Name: Chicken Tinga-Style Rice Bowl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500g boneless chicken thighs; 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil; 400g tinned chopped tomatoes; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (or 1 tsp chipotle paste); 1 tbsp adobo sauce from the tin; Juice of 1 lime; Salt and pepper to taste; Cooked white rice; Sliced radishes; Fresh coriander; Lime wedges

Ingredients

For the tinga chicken

500g boneless chicken thighs
1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced (or 1 tsp chipotle paste)
1 tbsp adobo sauce from the tin
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve

Cooked white rice
Sliced radishes
Fresh coriander
Lime wedges
Pickled jalapeños (optional, check tolerance)

Method

Season the chicken thighs generously with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cumin on both sides.

Heat the garlic-infused oil in a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and caramelised. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, minced chipotle, adobo sauce, and oregano. Stir together and let it simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Return the chicken to the sauce. Spoon some sauce over the top. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and falling-apart tender.

Shred the chicken directly in the pan using two forks. Stir it through the sauce so everything is coated. Squeeze in the lime juice and season to taste.

Serve over white rice with sliced radishes, plenty of coriander, and extra lime wedges on the side.

Why the swaps work

No onion in the sauce base

Traditional tinga uses a lot of onion. We skip it entirely and let the tomatoes, chipotle, and smoked paprika carry the depth. The sauce is still rich and smoky.

Chipotle in adobo for smokiness

A little goes a long way. One pepper gives you that authentic smoky heat. The adobo sauce adds complexity. Start with less if you're heat-sensitive.

Garlic-infused oil for the sear

Searing the chicken in garlic-infused oil adds a layer of flavour right from the start, without any fructans entering the dish.

Lime juice at the end

Adding lime after cooking keeps it bright and fresh. It lifts the whole dish and cuts through the richness of the sauce.

Not sure about chipotle?

Flora can help you figure out spice tolerance, suggest milder alternatives, or adapt this for a flare day.

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