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Weeknight style 30 Minute Crispy Cheese Chicken Tinga Tacos with Pineapple Salsa. Chicken, seasoned up with smoky chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce, then stuffed into crispy fried cheese tortillas. Each tinga taco is slightly crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a charred corn and pineapple salsa, creamy crema, and a mix of your favorite toppings. These come together easily and are so delicious. The perfect twist on a classic taco that everyone will love!
When in Mexico, eat all the tacos you can! I mean, right? I figured since I’m in Mexico the next couple of days why not share one of my favorite tacos with you guys. And truly, these really are one of my favorites.
Jumping right into the details today!
What I love so much about these tacos is just how quick and easy they are to make. Thirty minutes is really all that’s need. Alright, so the chicken. The key to a good tinga taco is canned chipotle peppers. They’re the key to the tinga sauce.
Cook the the chicken up in a skillet, add the peppers, then a bit of enchilada sauce. The enchilada sauce isn’t traditional, but I love the additional flavor and sauciness it adds. Simmer the chicken in the sauce, then once it is cooked, shred the meat.
I love to use chicken tenders, which cook up much faster than chicken breasts. If you want more flavor, try using chicken thighs.
While the chicken cooks, make the pineapple salsa.
The salsa is also one of my favorites. Charred corn and fresh pineapple tossed together with serrano peppers and cilantro. It’s fresh and so delicious.
If you have extra time, char the serrano peppers over an open flame. It adds so much extra flavor.
When the chicken is cooked, heat a big skillet over medium heat. Add a few tortillas and a handful of cheese. Let the cheese melt, now flip the cheese and let it cook until the cheese is crisping on the edges. I know this sounds odd, but essentially you’re frying the cheese. Trust me it’s so delicious.
Flip the tortilla back over, add a second tortilla and then assemble the taco.
Layer up a little smashed avocado, salsa, and chicken, then drizzle over a little crema. Looks fancy and like these tacos took hours to prepare, but in reality, they take thirty minutes – tops.
Got to love that, and what’s even better? They taste pretty darn amazing too. Perfect weeknight tacos to keep dinner fresh and exciting!
Looking for other taco recipes? Here are some favorites:
Crispy Braised Chipotle Beef Tacos
Slow Cooker Braised Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Tacos
Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Lastly, if you make this 30 Minute Crispy Cheese Chicken Tinga Tacos, 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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Is this something that could be made in the crockpot by chance?
Hey Kathy,
Sure, you could do the chicken in the crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Today for lunch I made the version in the book, on page 183, “Half Baked Harvest Super Simple.” So delicious. We made a fresh batch of T’s flour tortillas. Full tummies all around. Wonderful flavors!!
Hey Lorena,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out! xTieghan
Hi!
You recently made these in IG in an IP. How long did you cook the chicken for.. if it’s 1lb chicken like in this recipe? And did you let it fully release pressure naturally or let the pressure out? Thanks!!
Hi Nina,
Here is the recipe that I made on IG:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crispy-chicken-tinga-tacos/
Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Made this for my family as a last-minute dinner when we all ended up in in Colorado together for a quick night, we were all in town visiting friends & family. We weren’t able to find corn but made the salsa without it, and used only 1 Serrano pepper (they were spicy!). I also made your lime avocado crema to top the tacos, and used fresh avocado and cilantro to top as well. Added Mexican rice as a side dish and every last bit of the meal was devoured (even my dad, who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, raved about this!). Will absolutely make again!
Hey Chelsea,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Hi! What can I do if I don’t have a grill for the corn?
Hi there,
You can put it over your stove top flame or roast in the oven. Please let me know if I can help in any other way. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Worked out great on the stove top, thanks!
Hey there,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you for making it! xxT
Delicious & super easy to make! Definitely adding this one to the rotation.
Hey Nicole,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan