Smoky Chicken Tinga Tacos with Charred Corn-Poblano Slaw and Crispy Cheese Skirt

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Tender chipotle-braised chicken gets tucked into corn tortillas lined with a golden, crispy skirt of melted Oaxaca cheese, then piled high with a smoky charred corn and poblano slaw. It's a textural playground: crispy edges, juicy shredded chicken, crunchy slaw, and cool avocado crema in every bite.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 580 kcalCalories
• 32 gFat
• 12 gSaturated Fat
• 38 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 38 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 280 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 38 mgVitamin C
• 95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chipotle-braised chicken tinga

• 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large white onion, sliced thin
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tbsp adobo sauce
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the charred corn-poblano slaw

• 2 ears fresh corn, husked
• 1 large poblano pepper
• 3 cups shredded red cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the crispy cheese skirt and assembly

• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or low-moisture mozzarella cheese
• 8 small (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/3 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• Lime wedges and extra cilantro, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, and salt and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Add the chicken thighs and chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and braise for 18-20 minutes, until the chicken is fork-tender.
3. Meanwhile, make the slaw: Char the corn and poblano directly over a gas flame or under a hot broiler, turning often, until blackened in spots, 5-7 minutes. Let cool, then slice the kernels off the cob and finely dice the poblano. Toss with the cabbage, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, honey, and salt in a large bowl.
4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return it to the skillet and simmer uncovered for 4-5 minutes to soak up the sauce; the mixture should be moist but not soupy.
5. Build the crispy cheese skirt: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese in a 5-inch circle. Cook until bubbly and lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Place a corn tortilla on top, pressing gently so it adheres, and cook 1 more minute until the cheese around the edges is deep golden and crisp.
6. Flip the tortilla (cheese side up) onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining cheese and tortillas.
7. Spoon a generous mound of the shredded chicken down the center of each cheese-skirted tortilla, then top with the charred corn-poblano slaw, avocado slices, and a drizzle of crema.
8. Serve immediately with lime wedges and extra cilantro, encouraging diners to squeeze lime over the top before each bite.

Cook’s Notes

• Speed it up by using shredded rotisserie chicken; simply simmer the onion-chipotle sauce for 5 minutes, then stir in 3 cups cooked chicken to warm through.
• Oaxaca cheese melts into the crispiest, most flavorful skirt, but low-moisture mozzarella is a fine substitute if you can't find it.
• For a brighter, crunchier slaw, dress it just before serving and keep the cabbage and charred vegetables separate until go time.
• Dial up the heat by adding a minced jalapeño or serrano to the slaw, or use 3 chipotles instead of 2 in the braise.
• Leftover chicken tinga keeps refrigerated for 3 days and is excellent tucked into quesadillas or spooned over rice the next day.

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