CHICKEN TINGA LETTUCE WRAPS

A traditional Mexican dish full of bold, hearty flavor that comes together effortlessly and quickly! Great over a bed of rice and beans, on a tostada, or in a lettuce wrap! Perfect for meal prep or as a low-carb, high-protein meal option.

Prep Time    : 10 minutes

Cook Time   : 20 minutes

Total Time    : 30 minutes

Servings      : 8 tacos

Calories 173 kcal

INGREDIENTS

Chicken Tinga

·         1 tbsp olive oil

·         1 small yellow onion, diced

·         3 cloves garlic, minced - 1 1/2 tsp

·         2-4 chipotles peppers in adobo, chopped

·         2 tsp chili powder

·         1 tsp dried oregano

·         1/2 tsp ground cumin

·         1 cup tomato sauce, no salt added or low-sodium

·         1/4 cup salsa, your favorite kind

·         14.5 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes

·         1 1/2 lb cooked, shredded chicken breast

·         1/2 tsp salt, more or less, to taste

·         1/4 tsp black pepper, more or less, to taste

Garnishment

·         8 leaves Boston lettuce, or iceberg leaves or romaine leaves

·         1/4 cup grated cotija cheese, divided

·         freshly chopped cilantro

·         1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

·         1 medium lime, sliced into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Place a large nonstick sauce pan over medium heat with oil. Once the pan and oil are heated, add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes. Or until translucent.

2.   Add the minced garlic and cook 30-60 seconds, stirring.

3.   Add chopped chipotles (with adobo sauce) and seasonings. Stir and cook 1 minute.

4. Pour in the tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes,  and salsa. Allow to simmer 5 minutes. Stirring frequently.

5. Remove from heat and carefully pour into a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

6.  Pour the sauce back into the pan, add the cooked, shredded chicken and stir. Simmer 2-3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

7.   Serve hot with rice and beans, tostadas, in corn tortillas, or lettuce leaves.

8.   Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, and cotija cheese.

To Meal Prep

1.   Divide the Chicken Tinga between four meal prep containers. Separate the lettuce and lime wedges into a separate container or into four sandwich bags - each with a paper towel inside. This will help absorb moisture as the lettuce sits.

2.   If easier, garnish the Chicken Tinga with the cilantro or place it, as well as the cotija cheese, into four separate dressing containers. Store meal prep in the fridge until ready to eat.

NOTES

HELPFUL TIPS FOR SUCCESS

CHICKEN: Use pre-cooked, shredded (or diced) chicken. Rotisserie chicken works deliciously! If you don't have either available, use 1 1/2 pounds of whole chicken breast added after the onions have cooked down. Cook 2-3 minutes per side. Process the tomato sauce, chipotles, tomatoes, and salsa in a food processor or blender, then add it to the pan, covering the chicken. Add in the seasonings and allow to simmer 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken has been cooked through. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks and return it to the pan to simmer 2-3 minutes.

CROCKPOT: Process the tomato sauce, tomatoes, chipotles, and salsa in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add seasonings and stir. Place the uncooked chicken breast into the crockpot and pour the sauce over to cover. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. When done, remove the chicken to shred with two forks. Return it to the sauce and stir to fully combine.

CHIPOTLE PEPPERS: This dish comes with a bit of heat! Adding 2 chipotles will give it a bit of a bite (low heat in my opinion) and 4 chipotles will give it a some true heat. Not a heat that will build and burn your mouth. I'm not a fan of that. So add peppers according to your taste preference!

SODIUM: As always, I use low-sodium or no-salt-added canned goods when I can. You can use regular or choice. Season with salt to your preferred taste.

STORING: This can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Or in the freezer in a freezer bag or storage container for up to 3 months.

Recipe from withpeanutbutterontop.com

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