Mexican Shredded Chicken

Ingredients

• 2chicken breasts
• 2plum tomatoes
• 4–5tomatillos
• 1/2onion
• 4garlic cloves
• 3chipotles in adobo
• 1–2 tablespoonsadobo sauce
• 1 teaspoonMexican oregano
• a dashcumin
• 1/2 teaspoonsalt
• to tastefreshly cracked black pepper
• to tasteolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Brine the chicken

   Dissolve 60 ml (1/4 cup) salt in 946 ml (1 quart) water in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken breasts, cover and brine in the fridge for about 30 minutes, adding more water if needed to keep them submerged. Pat the chicken dry and place it on a baking tray.

2. 2

   Roast the chicken

   Rinse and remove the stems from the tomatoes and tomatillos, then put them on the same tray as the chicken. Bake at 204°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and reaches 71°C (160°F).

3. 3

   Shred the chicken

   Let the chicken cool slightly, then pull it apart with two forks. Set it aside until needed.

4. 4

   Cook onion and garlic

   Roughly chop half an onion and sauté it in a little olive oil over medium heat. Add 4 whole, peeled garlic cloves and cook until the onion begins to brown.

5. 5

   Blend the sauce

   Put the onion and garlic in a blender with the chipotles and roasted tomatoes and tomatillos. Blend until combined, then taste and add more chipotle if you want more heat; the chipotle seeds can be scraped out first.

6. 6

   Season and simmer

   Pour the Tinga mixture into the pan used for the onion. Add 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, a pinch of cumin if using, 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper and 1–2 tablespoons adobo sauce if using. Bring to a simmer and taste once more to check the seasoning.

7. 7

   Combine and serve

   Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce and simmer until everything is evenly hot. Serve as you like, such as in Tinga tacos or on Tinga tostadas.

8. 8

   Store leftovers

   Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge.

What is Mexican shredded chicken?

This dish takes inspiration from chicken tinga, a Mexican preparation in which shredded chicken is coated in a tomato-based sauce with chipotle chillies. The name and style are associated with Puebla, where tinga is a familiar way to serve meat in tacos and tostadas.

Here, roasting tomatoes and tomatillos alongside the chicken gives the sauce a mix of sweetness and tang. Chipotles in adobo bring smoke and heat, while a brief simmer lets the flavours cling to the shredded meat.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 176 calories, 25g protein, 9g carbs, 4g fat.

The chicken supplies most of the protein, while the tomatoes, tomatillos and onion contribute carbohydrates. Olive oil and the chicken account for much of the fat; serve with vegetables or salad alongside to round out the plate.

Why brine the chicken?

Brining: the chicken sits in salted water for about 30 minutes before cooking. This gives the breasts a little more protection against drying out as they roast.

Drying: pat the chicken dry after brining so it is ready for the baking tray. Make sure the breasts are submerged during the brine, topping up with water if necessary.

Roasting the vegetables

Tomatoes and tomatillos: roasting them with the chicken softens their flesh and concentrates their flavour. Rinse them and remove the stems first.

Garlic and onion: these are sautéed separately until the onion starts to brown, then blended with the roasted produce. This gives the sauce a savoury base as well as its roasted notes.

Getting the sauce right

Heat: start with the listed chipotles, then taste the blended sauce before adding more. Removing the chipotle seeds is an option if you prefer to moderate the heat.

Seasoning: Mexican oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and optional adobo sauce go into the pan for the final simmer. Taste before adding the chicken, since the chipotles and adobo already contribute plenty of flavour.

Shredding and doneness

Doneness: the recipe checks that the chicken is no longer pink inside and has reached 71°C (160°F). Avoid extending the roasting time unnecessarily, as chicken breasts can become dry.

Shredding: let the chicken cool just enough to handle, then pull it apart with two forks. Once stirred into the sauce, simmer it until the chicken and sauce are evenly hot.

Serving ideas

Tacos: spoon the saucy chicken into tortillas for a straightforward meal. Tostadas are another suggested way to serve it, with the crisp base contrasting with the soft filling.

Balance the plate with vegetables or a fresh salad alongside. Keep extra sauce available so the chicken stays well coated.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the chicken submerged in the brine, adding a little more water if needed.
• Pat the chicken dry before placing it on the baking tray.
• Scrape the chipotle seeds out before blending if you want to temper the heat.
• Taste the sauce after blending and again after it simmers.
• Let the chicken cool slightly before shredding it with two forks.

Variations

• Milder sauce: scrape out the chipotle seeds and begin with fewer chillies.
• Extra heat: blend in more chipotles after tasting the sauce.
• Skip the cumin: leave it out, as the recipe marks it optional.
• Skip the adobo: omit the extra adobo sauce if you prefer a less intense sauce.
• Taco filling: serve the chicken in tortillas as Tinga tacos.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Chicken not submerged: add enough water to cover it during the brine.
• Wet chicken: pat the breasts dry after brining before roasting.
• Overdoing the chipotle: taste the blended sauce before adding more.
• Skipping the final taste: adjust the sauce seasoning before adding the chicken.
• Shredding too soon: let the chicken cool slightly so it is easier to handle.

How to store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat the chicken and sauce in a pan until evenly hot, stirring as needed.

Frequently asked questions