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Weeknight-style Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema. Chicken seasoned up with smoky chipotle peppers and enchilada sauce, then mixed with cheese, stuffed into tortillas, and oven-baked. Each tinga taco is crunchy on the outside, but spicy and cheesy inside. Serve with a creamy, salty, honey-lime avocado crema sauce, and a mix of your favorite toppings. These come together easily and are so delicious. The perfect crispy taco that everyone loves!
It’s definitely no secret that we love Mexican food, especially tacos. Honestly, anything Mexican is a go for my family. Spicy, cheese, lots of flavors, avocado, and cilantro. These are some of our favorite flavors/foods.
I have told the childhood taco story here one too many times, so we’ll skip that today. But if you’re new, basically I grew up on my dad’s crispy, cheesy hard shell tacos.
His were very basic, but to this day my brothers still request them. Hard not to love any kind of taco, you know?
But today we have chicken tinga tacos, one of my very favorite flavors. If you’re not familiar with Chicken Tinga, it’s a Mexican dish consisting of shredded chicken in a tomato-based chipotle sauce with sliced onions. Like a lot of popular Mexican dishes, it’s pretty simple. The flavors from the chipotle peppers are KEY and what’s most traditional with any Tinga dish.
I’ve done a few variations now, but this is probably the most traditional. Well kind of, I use a shortcut in the sauce to save a little time!
The quick details
They are easy you guys. I want to start out by saying you can make these in either the crockpot, instant pot, or on the stove. We all love options when it comes to dinner, so use whichever method suits you best! They will all give you the same outcome.
For the crockpot, just add all the ingredients for the chicken right into the crockpot. So the onions, chipotle, enchilada sauce, and the seasonings. Let it all slow cook, then shred the meat. Done.
The very same with the instant pot, except the cooking time is much, much shorter (just 8 minutes).
And for the stove-top, there is slightly more involved, but it’s still easy. Just cook the chicken in a skillet until seared. Add the onion, then everything else. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Then shred the chicken and that’s that.
For the crispy shells
Instead of using store-bought taco shells, I like to take corn tortillas and stuff them with the chicken tinga and cheese. I throw them into the oven to bake until the tortillas are crispy.
This method is my favorite and I use it every time I make tacos for my family. We love the crispy oven “fried” shells and melty cheese. It’s the best when some of the cheese melts out onto the pan and gets crispy too. Delicious.
And finally the crema
Do you all remember the creamy jalapeño sauce I made with my Cuban quesadillas? Well, that sauce uses pickled jalapeños. Ever since making those I’ve been using pickled jalapeños in everything.
For this crema, I whipped avocado in a food processor with the jalapeños and lots of cilantro. I added garlic and a little honey to balance the heat, and then some sea salt.
It is so creamy, and the pickled jalapeños make it so delicious. Spicy, but not SPICY. Serve up the crema on each taco, then add whatever other toppings you love most. I always recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. I love a good fruity salsa.
Looking for more simple, Mexican recipes? Here are a few favorites:
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Cauliflower Al Pastor Quesadillas with Lime Smashed Avocado
Mushroom Al Pastor Tacos with Garlic Lime Special Sauce
Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Lastly, if you make these Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema, 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!
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Jalapeño Avocado Crema
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 517 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup red enchilada sauce
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 12-16 corn tortillas, warmed
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- shredded lettuce and pickled onions, for serving
Crema
- 2 large avocados, halved
- 1/4-1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1-2 teaspoons honey
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 limes (juice from)
- flaky salt
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the chicken, onion, enchilada sauce, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.2. When finished cooking, shred the meat and toss with the sauce. Preheat the oven to 425° F.3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each tortilla flat and then layer evenly with cheese and chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.5. Serve the tacos topped with avocado, lettuce, limes, and any other desired toppings.
Instant Pot
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. In the bowl of your instant pot, combine the chicken, onion, enchilada sauce, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Once done cooking, release the steam. 3. Follow the directions as directed above for steps 2-5.
Stove-top
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken. Cook until 2-3 minutes, then flip and add the onion. Cook another 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the enchilada sauce, chipotle, oregano, cumin, and salt, and 1/3 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat.3. Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and chicken. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. 4. Meanwhile, make the Avocado Crema. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt.5. Serve the tacos topped with avocado, lettuce, limes, and any other desired toppings.
10/10! These were so delicious – can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I did find flipping to be difficult so I’d grease the pan better next time or try parchment paper instead of tin foil. Also needed more cook time (like 7 additional minutes) to crisp after flipping, but I eventually moved to the top rack in my oven and that did the trick! So deliciously crispy! Also thank you to whoever suggested using toothpicks to make sure the tacos held together – worked like a charm!
The jalapeño avocado crema was perfection – loved the spicy sweet combo. We used pickled vidalia onions to garnish as well and the sweetness paired perfectly. So yum!!!
Hey Ashley,
Love it!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad it was enjoyed:) Happy Monday!🎄
Seriously delicious! I cranked the heat on the oven a bit for for the last 5 minutes and other than the tortillas breaking after filling and folding, they were perfection. I made them last week and already have the chicken in the crockpot for a second time. My current favorite meal hands down!
I do make my own enchilada sauce cause I’m not a fan of store bought, and maybe I’m going too far, but the flavor of this chicken is killer!
Tonight I’m going to heat the tortillas a little longer before filling them and I’m going to use a little less oil than I did last time and they should be esthetically perfect as well this time. 10/10
Hey Ashley,
Happy Monday!!☃️ I truly appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad it was enjoyed! xT
family loved it , as they do every recipe I have tried of yours.
Used corn tortilla’s and they were crispy and delish.
Made a mango salsa but honestly the creama was so good I would have been happy just with the creama.
I did add pickled red onions
Thanks again for another great family dinner
Hey Bethany,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
I made this and it was so delicious! I reduced the spiciness because of my children. I also used vegan cheddar cheese because we are Kosher AND I used flour tortillas and they actually crisped up well. I think it might have to do with the brand I used (Vista Hermosa tortillas – so good). 10/10 would make this again. Delicious and my kids ate them! Win win.
Hey there,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
SO YUMMY! Would love more details on crisping up the tortillas/ making sure they don’t split/ stick to the baking sheet. I used a good amount of oil (maybe too much?) we need your tips!
Hey Tatiana,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! I warm my tortillas first and then coat in oil, you could also line your baking sheet with parchment paper! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Made these today in my slow cooker. My fiancé and I both loved them! I noticed in some of the other comments that flour tortillas won’t crisp as well as the corn, however mine crisped perfectly! I did use a local brand of street taco size so they were very thin (I worried they would be too thin- not the case though!) I used a light spray of olive oil on my baking sheet and brushed a bit of olive oil on the tortillas. I made sure not to overstuff (even though I Really wanted to because I am extra when it comes to stuffing things!) They were so easy to make, had the best flavor and were spicy enough for my fiancé, while not too spicy for me!
Hey Kimberly,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your review:) Happy Thanksgiving! 🍽
Really like these tacos!. The only thing I have figures out is how to not make them soggy. It’s impossible to flip them over when then get wet and start to stick to the pan. Any recommendations?
Hi Adrienne,
Yes, you can definitely flip them half way, but why are they getting wet? xx
Hi! I’ve made this twice within two weeks 😂 We’re taco and spice fanatics over here so this definitely hit the spot. I added more chipotle peppers and pickled jalapeños to kick it up a few notches. This recipe is a keeper. Using the instant pot is so clutch when you’re limited on time too! Thanks for this recipe!
Quick question, do you think freezing the shredded chicken would be okay?
Hey there,
Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) Yes, that would be just fine for you to do! xT
Made these for the family last week and they LOVED them. I wish I had seen the comment about closing the tacos with toothpicks, because some of mine opened, too. Mine got a little stuck on the baking pan so s couple of them broke when I tried to flip them. Should I have sprayed the pan first with cooling spray? By the way, LOVE your recipes!!
And I meant COOKING spray, not cooling spray. Sorry. 😀
Lol no worries:)
Hey Tammy,
Fantastic!! I love that this recipe turned out tasty for you, thanks so much for giving it a try! Yes, try some cooking spray next time! xx
Hi! Can you use flour tortillas and if so will you get same result?
Hey Katie,
You could use flour tortillas, but they definitely won’t get crispy like corn tortillas. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Someone here said their flour tacos crisped up nicely.
Made this last night and it was was sooo good- the jalapeño sauce was such a hit! Will be making again 🙂 do you have an app with all your recipes?
Hi Lila,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! So sorry, we do not have an app:) xx
Delicious filling and points for ease and healthiness, as well as easily able to make gluten and dairy free if needed! I must have done something wrong, though, because I opened the oven to a sea of melted cheese that had fallen out with tacos floating in it, many of them open and not like I had made them folded over. They did crisp a bit but there was no way I was going to attempt to flip them, and I took them out so the cheese wouldn’t completely burn (I expected a bit of crispy cheese but not like a PAN full of melted cheese).
Did I overstuff them? Did I overcrowd the pan? (I did 1.5-2x the filling to make sure we had enough and made 15 tacos on a large. Want to make again and keep in the rotation if I can troubleshoot, but trying to figure out how to make them like the pictures, and not a fork-and-knife situation.
Hey Jackie,
Thanks so much for making these tacos and sharing your feedback! It’s possible they were overstuffed. What kind of taco shells did you use? A toothpick can help to keep them closed and the cheese might melt out, that’s normal:) I hope this helps! xx
Tieghan, I’ve tried these once before and loved them! Making them again for a few friends and looks like I bought a tortilla corn/flour mix. Didn’t know they made those! You think this will still work or should I get back to the store? They were a bit bigger with artesian edges which caught my attention! Let me know what you think. Thanks! ~Babsy
Hey Babsy,
Happy Friday🍁 I appreciate you making this recipe and love to hear that it turned out well for you! I think those tortillas should be just fine for you to use! xT
Barbara, did the flour/corn mix work for you? I considered getting those for this recipe in particular (we love those tortillas and get them for other taco recipes sometimes!) but wasn’t sure, and I actually got straight flour because we were in a hurry and I missed the part where you cook the corn in the oven 🙁 I was thinking I’d have to fry them to make shells and I didn’t want to mess with it, but I might actually try the flour in the oven. Chicken is in the crock pot now and smells amazing!
Such an easy yummy dinner! Love that the crema is dairy free! Like others, I had difficulty with the tortilla ripping. I heated them in the microwave and then rubbed them with olive oil as directed. I had success when I doubled up the tortillas. If you are having issues with this just use 2 tortillas!
Hi Ashley,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Did you use corn or flour tortillas? Have a great week! xx
These tacos were OUTSTANDING!!! I didn’t get to making the sauce so I just dipped mine in sour cream but regardless, they were WONDERFUL! I am yet to find a recipe from Half-Baked that it’s less than amazing. They are fairly simple to follow; but use a few unique ingredients that make the dishes more flavorful and interesting to your palette. FIVE STARS
Hey Christine,
Amazing!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was tasty for you! xT
Flavour is incredible. Our tortillas didn’t crisp tho and I wonder if it is because I didn’t put the oven on convection ??? I think next time I’ll make the chicken and serve as nachos with the cream on top! So good
Hey Leah,
Happy Friday!? Thanks a bunch for testing this recipe out, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear about your tortillas, did you use corn and coat in oil? xx