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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.
Oh my goodness, we LOVE THESE! We used the air fryer to crisp the shells and they were amazing! Not as convenient for a large quantity, of course. 5 stars from us!!
Hey Hannah,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xx
Do you have to add water to the instant pot if you’re using that method?
Hi there,
Nope, you can follow the recipe as is:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is the best meal I’ve ever made. Husband told me it’s restaurant quality, and I’d 150% agree. DO NOT SKIP THE CREMA. It’s absolutely necessary for the full experience. And also—get Maldon sea salt flakes. Also makes the experience! I will be dreaming of this meal until I make it again (which very well may be tomorrow).
Hey Michela,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!!☀️ xTieghan
This is one of the best recipes I have ever made! I couldn’t believe I made these at home. They tasted restaurant quality!! I was worried they would be too spicy, but they were the perfect spice level. I’m definitely putting this on my dinner rotation!
Hi Lauren,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe out, I am so glad to hear that it was a winner! xxT
I am having the same issues as a lot of people! Not crispy and tortillas cracked. I am so bummed. I will try a different brand and a different pan next time!
Hi Megan,
So sorry to hear this, corn tortillas can be finicky! I would warm them first and coat in oil, be careful not to overstuff them too! I hope this helps! xx
My husband loved these, said these were the best! Guess it’s a new favorite!! Thanks!!(sorry tried to add a picture, will try on Instagram)
Hey Patti,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe out, I am so glad to hear that it was a winner! xxT
Our new favorite!!! I made this two weeks ago for the first time, and my husband and I absolutely loved it!! I don’t think I can express how much we love this! Especially as leftovers for a breakfast bowl! Jasmine Rice, Eggs, the meat, and a small amount of shredded Monterey!!! I used chuck instead of chicken since that’s our favorite cut! Our son’s god father said it wasn’t spicy enough! Guess what I’m making again today, along with sharing this recipe!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
These were easy to make and one of my all time favorite HBH recipes!! SO good. I used Mission flour street tacos, which I warmed in the microwave, sprayed with avocado oil (instead of rubbing with olive oil) then placed directly on the pan which worked perfect… no cracks! Since it’s key to not overfill and I used small shells, I should have bought a 24ct but other than that this was perfect. Thanks so much!
Hey Ashley,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Love this recipe! I really enjoy all of the spices and flavors and it was so nice to be able to throw everything in the crockpot to let it cook. A few of my tortillas cracked at the fold as well (totally my fault for not heating them enough in the microwave) but they still tasted delicious. So glad I doubled the recipe so that I could freeze half of the chicken mixture for another meal.
Hey Ann Marie,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xx
AMAZING!! I used the Mission Almond Flour tortillas and no cracking/splitting!! Delicious and will be making it again for sure and the Avocado Crema:)!!!
Hey Deb,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xx
Delicious! Have made twice. I had trouble with my tacos breaking on the fold & not crisping up enough. Maybe because I lined my pan with parchment paper? ?♀️ Used green enchilada sauce & serano pepper as that’s what I had on hand. The avocado crema is the bomb – so amazing! Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Diane,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Sorry about your tortillas, try warming them and coating in oil first. Have the best weekend:) xx
Hi Teighan- I’m am making these as I write this. I too had trouble with folding the tortillas. I did warm them for about 30 sec in the microwave. Was I supposed to oil both sides of the tortillas? I only did the inside. They smell delish!
Hi Caroline,
So sorry to hear about your tortillas! Corn shells can be finicky, I find the oil really helps and I am careful not to overstuff them. You can always try a different brand of tortillas, that might help! xx
Made this in instant pot and it came out very watery – but can leave lid open in high saute mode to let it boil down (with touch of corn starch). The jalapeno avocado crema is must! The tangyness really compliments the dish.
Taste just as good with on top of rice!
Hey Cherry,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
I am desperate to make these work, but I’ve made them a couple of times now, and they crack down the spine of the taco every time… any tips??!!
Hey Juliana,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, sorry to hear about the shells! Try warming them first and coating in oil, make sure not to overstuff them, and you might want to try a different brand of tortillas. I hope this helps! xx
Can you freeze leftover tacos?
Hey Amanda,
You could freeze the meat, the tacos shells might become soggy and overcooked when reheating. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Loved these! I tried them in the air fryer and oven and I liked the air fryer results a teeny bit better. Kids and husband also loved. Will definitely make again.
Hey Lindsey,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it. Have the best week:) xx