Chicken & turkey· GF · DF

Chicken Tinga

Name: Chicken Tinga
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 250g chicken thigh fillets; 200g chicken breast fillets; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 240g (1 tin) black beans, drained; 200g (2 medium) onion; 120g carrot, finely grated; 15g (4 cloves) garlic; 40g (2½ tbsp) chipotle paste; 30ml (1 lime) lime juice; 4g ground cumin; 4g smoked paprika; 1g oregano; 10ml rapeseed oil; 1 cube chicken stock cube; 150ml water, for the stock

Slow-cooked chicken in a tangy chipotle sauce with black beans, cumin and lime.

makes 16 blocks, about 36p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/chicken-tinga/

Time: 1 hr15 min prep · 45 min cook
Makes: 16 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 36p
Calories per blockCalories: 75 kcal
Spice: 3 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

250gchicken thigh fillets
200gchicken breast fillets
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
240g (1 tin)black beans, drained
200g (2 medium)onion
120gcarrot, finely grated
15g (4 cloves)garlic
40g (2½ tbsp)chipotle paste
30ml (1 lime)lime juice
4gground cumin
4gsmoked paprika
1goregano
10mlrapeseed oil
1 cubechicken stock cube
150mlwater, for the stock

Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Warm tortillas with lettuce, pickled red onion and Greek yoghurt · A burrito bowl with rice, sweetcorn and avocado · A baked potato with grated cheddar

Method

Step 1: Heat the oil in a casserole or deep pan. Soften the onion and carrot over a medium heat for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and paprika for 1 minute.
Step 2: Stir in the chipotle paste, tomatoes, stock and oregano. Add the whole chicken pieces and push them under the liquid.
Step 3: Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes until very tender, or cook in the oven at 160°C fan for 45 minutes.
Step 4: Lift out the chicken and shred it with two forks. Return it with the black beans and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until thick and jammy.
Step 5: Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and season.
Step 6: Cool, portion into 16 cells of about 70g, and freeze.

Hotter: add 1 chopped chipotle in adobo or ½ tsp cayenne with the chipotle paste.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	75	7.5g	5.3g	2.4g	1.9g	0.46g
Per 3 blocks	225	22.5g	15.9g	7.2g	5.7g	1.38g

Cook’s notes

Thighs alone make it juicier but add about 0.5g fat per block.
No chipotle paste? Use 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp hot chilli powder, 1 tsp tomato purée and ½ tsp sugar. Or blitz 2 chipotles in adobo (Gran Luchito or Cool Chile Co, ~£2.50–3.50 a tin).
Freeze leftover chipotle paste in 1-tbsp blobs.

Serve it

Warm tortillas with lettuce, pickled red onion and Greek yoghurt · A burrito bowl with rice, sweetcorn and avocado · A baked potato with grated cheddar.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 225 kcal and 22.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Chicken Tinga questions

Can I use all chicken breast?

All breast works. Shred it after 25 minutes so it doesn't dry out; the blocks will be a little leaner.

Why grate the carrot?

Finely grated carrot melts into the sauce, adding body and a little sweetness to balance the smoky chipotle and the lime, without any obvious pieces.

Can I make it with pork?

Pork shoulder steaks suit the chipotle well. Simmer them covered for about an hour until they shred easily, adding a splash of water if the sauce gets too thick.