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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.
looking forward to making these! is there a certain corn tortilla you recommend to help ensure they don’t crack?
thanks!
Hi Gabrielle,
I like to use Whole Foods 365 brand. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
These are amazing, easy, and such a hit with my super picky family of four! I made a large baking sheet of 15 mini chicken tacos and we demolished the whole thing! 🤣 Thank you, Tieghan for another staple dinner recipe!
Hey Christine,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed:) xT
The chicken is s tasty and the avocado crema is delish! I added just a spoonful of Greek yogurt to the mix
However, the corn tortillas stuck pretty hard to the pan so I ate it like a stew with half a tortilla sticking out
Hey Shannon,
I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was delish! Have a great weekend! xT
Hi Tieghan, I’m so excited to make these. Especially in the oven instead of deep fried. I would love to know how you picked your onions for this specific dish. I haven’t made pickled onions before and I see there’s a Mexican style or a traditional way.
Hey Jenna,
Thanks so much! Here is the recipe for pickled onions:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/quick-pickled-veggies/
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
I made these tacos this past week. Love Tinga! I gave the tortillas a quick bath in hot oil instead of rubbing olive oil (kinda like when you make enchiladas) and then make the taco. The tacos never fell apart and came out super crunchy in the oven. They heated very nice as leftovers too. I will make this again!
Hey Danitza,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xx
Delicious – the Crema was extremely good. One note of caution – the corn tortillas fell apart when I pressed them in half. Worked well stacking them like a tostada *except* there is no way they would be done in the amount of time listed. They took probably 15 minutes on the first side (on parchment paper on a cookie sheet) and 10 once I flipped them in order to crisp up – when I tried to flip them before that, they started falling apart. I also had to turn the oven up a tad to 440. But the extra time and heat did the trick and they were delicious. I am a die-hard half-baked fan and was nervous at first but it all came out good in the end!
Hey Aimed,
Happy Wednesday! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner! Sorry this took longer than expected! xx
We LOVED this recipe! I am not sure which I liked best, the tacos or the crema. Lol. I will definitely make the crema for other Mexican nights. Your recipes are always my best dishes. Thank you!!
Hey Sarah,
Happy Wednesday! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it was a winner!
I only have flour tortillas-will that get crunchy in the oven?
Hi Meg,
You can use the flour tortillas, but they won’t crisp up like the corn tortillas unfortunately. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Can I freeze leftover meat after crockpot? (I’m single so 6 servings is a lot for me for one week )
Hey Jessica,
Sure, that will work well for you! Let me know if you have any other questions! xx
These are so good and we’ve made them so many times, perfect for a taco Tuesday (we did Sunday this week). The crema is my fav I double the recipe and use it with some of the chicken for a burrito bowl the next day or on salads!
Hey Naya,
Happy Monday!!🌴 I appreciate you making this recipe so often and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it always turns out well for you! xT
Are you missing an ingredient? Seems like you added another liquid to the crockpot other than the enchilada sauce?
Hi Laura,
All of the ingredients are correct, nothing is missing:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I was wondering the same. I see the enchilada sauce poured in and then another which looks like water with leftover enchilada sauce coloring it.
Yup, just getting all that sauce in there, but it’s not necessary to rinse with water:)
Damn girl.. these are fabulous! Loved them crema! Thanks for sharing your recipes 👏
Hey Gail,
Fantastic!!🌺 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for making it! xT
Made these tonight and they were so good! My only issue is that my tortillas stuck really badly. They were ugly and messy but super yummy. Next time I will probably put these on a rack and make sure to spray it really well. They’d also be really good in the air fryer. I left out the adobo because my kids find them too spicy 😕.
Hey Katy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe!! So sorry to hear about your tortillas, try coating them in oil next time! The air fryer would also be a great idea! xx
Is it possible to make these with flour tortillas? 2 out of the 3 of my family members prefer flour tortillas over corn 🙂 Thank you!
Hey Renee,
You can definitely use the flour tortillas, they just won’t crisp up like the corn tortillas. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Thank you so much! Looking forward to trying these soon!!
This was a HUGE hit – my family seriously thought I had store bought tacos. I followed the recipe, but made two changes. I added just a little – maybe 2T – sour cream to the Crema. It brought the heat down a little more (have a teenager :). Also, my corn tortillas were cracking too and I found if I let them sit a while they didn’t fall apart. But then next round I went tostada style – oiled a corn tortilla, layer of cheese, layer of chicken, layer of cheese and topped with another oiled corn tortilla. Baked as directed and flipped. Let cool down a bit until they melded together even more and cut into triangles. I love your recipes!!!!
Hey Joy,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xT