Slow Cooked Chicken Tinga Tacos With Pickled Onions Recipes

CHICKEN TINGA TACOS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chipotles, garlic, cumin, salt and cayenne and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and cook until they begin to simmer, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully ladle the sauce into a heat-safe blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pan over medium heat and add the chicken, stirring to incorporate the chicken into the sauce. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve with tortillas and desired toppings.
• Combine the white vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the onions and shallots to a pint jar and pour the liquid over the top. Let cool completely. Refrigerate up to 1 week.

SLOW-COOKED CHICKEN TINGA TACOS WITH PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/ gas 4. Put the dried chillies in a heatproof bowl/jug, pour over 350ml freshly boiled water, then set aside to rehydrate for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in the casserole and brown the chicken in batches. Transfer to a bowl, then set aside. Add another splash of oil to the casserole, turn the heat down and gently fry the onion and pepper for 10 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and dried thyme, then cook for 2 minutes more.
• Stir in the tomato purée and chipotle paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Return the chicken with any resting juices to the casserole, stirring well to coat.
• Strain the chillies into the casserole to add the soaking water, leaving the chillies in the sieve. Once the chillies are cool enough to handle, remove the stalks/seeds (discard), then add the chillies to the pan.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, fresh thyme and a generous pinch of sea salt flakes (see tip). Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid, then cook in the oven for 2 hours. Give everything a stir halfway through to stop the sauce sticking.
• Meanwhile, make the pink pickled onions: put the onions, lime juice and salt in a small glass or ceramic dish, then toss to coat. Set aside for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Once the chicken is cooked through and tender, remove and discard the chillies and thyme sprigs. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken in the pan. Turn off the oven and put the tortillas inside to warm for a few minutes.
• Serve the chicken in the middle of the table with the warm tortillas, soured cream, pink pickled onions, fresh coriander and lime wedges on the side, letting everyone construct their own taco.

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN TINGA TACOS

Steps:

• In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the chicken thighs, crushed tomatoes, garlic, chipotle chiles and adobo sauce, tomato paste, vegetable oil, bay leaf, oregano, cumin and half the onion. (Reserve the other half for serving.) Stir to combine and season with 2 teaspoons of salt. Cook on low until the chicken is very tender, about 6 hours.
• About 15 minutes before serving, turn the heat to high and stir in the corn kernels, onion powder and lime juice. Cook until the corn is warmed through, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, if using tortillas, warm them.
• Remove and discard the bay leaf. Using two forks, coarsely shred the chicken. Taste the tinga and add more salt or lime juice if necessary. Serve the tinga on tortillas or tostadas, topped with the remaining sliced onion, the crema and the avocado.