Tinga poblana, from Puebla. The soul of it is smoky chipotle in a charred-tomato base. Don't overcomplicate it — chipotle in adobo (canned) is doing the heavy lifting, and that's a legitimate pantry ingredient, not a shortcut.
How it's made
1Poach the Chicken
A gentle simmer keeps thighs tender — a hard boil tightens the muscle and dries it out. The poaching liquid becomes flavored broth you'll use to loosen the sauce, so don't pour it out.
- Put the thighs in a pot with half an onion, 2 garlic cloves, a bay leaf, and salt. Cover with water.
- Bring to a bare simmer — not a rolling boil — and cook until just done, about 20 minutes.
- Pull the chicken, reserve the broth, and shred the meat once it's cool enough to handle.
2Char and Blend the Sauce
Charring the tomatoes drives off water and adds the smoky depth that makes tinga taste cooked-down rather than fresh. The chipotle is the dish's identity.
- Char the tomatoes on a dry comal or under the broiler until blackened in spots.
- Blend the charred tomatoes with 3–4 chipotles, a spoon of their adobo, and 2 garlic cloves, plus a splash of the reserved broth.
3Fry and Simmer
Frying the sauce into the softened onions deepens it past raw — same principle as a birria adobo. Then the chicken simmers in it long enough to drink the flavor.
- Slice the remaining onions (slices, not dice — tinga has visible onion strands) and soften them in lard or oil until translucent.
- Pour in the blended sauce and let it fry and reduce about 10 minutes. Add oregano, a pinch of thyme, and a bay leaf.
- Fold in the shredded chicken with a little broth and simmer 15–20 minutes until moist, not soupy.
- Serve on tostadas or tacos with crema, crumbled queso fresco, and avocado.
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