! Thanks to those who provide helpful and positive comments.
Hi Angela,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Thank you so much for your kind message and giving the recipes a try! ☘️xx
Oh. My. Gosh. This recipe is amazing. My husband’s comment: “If I got this in a Mexican restaurant, I’d go back at least three times a week to eat there.”. Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
These tacos were fantastic! Super easy to make, and so tasty!
There are some comments about having a hard time folding them and getting them crispy… we had success adding olive oil right to the baking tray to get the warmed tortillas coated, and then popped them in the oven flat for about 3 mins. The melty cheese helped the tortillas not only fold over nicely, but also stay folded.
We’re having these tonight for the second time in a week!
Hi Courtney,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
I loved this recipe! I used my instant pot to fit my time schedule and cut the onions in 1/2 because it was a big onion..it turned out amazing.
If you have any ideas on how to use up the left over chicken…let me know.
Hi Tina,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
Oh man, these are fabulous!! Both my husband and my kiddo agreed. My husband asked that these be in the regular recipe rotation at our house, which doesn’t happen often.
Hi Marie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan