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Easy Skillet Chicken Tinga Enchiladas. Quick-cooking ground chicken, seasoned up with smoky chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce, then topped with tortillas and cheese before oven baking. The most delicious smells, a bubbly sauce, and melty cheese await you as you pull this out of the oven. Serve topped with sweet-spicy pineapple salsa and a drizzle of lime crema. A yummy mix of saucy chicken, melted cheese, and fresh juicy salsa comes together easily. It’s a delicious twist on the combination of classic tacos and baked enchiladas that everyone will love!
With the fun Cinco de Mayo holiday coming up, I’m so excited to be sharing a handful of fun, fresh, and new Mexican-inspired recipes. I’ve been getting creative and having fun, and these enchiladas are one of the results.
They’ve been made multiple times around here since I first created the recipe. Everyone loved them, and I especially love how just how easy they are!
The details are quick
First, these are very much inspired by a Mexican chicken Tingo dish, but not traditional by any means. Since I really wanted this dish to be simple and quick, I choose to use ground chicken in place of cooking and shredding chicken breasts. Traditionally tinga tacos are made with a shredded meat like chicken or beef. But using ground chicken is a quick shortcut!
My other quick shortcut is to use a mix of canned chipotle chilies in adobo plus a can of red enchilada sauce. Tinga always has lots of chipotle in the recipe. But instead of using a tomato base of diced tomatoes, I like to swap red enchilada sauce to keep things easy. It’s always very delicious. But don’t skimp on the chipotles in adobo or the onion, both are essential.
Brown the chicken and onion together. Add oregano and cumin, then pour in the enchilada sauce and add the chipotles in adobo.
Simmer a few minutes, and that’s it. Just remove from the heat and top with either corn or flour tortillas (I like to use corn). Then top the tortillas with a blend of shredded Mexican cheeses, I use pepper jack and cheddar.
Bake until the sauce is bubbling up around the skillet and the cheese is melted.
What ends up happening is that the tortillas and cheese get a nice crispy, crunch around the edge of the skillet, which I find so delicious.
The salsa
To me, the salsa is very important. Pineapple mixed with jalapeños, lots of cilantro, lime, olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt. I love the mix of pineapple with the spicy jalapeño and cilantro. So yummy and refreshing atop such a cheesy dinner!
But that’s just me, I love a fruit-based salsa!
And lastly, if you want to make a little crema sauce, I like to mix Greek yogurt (or sour cream) with a squeeze of honey, lime zest, lime juice, and sea salt. It’s a nice cooling sauce that balances the spice.
Simple to throw together, and has a nice mix of texture and flavor. You get saucy, crispy, spicy, and sweet!
All the good stuff…hope you enjoy!
Looking for other Cinco de Mayo inspired recipes? Here are a few…
Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Fried Avocado
Lastly, if you make this Easy Skillet Chicken Tinga Enchiladas, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Skillet Chicken Tinga Enchiladas
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 641 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped chipotle in adobo
- 6 corn or flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- avocado and Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving
Pineapple Salsa
- 1-2 jalapeños, seeded if desired, and chopped
- 2 cups diced pineapple
- 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 juice of a lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add oregano and cumin, cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups enchilada sauce and the chipotle. Season with salt. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.3. Arrange the tortillas on top of the chicken. Pour over 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, then top with cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.4. To make the salsa. Combine everything in a bowl, season with salt. 5. Serve the enchiladas warm, topped with avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and plenty of salsa.
Hey Tieghan,
Another recipe tried and you hit out of the park perfect as always!!! This was new to me doing it in a skillet and every bit as good as as the traditional why. I made it on Fri night and by today for lunch they were gone so delicious!! Honestly, I expect nothing less from you. I can’t wait to get my hands on your cookbook. I did message your team about the questions I had for you about getting a signed copy somehow. I’m eagerly awaiting their response 🙂 Hope you’re having a great weekend.
Hi Mike,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Someone should be getting back to you soon. Have a great week:) xxT
The family LOVED this, & I love how easy it was. 10/10 recommend. Could easily sub shredded rotisserie chicken or ground beef.
Hey Alyssa,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
I made this tonight. I didn’t have enough enchilada sauce so I made some homemade to go with what I had. This recipe is definitely a do again. So delicious!!!! Thank you again!!!
Hi Leslie,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
With a newborn baby, this type of minimal ingredient, quick recipe is just what I need! We ended up just using a pre-made pineapple pico de gallo to make it even easier. Even with the shortcut, this was absolutely delicious and we will definitely be making it again.
Hey Dani,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
Hi, I love your recipes but I do have to say that better editing is needed. In this recipe it calls for cilantro to be stirred in, no mention of cilantro in the recipe. I did see your response to someone else’s comment and you said to top it on the dish. Not stir it in. Also, I am assuming you meant dried oregano not fried? Again, I love your cookbooks and blog!
Hi Monica,
Thanks for sharing your feedback, my mom and I do the best we can to edit each recipe with minimal mistakes, but sometimes things are overlooked slightly:) Yes, the recipe calls for dried oregano and I fixed the wording for the cilantro. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Should the tortillas be toasted before adding them to the top of the chicken??
Hey Rachel,
You can but it’s not necessary:) I did char mine a little directly over the stove top flame. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
The chicken mixture is good as is the pineapple salsa. I’m an inexperienced cook so perhaps this was my mistake; the tortilla’s turned into a sodden mess.
Hi Brenda,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! The tortillas will be soft since they are covered in so much sauce. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I’ve made this twice and it’s so good! First time it was just like your recipe, second time I subbed corn tortillas for my favorite tortilla chips. So good either way! Thanks, Tiegan!
Hi Laura,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
Great recipe! Similar to the saucy enchilada bake, but I liked that this one didn’t have rice in it. I used ground beef and tortilla chips instead of tortillas for more crunch. Delicious!
Hey Jamie,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
Super easy and delicious! I forgot to tear the tortillas so it turned out more like a skillet pie, but still yummy! The salsa is a must! The pineapple really off sets the savory. Will make it again!
Hey Alyson,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! Have a great week:) xxT
Can canned pineapple be used in place of fresh?
Hi Peg,
Yes, that will work for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Great recipe. I used leftover rotisserie chicken. All came together very quickly. I certainly will be making this again.
Hey Linda,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a hit! Have a great weekend:) xx
Do you think corn tortillas would take away the center mushiness that was noted?
Loved the flavors of this dish! Also loved the ease. One issue we had was the tortilla being very mushy. How did you get yours so crispy? Also only used 4 tortillas instead of 6 as the recipe suggested. Thanks!!! Laurie
Hey Laurie,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a hit! The only crispy parts of my tortillas were the outer edges, the rest covered with sauce will be soft like a traditional enchilada. I hope this helps! Have a great weekend:) xx
Following Wendi’s comment about how much cilantro into mix since it’s not listed in main recipe. Looking forward to trying the recipe. Thanks
Hi Mary Lou,
Fixing the recipe, you will just top with cilantro. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Amazing and easy and healthy recipe!!! Your cookbook is en route and as some one who has not cooked much but aims to cook more, your easy to follow and delicious recipes are much appreciated.
Hey there,
Wonderful!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a hit! Have a great weekend:) xx