Super Easy Chicken Tinga

For the chicken: 

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small chunk onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

• 4 roma tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion , cut into chunks
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce ,+ 1 chipotle chili
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

1. Add chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf to a pot. Cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat for around 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through; 165 degrees F. Scoop off foam that may rise to the top while cooking. Remove chicken to a plate to rest, and reserve 1 cup of broth from the pot (discard the rest).
2. Return the emptied pot to the stove over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot, add whole tomatoes, cooking for 2 minutes. Add onion chunks and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and onion to a blender, along with ½ cup reserved broth, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, 2 garlic cloves, adobo sauce and chipotle chile, oregano, and cumin and blend until smooth. Pour mixture back into the pot over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt additional adobo sauce, more seasonings, or reserved chicken broth, as desired, to taste.
4. Shred chicken and add to sauce, tossing to coat.

Other notes:

• To Use Rotisserie Chicken: Skip the first steps of cooking the chicken. Make the sauce, adding ½ cup chicken broth. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken at the end.
• Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the chicken tinga and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Heat when you are ready to use. These leftovers are delicious! See recipe notes for Slow Cooker or Instant Pot instructions.
• Freezing Instructions: Let the chicken cool completely then place in a freezer safe container or bag and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Alternately, make the sauce and pour into a ziplock bag with raw chicken. Freeze, and when ready to use, thaw completely and add to slow cooker, following the slow cooker instructions below. I love to make a big batch of this recipe and freeze half of it to use for chicken tinga tacos on a busy weeknight!
• Slow Cooker: Make sauce as instructed in recipe. Place chicken in a slow cooker, and pour sauce on top. Cook on LOW for 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2. Shred chicken and toss in sauce, then serve.
• Instant Pot: Make sauce as instructed in recipe. Pour sauce in the instant pot, then add fresh chicken breasts. Place lid on Instant Pot and cook on manual for 9 minutes, with a 5 minute natural pressure release. Remove chicken to shred, then place back in Instant Pot and toss with sauce.

Original Posting: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chicken-tinga/