Quesadillas. Warm cheesy goodness, between a warm, soft tortilla. As if they could get any better, right? Add in some perfectly spiced, juicy chicken tinga, and you have a flavourful, quick and easy lunch or dinner. These chicken tinga quesadillas use store-bought shortcuts to cut down the cooking process. The chicken is packed with flavour, with all the comforting cheesiness you know and love from a quesadilla.
Chicken tinga is a popular chicken dish, originating from Mexico. Traditionally, the chicken is stewed in a flavourful broth made of tomatoes, onions, chipotle chilli peppers, oregano, and sometimes a little sweetness.
Let me preface by saying that this recipe is not entirely an authentic Mexican recipe. To keep things quick and easy, this recipe uses a few "unconventional" shortcuts. The flavour is very similar to a traditional tinga, however!
To make this a meal, serve up these quesadillas with some spicy Mexican rice, and cool it down with homemade, fresh pico de gallo and Mexican pickled onions.
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Ingredients
Use a clear shot of the ingredients for this recipe, prepped, and labeled if necessary. Insert the ingredients into the list below, omitting quantities.
- Rotisserie chicken breast
- Fresh tomato
- Dried oregano
- Chipotles in adobo
- Fresh garlic
- Chicken bouillon concentrate
- Monterey jack cheese
- Flour tortillas
- Water
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Instructions
Start With...
- Collecting all your ingredients - This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
- Grate the cheese - Grate your cheese to keep it handy, to make the quesadillas.
- Shred the chicken - Remove the chicken breast from the rotisserie chicken, and take the skin off. Using your hands or two forks, shred into long pieces.
- Prepare the broth: In a sauce pan over medium heat, add the water, chicken bouillon concentrate, whole tomato, peeled whole garlic cloves, oregano and chipotle chillies. Let the broth come to a simmer.
- Blend the broth: Once the broth has come to a simmer and the tomato has softened, using an immersion blender or by transferring to a regular blender, blend together the broth. If using a regular blender, transfer the mixture back to the sauce pan once completely blended.
- Add the chicken: Add the shredded chicken to the pot, while still over medium heat. Let the chicken heat through with the broth, and allow some of the broth to evaporate into the chicken.
- Assemble the quesadillas: Onto one half of a flour tortilla, layer cheese, shredded chicken, and more cheese at the top. Fold the tortilla over, to create a half-moon shaped quesadilla.
- Cook: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add some butter, and add the quesadilla to the pan. Cook until brown on both sides, and the cheese has melted.
Expert Tip
Save the broth! If you have ever tried a birria taco, the beauty is in dipping the taco in the consommé, or broth. You can do the same thing with these quesadillas! Dip your quesadillas in the flavourful broth, for a special twist on quesadillas.
Substitutions
- Rotisserie chicken - if you prefer, you can poach fresh chicken breasts (or thighs, if you like them better) directly in the broth.
- Fresh garlic - you can substitute fresh garlic with garlic powder
- Monterey jack cheese - mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, or any good melting cheese will work in place of Monterey jack cheese.
- Flour tortillas - Feel free to use corn tortillas, or even low carb tortillas if you prefer.
Variations
- Spicy - Add chipotle chilli powder, red pepper flakes, or even some habanero hot sauce to the broth.
- Loaded - Add some of your favourite vegetables, such as peppers and onions, to make these loaded quesadillas.
- Kid friendly - omit the chipotle chilli peppers from the broth completely. You will still have flavourful shredded chicken without the heat!
- Low carb - If you wish to omit the tortilla completely, this chicken tinga would make a great protein for a cauliflower rice bowl, or a salad!
Equipment
This is what I used to make this recipe - Please be mindful that different equipment and cooking utensils may yield varying results. Most of my favourite equipment can be found on my storefront.
- Sauce pan
- Cast iron skillet
- Immersion blender / Blender
Storage
You can make the chicken tinga filling 2-3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The chicken can be reheated in a skillet prior to use.
I would not pre-make the quesadillas and store, as the tortillas will get soggy.
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Chicken Tinga Quesadillas
Ingredients
Chicken Tinga
- 2 Rotisserie chicken breasts skinless, shredded
- 1 Tomato
- 1 cup Water
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 Chipotle pepper in adobo
- 2 Garlic cloves peeled, whole
- 1 tablespoon Chicken bouillon concentrate
Quesadilla
- 4 Flour tortillas
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: In a sauce pan over medium heat, add the water, chicken bouillon concentrate, whole tomato, peeled whole garlic cloves, oregano and chipotle chillies.1 Tomato, 1 cup Water, 1 teaspoon Dried oregano, 1 Chipotle pepper in adobo, 2 Garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon Chicken bouillon concentrate
- Blend the broth: Once the broth has come to a simmer and the tomato has softened, using an immersion blender or a regular blender, blend together the broth. If using a regular blender, transfer the mixture back to the sauce pan once completely blended.
- Add the chicken: Add the shredded chicken to the pot, while still over medium heat. Let the chicken heat through with the broth, and allow some of the broth to evaporate into the chicken.2 Rotisserie chicken breasts
- Assemble the quesadillas: Onto one half of a flour tortilla, layer cheese, shredded chicken, and more cheese at the top. Fold the tortilla over.4 Flour tortillas, 1 cup Monterey jack cheese
- Cook: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add some butter, and add the quesadilla to the pan. Cook until brown on both sides, and the cheese has melted.
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