Simmer chicken in a smoky Fire Roasted Tomato sauce for a juicy taco filling that can also be used in burritos, taco bowls or nachos. For mild chicken tinga, use 3 chipotles; for more spicy heat, use 5. This big-batch recipe freezes beautifully.
3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
Salt and ground black pepper
2 to 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 5 canned chipotles chiles in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. Contadina® Tomato Paste
1 tsp. each cumin and dried oregano
1 can (28 oz.) Contadina® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, not drained
About 20 taco-size corn or wheat-corn blend tortillas, warmed
Topping Options: pickled red onions, white onion, radishes, Cotija cheese, lime wedges, cilantro, avocado or guacamole, Mexican crema or sour cream
Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken to the pan and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat browning the remaining chicken.
Reduce heat to medium and add 1 Tbsp. oil if the pan is dry. Add onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in chipotles, tomato paste, cumin and oregano; cook about 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in diced tomatoes and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return chicken to pan, along with any juices on the plate, and nestle into sauce.
Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temp). Transfer chicken with tongs to a clean cutting board.
Blend sauce directly in the pan with an immersion blender until smooth. Alternatively, transfer sauce to a standard blender and blend until smooth, then return to the pan.
Shred chicken with 2 forks into bite-sized pieces and stir into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in warmed tortillas with toppings, as desired.
TIP: To warm tortillas, place each tortilla directly on the grates of a gas stove turned onto medium-high heat for 10 to 15 seconds per side until slightly charred in spots. For an electric stove, warm the tortillas in an ungreased skillet instead. In a microwave, stack 4 to 6 tortillas wrapped in damp paper towels; microwave on HIGH 30 to 45 seconds. To keep warm, stack the tortillas and wrap in a clean kitchen towel or aluminum foil until ready to serve.