Chicken Tinga Taco Bowls

Cilantro-lime rice, guacamole and smoky chicken tinga join forces to make these delicious taco bowls. Best served with lots of hot sauce!

Chicken tinga is, in my opinion, the holy grail of all taco toppings. It’s a little spicy, a little smoky, a little salty and twangy, and even a little healthier in most cases. And one of the best parts is that it’s super easy to make at home if you’re looking to elevate your usual taco night.

I usually enjoy mine the good old-fashioned way: wrapped in a tortilla with a lot of chopped onion and cilantro, sometimes guacamole or avocado, usually a crumble of cheese. But when I’m feeling like I want something a little lighter or just a little different, I use it in these taco bowls.

What you’ll need to make these chicken tinga bowls:

We begin, of course, with chicken. I usually just buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it because I don’t have time to be cooking my own chicken for this, but you do you. Then we’ll make a smoky, spicy little sauce for our chicken to take a dip in. For this, you’ll need:

• Onions and garlic
• A can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• Chipotle chiles in adobo — these are the true flavor superstar here
• Some basic herbs and spices (cumin, oregano, and cayenne)

You’ll also need some things to go with the chicken. I like to make an easy pot of cilantro-lime rice along with a bowl of guacamole. And I always top my bowl off with some shredded lettuce (for health), a sprinkle of cotija cheese, and lots of chipotle hot sauce. The toppings are really up to you, though; feel free to get creative!

And we’re scooping it all up with tortilla chips. This is technically optional, but in my opinion, it’s fully non-negotiable. What could be better than smoky chipotle chicken and guac scooped up on a salty tortilla chip? Very few things, I say.

More Mexican-inspired recipes:
Crispy Air Fryer Avocado Tacos
Mexican Street Corn Enchiladas
30-Minute Black Bean Soup

Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below, then share a photo and tag me on Instagram!

Chicken Tinga Taco Bowls

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Cilantro-lime rice, guacamole and smoky chicken tinga join forces to make these delicious taco bowls. Best served with lots of hot sauce!

• Author: Emily Hanka
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

For the cilantro-lime rice:

• 1 cup dry long-grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• A handful of cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime juice, from about ½ large lime

For the chicken tinga:

• 3 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie works)
• 1 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and black pepper

For the guacamole:

• 2 ripe avocados
• ¼ cup lime juice, from about 1 large lime
• ¼ cup chopped onion, reserved from chicken
• A handful of cilantro, chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper

For serving:

• Cotija cheese*, cilantro, lettuce, onion and hot sauce, for topping, optional
• Tortilla chips, optional

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Instructions

1. Cook the rice: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of long-grain rice with 2 cups of water, the bay leaf, and a generous pinch of salt. Set over medium-high heat a bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 15 minutes while you prepare the chicken and guacamole. Once the rice is done cooking, turn off the heat and let stand, covered, while you finish preparing the rest of the ingredients.
2. Make the chicken tinga sauce: Chop the onion into 1-inch pieces, setting aside a small amount of chopped onion for the guacamole. Add onion, garlic, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, chipotle chiles, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend on high for 60 seconds, or until completely smooth. 
3. Warm up the sauce: Add blended chicken tinga sauce to a large skillet over medium heat. Partially cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, just long enough to let the flavors meld. 
4. Make the guacamole: While the chicken tinga sauce simmers, make the guacamole. Mash the avocados in a medium bowl, then add lime juice, reserved chopped onion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.
5. Finish the chicken tinga: Once the sauce has simmered for a few minutes, add the shredded chicken to the pan and stir to combine. Let it heat through while you finish the rice.
6. Finish the cilantro-lime rice: Remove the bay leaf from the cooked rice and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the chopped cilantro and lime juice, and season to taste.
7. Serve: Scoop the cilantro-lime rice, chicken tinga and guacamole into bowls. Top with shredded lettuce, cotija cheese, more chopped onion and cilantro, and hot sauce, if desired. Serve with tortilla chips!

Notes

• If you can’t find cotija cheese, feta or queso fresco also work well here.