Slow Cooker Tinga de Pollo Poblano Tacos. The crock pot works perfect for this chicken, chorizo and potato taco recipe. With a base of refried beans and a topping of avocado, you’ve got an easy tingalicious weeknight dinner.
Slow cooker recipes are undeniably a hit right now, especially with the Fall and Winter months coming up!
There’s no question why—there’s nothing like good, slow cooked comfort food that sticks to your ribs and just makes you happy. Plus, you can set it and forget it. For this Sunday Supper, bring your best slow cooker comfort food recipes to the table.
Having just returned from New Mexico with tons of Southwestern inspiration and a car load of New Mexico spices, it wasn’t hard for me to turn towards some chile powder, poblano peppers and chorizo for these chicken tinga tacos.
This recipe worked beautifully in the slow cooker. A few years ago, I purchased a new crockpot that had an insert that could be used on the stove top. I love that feature.
If you don’t have an insert, please take the time to brown the chicken in a skillet before you add it to the crock pot. I don’t subscribe to the theory of dumping meat directly into the crock pot without searing first. It’s a life long habit of mine that was strongly reinforced when I attended culinary school. I’ve included an affiliate link for your convenience.
Once this dish is complete, taste and adjust the seasonings. For example, I added a bit more salt to our taste, and an additional heaping teaspoon of the New Mexico Chile Powder. The additional chile powder added more complexity and depth. It also added more spice, so taste before you add.
The end flavor result is killer. The chorizo adds texture and a smoky edge, the potato a creamy smooth treat, and the chicken which has taken on all of those Southwestern flavors is exquisite. The refried bean, as a base, just ramp up the experience even more.
Recipe for Slow Cooker Tinga de Pollo Poblano Tacos
I hope you give this one a try and if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes.
More chicken tacos recipes
And if you’re taco crazy like us, don’t miss my Tacos Category. You’ll find lots of great recipes, including the most popular taco recipe on my site for Shrimp Tacos with Lime Dressing.
This slow cooker Southwestern inspired Chicken Tinga is full of flavor with poblano peppers, and plenty spicy excitement.
- 1 14 1/2 ounce can chopped tomatoes not drained
- 2 – 3 canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce seeds and veins scraped away
- 1 tablespoon Adobo Sauce from can
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 pounds chicken breast boneless, skinless
- 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon New Mexico Red Chile Powder
- 1/2 ground Chorizo sausage
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 poblano pepper diced
- 2 cups potatoes 1 inch cubes
- 1 good splash Sherry vinegar
- 1 good splash White wine
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Mexican Oregano
In a food processor, blend together the canned tomatoes, the Chipotle peppers, the adobo sauce and garlic.
Rinse chicken and pat dry with a towel. I used 1/2 boneless skinless chicken breast and 1/2 boneless skinless chicken thighs. Sprinkle one side of the chicken with flour. Shake to remove access flour.
Salt and pepper the chicken to taste. Sprinkle the floured side of the chicken with the New Mexico Chile Powder. Then gently rub it into the chicken.
In a fry pan, or your stove top friendly Slow Cooker Insert, heat the pan over medium high heat. When hot, add crumbled Chorizo Sausage. Let it cook a couple of minutes to release some fat. Move the sausage to the edges of the pan and add the chicken, floured side down. Let the chicken sear for about 5 minutes, then turn. Sear the other side for a couple of minutes.
Add the chopped poblano and onion to the mixture and let cook for about 2 minutes.
Move the mixture to your slow cooker. Sprinkle the potatoes on top of the chicken, sausage mixture. Top with the red sauce from the food processor.
Sprinkle with the Mexican Oregano, the Sherry Vinegar, the White Wine and the Worcestershire. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours.
Taking two forks, shred the chicken meat inside the pan. Stir well and adjust seasonings.
To serve, heat corn tortillas. Spread the tortillas with refried beans. Top with Chicken Tinga Mixture. Garnish with chopped avocado, diced yellow onion, and Mexican Crumbling Cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
Once this dish is complete, taste and adjust the seasonings. For example, I added a bit more salt for our taste, and an additional heaping teaspoon of the New Mexico Chile Powder. The additional chile powder added more complexity and depth. It also added more spice, so taste before you add.
Larry says
October 8, 2017 at 7:00 amIt looks and sounds delicious Lea Ann but no way can I deal with a splash as an amount (non-culinary school engineer you know) – would you make a guess as to the amount.
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:32 amAt least a tablespoon of the vinegar and a good glug of wine. 🙂
Liz says
October 8, 2017 at 8:39 amThese tacos look amazing! And such a great bonus that they can be made in a slow cooker!
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:32 amThank you Liz.
Marcelle/A Little Fish in the Kitchen says
October 8, 2017 at 9:32 amI will definitely be making this for supper soon. The chipotle pepper sauce for this dish sounds amazing!
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:32 amThank you Marcelle – let me know what you think.
Arlene Mobley says
October 8, 2017 at 9:46 amThis looks delicious! I have to admit I am a lazy crock pot cooker and very rarely sear my meats before I add them to the slow cooker.
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:31 amI have had my “no sear” moments, but try to do it every time. Even though it messes up my stove top. 🙂
Nikki says
October 8, 2017 at 4:17 pmI cannot wait to try these! They look so amazing! We love chorizo and potatoes! Love them in this chicken recipe!
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:30 amThank you so much Nikki. Let me know what you think about the recipe.
mjskitchen says
October 9, 2017 at 7:44 pmI was introduced to tinga just a couple of weeks ago with some cabbage and carrot tinga tacos. The flavor of the tinga was great and we were talking about how good it would be with chicken. And here you are! These tacos look amazing and I love the addition of the chorizo.
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:29 amThanks so much for the comment about these tacos. After studying several recipes, I came up with a combo of flavors that I thought would work. The Chorizo is a Rick Bayless idea.
The cabbage and carrot tacos sound very interesting.
I have to tell you, I used New Mexico Chile Powder, a package I bought a Rancho de Chimayo, and following your recipe for Red Sauce, made some Pork Adovada this past weekend. My gosh was it good. Thanks again for your post using the powder.
I have a beautiful supply of fresh dried chile from Taos Spice Shop. I’ll use those for the next batch.
Karly says
October 9, 2017 at 8:20 pmYuuup. You could say I’m now straight up pumped for Taco Tuesday. These look absolutely incredible!
Lea Ann Brown says
October 10, 2017 at 5:27 amThank you so much Karly. Let me know what you think about the recipe.
John/Kitchen Riffs says
October 11, 2017 at 8:47 amKiller dish — SO full of flavor. And easy — my favorite kind. Definitely a winner — thanks.
Caroline says
October 14, 2017 at 8:37 pmThese look and sound delicious!
Lea Ann Brown says
October 16, 2017 at 9:37 amThank you Caroline!
Snap says
October 16, 2017 at 8:16 amYou made my mouth water and brought back memories of growing up in New Mexico!
Lea Ann Brown says
October 16, 2017 at 9:37 amThank you! I hope you give the recipe a try.
Jesse says
January 1, 2018 at 3:55 pmLooks nice! I’m making it as instructed right now. I am a little worried that the meat/chicken might dry out (there wasn’t a whole lot of liquid in the pot. Do you think adding 1/2 cup of stock might be overkill?
Jesse says
January 1, 2018 at 3:55 pmi meant to give this a 5 star rating 😮