This Chicken Tinga Salad is PERFECT for busy weeknights! This saucy and spicy bowl of goodness whips up super quick with the help of chicken and chorizo that is made in advance.
Recently I shared with you one of my favorite go-to recipes for busy weeknights, the 2-Ingredient Chicken Taco Meat which is essentially a short-cut version of Chicken Tinga.
Mexican Chicken Tinga is shredded chicken cooked in tomatoes, chipotles, onions and spices. It is a saucy and spicy meat filling for tacos, burritos, tostadas etc. This invention comes from Puebla, Mexico.
My version of Chicken Tinga uses just 3 oz of chorizo per pound of chicken. Chorizo essentially has all of the ingredients of authentic Chicken Tinga and comes in a neat little package. Basically you just dump both into a pot – simmer, stir, done. I make a big batch and we eat it all week. You can also freeze half for later. I make tacos, burritos, street fries, loaded baked potato…you get the idea. Today I made Chicken Tinga Salad, because – why not? Variety is the spice of life.
What makes this recipe easy is that it only has two ingredients, it’s a dump and cook method that you can even do in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, and you can serve the different chicken tinga variations all week without feeling like you are having leftovers.
Have fun in the kitchen with this one and let me know how it goes. Do you have any creative ideas on how to serve this? Leave a comment below.
Buen Provecho!
Easy Chicken Tinga Salad
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Prep Time: 10![]()
Cook Time: 20![]()
Total Time: 30![]()
Yield: 14 servings![]()
Category: Salad![]()
Method: Simmer & Mix![]()
Cuisine: Mexican
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This Chicken Tinga Salad is PERFECT for busy weeknights! This saucy and spicy bowl of goodness whips up super quick with the help of chicken and chorizo that is made in advance.
Ingredients
Make a big batch of chicken tinga and either freeze half or use all week in tacos, burritos, on loaded baked potatoes, loaded fries, in a panini etc. I used 9 oz of chorizo and 3 lbs of chicken.
- 3 oz of chorizo sausage for every pound of chicken.
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Salad greens, I like a spring mix of spinach, arugula and baby kale.
- Red or yellow bell pepper.
- Avocado slices.
- Fresh tomato slices.
- Cilantro, chopped.
- Scallion, sliced or served whole.
- Pepitos or sunflower seeds for garnish.
- Ranch dressing.
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven pan, add chorizo and cook over medium heat, stir often.
- When chorizo is hot and bubbly, add chicken and mix well to coat evenly.
- Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until cook through, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cool, shred or chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Serve this on or next to a pile of greens and the rest of the veggies and herbs. Drizzle some creamy ranch dressing and serve.
Notes
Salad variations:
- quinoa, cucumber, parsley, scallions
- cucumber, red onions, corn, couscous
- couscous, red onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, kalamata olives
The nutrition information is below without the dressing. Feel free to use your favorite dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 339
- Sodium: 318 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg