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Jeez, my titles are just too insane.
Before the one you see now, I had Chipotle in there too, but wow, it was just way too much of a tongue twister. I am actually beginning to get annoyed with myself that for the life of me I just cannot write-up a simple, non confusing recipe title. I mean, they happen, but only occasionally. Oh well, I just can’t leave anything out. I just can’t.
Sooo, how about some fresh flavors and colorful Mexican food to brighten up your Wednesday?
Like don’t you just want to hit the beach with me and my pineapple up there? Cause I do. If you read my post on Sunday, you’d know that I said I was freezing. Well, yeah, I am still freezing and it is snowing again. Welcome to late February in Colorado. Just three more months of the cold and snow and then it’s mud season. Oh my gosh, sounds so fun, right. Oh yeah…
I am actually OK with all the cold weather though because when it gets really cold like this, it just makes me think of tropical warm places… and well, apparently really freaking delicious Mexican food.
With pineapple, because you know, crazy me bought TEN at the grocery store the other week. <–Can you say, Tieghan loves pineapples? YUP.
So you can see why I especially love these chicken tingas… with pineapple. And beneath it all sits a crispy all cheese quesadilla (so kind of like a quesadilla tostada)…with um, tequila lime pickled jalapeño’s, and well lots of cajita cheese, because life should be extra fun on this Wednesday!
You see, I clearly got a little carried away with this recipe. This seems to happen a lot with me, but I kind of like it. This way I get to eat really good food. Score.
Oh, and did I mention this is one of those crazy simple and crazy easy crockpot recipes? I mean, I tried to get the word crockpot into the title too, but it just wasn’t gonna happen.
You can actually make this in the crockpot OR in the oven. Both ways turn out just the same. The crockpot is just nice and convenient though. Gotta love a delicious warm meal that is waiting for you when you get home. Plus, the house smells AMAZING all day long. I loved walking in from the cold only to smell tropical Mexican cooking away. It really is the very best way to handle these late February days.
If you are wondering, tinga just means a smoky tomato based Mexican sauce. It can be made with chicken, pork or beef and is typically served over rice or in a tortilla. I did my tinga just a little differently, but it’s the perfect combo of spicy and sweet, and it’s made even better by the crispy cheese quesadilla sitting underneath it.
By the way, making a quesadilla into a tostada is the best. You get to stuff so much cheese into your dilla and everything stays so nice and crisp. On top of that, you get to pile on the toppings like you would a tostada. Epic.
And those pickled jalapeño’s? I really just added those because one – I love spicy jalapeño’s and limes, and two – I feel like all of our Wednesdays could possibly use a little pick me up. Thinking these are just the perfect final touch to help us through the hump.
Chipotle Pineapple Chicken Tinga Quesadilla Tostadas with Tequila Lime Pickled Jalapeño's.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 961 kcal
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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Ingredients
Chipotle Pineapple Chicken Tinga
- 1-2 cups pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 (14 ounce) can fired roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/2 small sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 in canned chipotle chiles adobo chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple diced + more for serving
- 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs or breast or combo
- 8 corn or flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped + more for serving
- sliced avocado pineapple wedges + catija cheese, for serving
Tequila Lime Pickled Jalapeño's.
- 3 jalapenos thinly sliced
- 1 small lime sliced
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- To make the tequila lime pickled jalapeños, add the jalapeños to a glass jar. Sprinkle with sugar. Add the vinegar, tequila and lime juice. Toss. Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. After 30 minutes you can then cover and store in the fridge until ready to use.
- To make the tinga. In the bowl of a crockpot, combine 1 cup pineapple juice, the orange juice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, chopped chipotle chiles, salt, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and pineapple. Give it a stir and then place the chicken in the mixture. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or high for 4-5 hours.* Keep an eye on the chicken towards the end of cooking and if needed add the remaining pineapple juice, I did.
- Once the chicken is cooked, shred with two forks and toss with the sauce. Cover and keep warm.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Once hot, add two tortillas. Top each with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese and a sprinkle of cilantro. Top each with another tortilla. Cook until crisp, about 2 minutes, flip and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- To assemble, place the quesadilla crisps on a plate. Top with the pineapple chicken tinga, a few slices of avocado, fresh pineapple, catija cheese and the tequila pickled jalapeños. Enjoy!
Notes
*The chicken can also be cooked in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a heavy bottom pot with a tight fitting lid, combine 1 cup pineapple juice, the orange juice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, chopped chipotle chiles, salt, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and pineapple. Give it a stir and then place the chicken in the mixture. Cover and cook for 2-4 hours or until the chicken shreds easily and the sauce has reduced. Check the chicken one or two times throughout cooking and if needed, add the extra pineapple juice. I added it. Follow the remainder of the recipe as directed above.
Pineapple Chicken Tinga Quesadilla Tostadas with Tequila Lime Pickled Jalapeño’s – whew, happiest fiesta Wednesday!!
Love the combo of flavors you have going on here Tieghan! I just need some toritillas and I’m all set with the ingredient list! Making this weekend for sure!
There’s nothing wrong with a long title – no ingredient left behind policy totally applies to recipe titles!! 🙂 These look AWESOME!!
Thank you! 🙂
This looks soooo good (as everything always does and turns out)..I think that I am going to make these this weekend 🙂
One small correction..it’s Cotija Cheese, not Catija Cheese 😀
UGH! Thanks connie! Fixing that now!
hi! what can i use in place of the tequila? ty 😉
Hey Sonny,
You can just skip the tequila. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
Love the quesadilla addition to this slow cooker chicken. The acid from the pineapple and spices are a fantastic, basically a Al Pastor with chicken!
Thank you so much, Kevin!!
So my husband is going out of town tomorrow and is going to DIE when he hears that I am making these! Love the pickled jalapenos in this! Love that you add such special details to each dish!
Lol! You had me cracking up with that pineapple picture!
🙂
THANKS!
This sounds fabulous and that is because I also LOOOVE pineapple!
Thanks Sophia!!
I think your titles are the only thing you need to work on, and that’s easy! Your pictures and recipes are delicious, so fret not. 😉
Thanks Claire!
Oh my garsh! Guess who is adding these to her menu for next week? This girl. Not that I was influenced at all by those jalapeños marinated in tequila (do I need another excuse for a tequila shot?). . .no siree. Btw. . .you need to move to Nairobi. You can get a whole bag of pineapples for two bucks. Think of all the pineapple chicken tinga bobinga- fe-fi-fofinga you could make with that. 🙂
Haha! Thanks so much, Lynn!
I’ve never had tinga, but any kind of smokey tomato goodness is right up my alley! And adding a little tequila and some spice never hurt anyone! Bring on the delicious food – tongue twister of a name or not!
P.s the pineapple pic? I die. Pinned!
You’d love Tinga!! 🙂
I love your titles because you know everything that’s going into the recipe…well almost everything…this looks so yummy…I’m addicted to pineapple and I think my addiction worsens the colder and snowier it gets. Can’t wait to try these.
Same with me, more snow means more pineapple! 🙂
Your titles may be long and crazy, but the foods are crazy delicious!
Well THANK YOU! 🙂
I love your titles! I don’t see a single word that you could have omitted 🙂 these tinga quesadilla tostadas look like they’d be the perfect pink me up mid week!
Well thank you!! 🙂
I’ll just take the cheesy quesadillas–they look so good and tasty.
Haha! Thanks!!
That’s exactly what I was thinking about, a warm tropical place! Had enough of the cold weather ;). I like your tequila lime pickled jalapenos, pinned it!
Thanks so much!!