EASY Chicken Tinga (Tacos WITH Jicama Shells)
- 30m Prep Time
- 1h Cook Time
- 2h Ready In
Shredded chicken in a smoky tomato-chipotle sauce, served on crunchy jicama shells and topped with avocado, crema, and cotija cheese. A low-carb twist on classic chicken tinga tacos.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb organic skinless bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 medium yellow onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chile de árbol powder
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce chopped
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 cup chicken broth or bone broth
- salt and pepper
- 1 large jicama root peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 avocado peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Charred Green Onion Cashew Crema
- 1/4 lb cotija cheese crumbled
- fresh cilantro chopped
- fresh lime wedges
- 12 clove garlic peeled
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 ancho chile peppers seeded
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 6 tbsp achiote paste
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup sour orange juice
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lb boneless pork shoulder or boneless leg cut into 6 chunks
- additional sea salt
- banana leaves
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 18 of 34 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 1213 mg
- Iron: 16.6 mg
- Magnesium: 266 mg
- Phosphorus: 1590 mg
- Potassium: 3806 mg
- Zinc: 13.8 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 2 1/2 lb organic skinless bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chile de árbol powder
- 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 cup chicken broth or bone broth
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup Charred Green Onion Cashew Crema
- fresh lime wedges
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 6 tbsp achiote paste
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup sour orange juice
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
- additional sea salt
- banana leaves
Prepare
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- Mince 4 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes, diced into ¼-inch cubes
- Chop 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 large jicama root, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 1/4 lb cotija cheese, crumbled
- Chop fresh cilantro
- Peel 12 clove garlic
- 2 ancho chile peppers, seeded
- 1 lb boneless pork shoulder or boneless leg, cut into 6 chunks
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Trim excess fat from 2½ pounds skinless bone-in chicken thighs and season all over with 2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
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Step 2.
In a large heavy-bottom cast iron skillet or nonstick sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, smooth side down, and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook another 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
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Step 3.
Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil. Add 2 thinly sliced medium yellow onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and cook 1 minute more.
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Step 4.
Stir in ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon chile de árbol powder, ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, 1½ pounds Roma tomatoes diced into ¼-inch cubes, 2 chopped chipotle chiles in adobo plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, and 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.
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Step 5.
Transfer half of the sauce to a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the blended sauce to the pan with the unblended sauce and stir to combine. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the baking dish.
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Step 6.
Bake the chicken uncovered at 350°F until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, and the sauce has thickened and darkened, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Using tongs, gently shred the chicken, discarding the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to combine.
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Step 7.
While the chicken bakes, prepare the jicama shells: Peel 1 large jicama root and, using a mandolin, cut into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Place the slices in a bowl of cool water until ready to build the tacos.
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Step 8.
To serve, spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken tinga onto each jicama round. Spoon a little sauce over the chicken. Top each with a slice of avocado, a drizzle of Charred Green Onion Cashew Crema, and crumbled cotija cheese if desired. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve with fresh lime wedges.