Easy Keto Chicken Tinga (20 Minutes!)

This keto chicken tinga is an easy and healthy weeknight dinner that's absolutely delicious and takes less than 20 minutes to make!

With store-bought rotisserie chicken, this low-carb and keto chicken tinga recipe comes together fast (less than 20 minutes!) for your weeknight Taco Tuesday. Chicken tinga is basically shredded chicken that has been cooked in a tomato-based sauce that includes chipotle chilis in adobo sauce — which adds a delicious smoky flavor to the dish.

This keto chicken tinga recipe is perfect if you're looking for an easy rotisserie chicken recipe or a quick weeknight meal that is low in carbs, healthy and delicious. It's an easy make-ahead recipe, too, since you can make the sauce in advance (and store in fridge) and heat with left-over rotisserie chicken when you're ready to serve.

We typically serve this keto chicken tinga in low-carb tacos (like romaine lettuce leaves or low-carb tortillas) along with a number of toppings like sliced red onions, shredded cabbage, chopped avocado and shredded cheese.

What is Chicken Tinga?

Chicken tinga, or tinga de pollo, is a classic Mexican dish made with shredded chicken, tomatoes, chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, onions and garlic. It is typically served on top of a tostada along with other Mexican sides such as refried beans.

Key Ingredients

Just a few notes on key ingredients:

• Store-bought rotisserie chicken: To make this recipe fast and easy, we use store-bought rotisserie chicken that we shred. You'll use two and a half cups, so that could even be half of a leftover rotisserie chicken.
• Onion: You can use whatever onion you have on hand. We typically use yellow onion which we dice.
• Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilis: We use Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies since it's low in carbs and doesn't include sugar or highly-refined oil.
• Chipotles in adobo sauce: Chipotle peppers give the chicken mixture a ton of spicy, smoky flavor. We typically use two adobo peppers, which we dice, but you can use a less if you prefer a less spicy sauce.
• Garlic: Yes, a little garlic adds to the the flavor of the sauce!
• Cumin: Cumin is a common ingredient in tinga and helps flavor the sauce.

How To Make

STEP 1: In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and chopped onions. Cook onions, while regularly stirring, until soft, roughly 3 or 4 minutes.

STEP 2: Stir in minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds before adding cumin, chipotle peppers, diced tomatoes, and salt. Simmer for several minutes while occasionally stirring.

STEP 3: Remove sauce from heat and pour into a blender and blend until smooth in consistency.

STEP 4: Return sauce back to pan and combine with shredded chicken and heat for several minutes until mixture is thoroughly heated. Serve in a bowl along side romaine lettuce leaves (or low-carb tortillas), diced red onions, diced avocado, and crumbled or shredded cheese.

How to Serve

We typically serve chicken tinga in low-carb tacos (in either romaine lettuce leaves or low-carb tortillas). But, you could also serve it in low-carb quesadillas, low-carb chicken enchiladas or even alone.

We typically top our chicken tinga tacos with guacamole or diced avocado, crumbled or shredded cheese, chopped red onion, and cilantro. Other toppings could include sour cream, salsa, or pico de gallo. It's all up to you!

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If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!