Keto Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo)

Keto Chicken Tinga (Tinga de Pollo) is not only a Mexican classic recipe, but it is also a delicious low-carb dish! We had never really heard about Chicken Tinga until we moved to the Southwest. Once we relocated here, Mexican influence on our recipes was inevitable. The dishes are so tasty! This low-carb recipe is one we enjoy often. We know you will love it!

Our hearty Keto Chicken Tinga is perfect for tacos, burritos, tostadas, or even as a main dish over cauliflower rice. We even enjoy it plated with a side of sliced avocado. The flavor is bold and smoky, with just a touch of heat. The combination of tomato, sliced onion, garlic, and chipotle adobo sauce renders a chicken dish that is definitely Tasty Low Carb! It can even be made with shredded beef or pork instead of the classic shredded chicken.

Ingredients

Shredded chicken is the low-carb protein in our recipe. We use chicken breasts that have been boiled for 10-15 minutes and when cooled are shredded using a simple two-fork pull-apart method. If you have easy access to market purchased rotisserie chicken you can make our Keto Chicken Tinga even easier. You can also use the same technique for shredded beef (chuck roasts work well) or shredded pulled pork.

We blend tomatoes and tomatillos to make our sauce. The tomatillo adds just a bit of “green tomato” flavor that really makes the recipe authentic. It is not really a green tomato. You generally see the tomatillo used to make Salsa Verde. If you have trouble locating a tomatillo where you live, use a bit more tomato and add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

Chipotles in adobo sauce are found canned in most grocery stores in the Latin American section. They are basically marinated chipotle peppers. The marinade is called adobo sauce. That is the smoky flavor you are looking for in our Keto Chicken Tinga. This is one that you should not substitute. If you have trouble finding adobo sauce, click the link. A blend of garlic and oregano are the spices that finish the dish.

Preparation Tips

The first Chicken Tinga recipe we found when we moved to the Valley of the Sun came from Pati Jinich. Our recipe only varies slightly from her recipe, so credit-where-credit-is-due. We love her television show. She is delightful and such an excellent Mexican-American chef. She is a James Beard Award Winner! Her technique of par-boiling the tomatoes and tomatillos before processing is a key preparation tip. It just makes all the difference in freshness and taste! Thank you to Pati Jinich – we have such admiration for her work and talent.

We suggest slivering the onions about 1/4 inch thick or thicker so they do not cook away. In addition to the flavor, you do want some onion in every bite. We also suggest tasting the sauce throughout the process to make sure you have the right amount of smoky flavor and heat. We use adobo sauce a lot and it is such a flavorful addition to Low Carb Chicken Tinga.

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Chicken Tinga – Perfect for Tacos

Keto Chicken Tinga is perfect for Taco Tuesday! Combine with simple toppings of cilantro, avocado, red cabbage, Queso Fresco, and a low carb taco and you have a go-to small plate for family or guests! Serve it over cauliflower rice or with a side of our Spanish rice. Enjoy!

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