Pati Jinich's Chicken Tinga

Our guest editor this week is Pati Jinich, authority on Mexican cooking and author of Pati's Mexican Table. She'll be sharing a week's worth of recipes, choosing a Wildcard winner, answering our questions, and giving away a few copies of her book.

Today, Pati shares a chicken recipe that's fit to feed a crowd.

This is a recipe perfectly suited for days when extra kids end up at your counter for lunch. It’s simple to make, and it can be refashioned in so many ways. Shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works beautifully) is sauced with a combination of tomato, onion, garlic, chipotles in adobo sauce, spices, and tomatillos -- all ingredients that are easy to have on hand. 

I usually make a double batch. Once it is ready, I serve half of it one night as a main entrée with a side of Mexican Red Rice and Refried Beans. Then I have the other half to repurpose over the next few days as a delicious filling for rich and tasty tinga-dillas, tortas, or tostadas.

Chicken Tinga

Serves 6

8 ripe Roma tomatoes (about 2 pounds), rinsed
2 to 3 tomatillos (about 1/4 pound), husks removed, rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt, more or less to taste
2 tablespoons sauce from chipotle chiles in adobo
1 whole chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (optional)
5 cups cooked shredded chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups chicken broth

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photo by Penny de los Santos