When my family moved to Mexico City in 2012, we were living in Nezahualcóyotl, more specifically in Bosques de Aragón. Just three houses down from us, an older woman made only one thing: quesadillas de tinga. She worked from a tiny setup in front of her house, tucked behind a huge comal with a ring of oil in the center where the quesadillas would fry until perfectly golden.
The first time I tried her tinga, something in my brain just clicked. I didn't have much spice tolerance yet, so my brother and I would sit there eating with our noses running, absolutely on fire, completely unable to stop. That combination of smoky tomatoes, soft onions, and chipotle heat became an addiction!
A Simple Dish
Tinga is not complicated. It is onions, tomatoes, chipotle, and chicken. That's it. It is so simple that plenty of people have teased me for loving it as much as I do. It is like someone becoming deeply moved by a burger. Everyone else is thinking, “It is good, but calm down.” But sometimes the simplest things hit you at the exact right moment, and they stay with you. That woman's tinga did it for me. It was simple, perfect, and unassuming. Just a pot of something heavenly simmering on a small burner outside her home.
Once I married into my husband's family, I realized I had joined a group of women who make incredible food, including tinga. They cook with so much instinct and heart that learning from them has been one of the best parts of becoming part of this family. I'll never forget begging Ericka to make Tinga and watching her every move. Finally, I was able to satisfy my own cravings!
So while Tinga always reminds me of that woman down the street, this version carries the flavors and methods I learned from the women I love, like Ericka.
Why Tinga Belongs in Your Weekly Rotation
Apart from being delicious, there is one more thing to appreciate about it. Because it's so onion‑forward, the chicken goes much farther than you expect. You can adjust the amount of chicken based on what you have. Slightly reduce the tomatoes and increase the onions to make up for less meat. The flavor stays amazing, which makes this a fantastic budget meal when you want to stretch the protein without sacrificing flavor.
Tinga is the kind of dish that feeds a crowd, fills stomachs without breaking the bank, and tastes even better the next day. It is also one of the easiest Mexican dishes to make at home, which is why it is often one of the first recipes people fall in love with. Serve it with a side of beans or a bright crunchy salad. You can top it with whatever salsa you like, but we love to use a nice salsa verde. You can also use Tinga for burritos, tacos, sopes, bowls, or whatever else you want.
