Traditional tinga uses red tomatoes, but this green version with tomatillos was created by Poblano cooks in the 1940s.
Green Tinga
Dive into the vibrant flavors of Green Tinga, a tantalizing twist that rivals its classic red counterpart! This zesty dish features succulent shredded chicken simmered in a bright green sauce made from tomatillos, jalapeños, and aromatic spices. Serve it up on crispy tostadas for a mouthwatering experience that’s sure to impress your taste buds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- avocado
- a handful of cilantro
- garlic
- two jalapeños
- onion
- purple onion
- tomatoes
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- chicken (454 g)rotisserie chicken
- chicken bouillon
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- cotija cheese
- sour cream
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- a little bit of oil
📦Other(5)
- bay leaves
- chile pastilla
- chile poblano
- frijoles
- one serrano
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start with boiling some chicken.
- 2
Heat a little bit of oil in a pan.
- 3
Add tomatoes, two jalapeños, one serrano, and onion to the pan.
- 4
Wait a bit before adding garlic to avoid burning.
- 5
Once the vegetables are semi-soft, add garlic.
- 6
Blend the mixture and add chicken bouillon and chile pastilla.
- 7
Toast the chile pastilla to remove the skin.
- 8
Add chile poblano and a handful of cilantro.
- 9
Julienne some onion and fry it with bay leaves.
- 10
Add the boiled chicken to the pan and crisp it up slightly.
- 11
Add the salsa mixture to the chicken.
- 12
Let it simmer for about five minutes on low heat.
- 13
Serve with frijoles, green tinga, purple onion, sour cream, cotija cheese, and avocado.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Char your tomatillos and chiles directly over an open flame for 3-4 minutes until blackened in spots - this creates complex smoky compounds (pyrazines) that can't be replicated in a pan.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Add garlic only in the final 30-45 seconds of sautéing because allicin (garlic's flavor compound) degrades rapidly above 140°F and becomes bitter when overcooked.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Toast dried chiles for exactly 15-20 seconds per side until fragrant but not smoking - overtoasted chiles release bitter tannins that will overpower the tinga's brightness.timing15-20 seconds per side
- ✓Blend the verde sauce while still hot (160-180°F) because heat breaks down cell walls more effectively, creating a smoother emulsion with 30% better liquid integration.technique160-180°F
- ✓Add cilantro stems during cooking but reserve leaves for finishing - stems contain 3x more flavor compounds but need heat to release them, while leaves lose potency when cooked.ingredient3x more flavor compounds
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Traditional tinga uses red tomatoes, but this green version with tomatillos was created by Poblano cooks in the 1940s.
Green Tinga
Dive into the vibrant flavors of Green Tinga, a tantalizing twist that rivals its classic red counterpart! This zesty dish features succulent shredded chicken simmered in a bright green sauce made from tomatillos, jalapeños, and aromatic spices. Serve it up on crispy tostadas for a mouthwatering experience that’s sure to impress your taste buds!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- avocado
- a handful of cilantro
- garlic
- two jalapeños
- onion
- purple onion
- tomatoes
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- chicken (454 g)rotisserie chicken
- chicken bouillon
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- cotija cheese
- sour cream
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- a little bit of oil
📦Other(5)
- bay leaves
- chile pastilla
- chile poblano
- frijoles
- one serrano
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start with boiling some chicken.
- 2
Heat a little bit of oil in a pan.
- 3
Add tomatoes, two jalapeños, one serrano, and onion to the pan.
- 4
Wait a bit before adding garlic to avoid burning.
- 5
Once the vegetables are semi-soft, add garlic.
- 6
Blend the mixture and add chicken bouillon and chile pastilla.
- 7
Toast the chile pastilla to remove the skin.
- 8
Add chile poblano and a handful of cilantro.
- 9
Julienne some onion and fry it with bay leaves.
- 10
Add the boiled chicken to the pan and crisp it up slightly.
- 11
Add the salsa mixture to the chicken.
- 12
Let it simmer for about five minutes on low heat.
- 13
Serve with frijoles, green tinga, purple onion, sour cream, cotija cheese, and avocado.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Char your tomatillos and chiles directly over an open flame for 3-4 minutes until blackened in spots - this creates complex smoky compounds (pyrazines) that can't be replicated in a pan.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Add garlic only in the final 30-45 seconds of sautéing because allicin (garlic's flavor compound) degrades rapidly above 140°F and becomes bitter when overcooked.timing30-45 seconds
- ✓Toast dried chiles for exactly 15-20 seconds per side until fragrant but not smoking - overtoasted chiles release bitter tannins that will overpower the tinga's brightness.timing15-20 seconds per side
- ✓Blend the verde sauce while still hot (160-180°F) because heat breaks down cell walls more effectively, creating a smoother emulsion with 30% better liquid integration.technique160-180°F
- ✓Add cilantro stems during cooking but reserve leaves for finishing - stems contain 3x more flavor compounds but need heat to release them, while leaves lose potency when cooked.ingredient3x more flavor compounds