Mexican · lunch, dinner
Chicken Tinga Tacos with Pickled Chipotles
Video by Rick Bayless on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Nut-free
Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Each serve of 3 tacos gives about 33 g of protein and 11 g of fibre from chicken thigh, corn tortillas, tomato and avocado, with only about 2 g of added sugar from the chile pickle.
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Ingredients 17
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Pickle the chiles (ahead): simmer the vinegar, water and piloncillo until dissolved, add the dried moritas, halved garlic and ½ tsp salt, simmer 2 minutes, then cool with a plate on top to keep them submerged for about 2 hours. 2:03
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high and coat the base well with olive oil. Fry the sliced onion for about 4 minutes until it starts to brown. 4:43
- Spread the chicken pieces over the pan in one layer, press them down and leave 4–5 minutes until well browned underneath. Scrape and stir, add the chopped garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant. 6:18
- Pulse the tomatoes to a very coarse purée and stir into the pan. Thinly slice 4 pickled chiles (seeds in) and add them with the oregano, rubbed between your palms. 8:01
- Simmer on medium-low for about 4 minutes until thick enough for a taco filling. Season with about 1 tsp salt and a splash of the chile pickling liquid. 10:14
- Spoon onto warm corn tortillas and top with avocado, crumbled queso fresco, coriander and a squeeze of lime. 12:45
Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate, 3 tacos each). With 3–4 canned chipotles in adobo instead of pickled moritas it's ready in about 30 minutes. Leftover pickled chiles keep for months in the fridge.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 30%
- Protein 23%
- Fat 47%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 68% of the 44 g of net carbs come from the warm corn tortillas. To cut carbs, try lettuce cups instead.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High56%
31 µg a serve, mostly from chicken thighs (66%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High49%
0.8 mg a serve, mostly from chicken thighs (36%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Zinc High42%
4.6 mg a serve, mostly from chicken thighs (48%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B12 High36%
0.9 µg a serve, mostly from chicken thighs (59%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Magnesium High29%
121 mg a serve, mostly from warm corn tortillas (47%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin E High28%
4.3 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (26%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Iron High25%
4.5 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (29%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Potassium High22%
1030 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (28%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin C High22%
20 mg a serve, mostly from tomatoes (48%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin K High22%
27 µg a serve, mostly from ripe avocado (30%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Calcium High20%
260 mg a serve, mostly from queso fresco (46%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin A Source18%
159 µg a serve, mostly from pickled morita chiles (42%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Folate Source17%
68 µg a serve, mostly from ripe avocado (45%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Omega-3 Source14%
0.2 g a serve, mostly from chicken thighs (27%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Show the other 1
Vitamin D3%
0.7 µg a serve, mostly from queso fresco (87%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Rick Bayless; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.