Go Back
+ servings
Chicken tinga enchiladas in a white baking dish.
Print Recipe
4.50 from 8 votes

Chicken Tinga Enchiladas

Cheesy, shredded chicken enchiladas covered in delicious, spicy tinga sauce!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chicken Tinga Enchiladas, Enchiladas, Gluten Free Dinner Ideas, Healthy Mexican Food
Servings: 6
Calories: 371kcal
Author: Stacey Adams

Ingredients

  • 4 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 large White onion *or yellow
  • 3 large whole garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 7 ounce can Chipotle chili peppers in adobo *see note below
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano *see note below
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Juice from one lime
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups Shredded chicken *see note below
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 12 corn tortillas *see note below
  • 1 & ½ cups cheddar cheese *or Monterey jack

Optional toppings:

  • Avocado slices, jalapeno slices, sour cream, baja sauce, extra chopped cilantro

Recipe notes:

Chipotle chili peppers in adobo: if you struggle with spice, you may want to consider only adding half your can of chilies in adobo. They are quite hot.
Mexican oregano: Mexican oregano has a full-bodied flavor and slight citrus undertones where Italian oregano is a bit lighter with notes of mint. Either will work fine but I prefer Mexican oregano if I can find it at the grocery store.
Shredded chicken: I usually have shredded chicken on hand because I make it in batches and freeze for later use! You can also buy pre-shredded chicken at the store or purchase a rotisserie chicken in the deli section and shred it up at home.
Corn tortillas: I try to avoid store brand as they tend to be more crumbly. If you want to make this recipe keto friendly, I recommend using La Banderita brand tortillas with 0 net carbs (however, they are not gluten free).

Instructions

  • Fill a medium size saucepan halfway with water. Add salt and place on high heat.
  • While waiting for water to boil, peel onion and garlic. Cut the onion into four large pieces and set ¼ aside.
  • Carefully add roma tomatoes, ¾ of your onion and garlic cloves to the water and cover. Boil for 8-10 minutes.
  • While veggies boil, slice up remaining onion. Saute in olive oil on medium heat until they begin to caramelize.
  • Transfer boiled tomatoes, garlic and onion to a blender. Add chipotle peppers in adobo (add only half of the can if you don't want the sauce to be too spicy), Mexican oregano, ground cumin, juice from one lime and a pinch of salt. Puree until smooth.
  • Taste test your sauce, add more salt if desired.
  • Pour about half of your tinga sauce into the frying pan with sautéed onion. Stir in shredded chicken and chopped cilantro.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread a bit of sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Soften tortillas by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30-60 seconds (you can also soften them by frying in a little oil, this is very tasty but does add quite a few calories, so I tend to stick to the microwave option).
  • Portion chicken tinga filling and shredded cheese into softened corn tortillas, roll and line in the dish.
  • Cover enchiladas with sauce and cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes. (Tip: to avoid soggy enchiladas, don't completely drench them in sauce. Leftover sauce can be used as a topping)!
  • Once enchiladas are done baking, allow them to cool a bit. Serve with desired toppings and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 2enchiladas (all values are approximate) | Sugar: 5.7g | Fiber: 4.1g | Calories: 371kcal | Fat: 14.8g | Protein: 26.6g | Carbohydrates: 32.8g