Chicken tinga is a popular Mexican dish made of shredded chicken in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, and spices. It is typically served in tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or on its own. While chicken tinga is meant to have a bit of spice from chiles, it can sometimes end up being too hot for some people’s tastes.
Why is my chicken tinga too spicy?
There are a few reasons why your chicken tinga may have come out spicier than intended:
- Too much spicy peppers – Chicken tinga is usually made with a combination of dried chiles, chipotle peppers, and fresh serrano or jalapeno peppers. Using too many or too much of these spicy ingredients can make the dish overly spicy.
- Unseeded chiles – Many recipes call for roasted, peeled, and seeded chiles. Forgetting to seed the chiles will leave the spicy inner membranes and result in a spicier tinga.
- Extra spices – Spices like cayenne, chili powder, and cumin can enhance the heat level. Going heavy-handed with these spices can amplify the spiciness.
- Not enough tomatoes – The tomatoes in chicken tinga help tame the spice of the chiles. If you don’t use enough tomatoes, the spice of the other ingredients will be more pronounced.
How can I fix chicken tinga that is too spicy?
If your chicken tinga has ended up too hot for your tastes, there are a few things you can do to try to reduce the spiciness:
- Add more tomatoes – Stir in some diced fresh or canned tomatoes. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the tomatoes to mellow out the spice.
- Add dairy – Stir in a spoonful or two of sour cream, Greek yogurt, heavy cream, or Mexican crema. Dairy helps neutralize capsaicin, the compound that gives chiles their heat.
- Add acid – Squeeze in some lime or lemon juice. Acids can help tone down spiciness.
- Add sugar – A bit of sugar, honey, or agave nectar can help counterbalance spicy heat. Just a teaspoon or two is usually enough.
- Dilute with broth – Thin out the sauce by stirring in some chicken broth. This dilutes the spicy components.
- Increase other ingredients – Add more shredded chicken, beans, rice, etc. This will increase the ratio of milder ingredients to spicy ones.
Give the modified tinga a taste and adjust with more of the mellowing ingredients as needed. The goal is to achieve the desired spice level for your preferences.
How can I prevent my chicken tinga from becoming too spicy?
To avoid an overly spicy chicken tinga in the future, here are some tips:
- Use milder chiles – Opt for dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles which are not as hot as other varieties.
- Seed the chiles – Make sure to remove all of the seeds and inner membranes when preparing the chiles.
- Reduce hot spices – Go light on the cayenne, chili powder, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.
- Add spices gradually – It’s easier to adjust spice levels by adding a little at a time and tasting as you go.
- Increase tomato ratio – Use at least two parts tomatoes to one part chiles.
- Balance with other ingredients – Plenty of onion, garlic, chicken, and broth can help offset spiciness.
- Adjust serving style – Serve the tinga in tacos or burritos along with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, rice, etc. to help moderate the heat.
What are some milder chicken tinga recipes I can try?
If you want to play it safe with a less spicy chicken tinga, look for recipes that use fewer hot peppers. Here are some examples of milder chicken tinga recipes:
- Authentic Chicken Tinga – Uses just guajillo and New Mexico chiles. Omits other spicy ingredients like chipotle pepper and cayenne.
- Easy Chicken Tinga – Calls for just 1-2 jalapenos and balances the heat with plenty of tomato sauce and chicken broth.
- Chicken Tinga for Kids – Leaves out hot peppers completely and gets flavor from paprika, cumin and oregano instead.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga – Uses mild ancho chile powder and balances with two cans of tomato sauce.
- Roasted Chicken Tinga – Relies on oven-roasted vegetables for flavor over spicy chiles.
When trying a new chicken tinga recipe, read the ingredients and instructions carefully to assess the spice level before cooking. Start mild and you can always add a pinch more heat if desired.
What are some spicy substitutes I can use instead of chiles in chicken tinga?
If you want to avoid spicy chile peppers but still add some zip to chicken tinga, there are several substitutes you can use:
- Paprika – Adds rich flavor and red coloring without much heat. Smoked Spanish paprika gives the closest flavor profile to dried chiles.
- Ground coriander – Earthy, lemony and slightly warming but not spicy.
- Ground cumin – Warm and aromatic without being pungent.
- Chile powder blend – Look for a mild blend without much heat like ancho or New Mexico powder.
- Harissa paste – North African spice paste that can range from mild to moderately hot.
- Sriracha sauce – Provides a touch of heat and tang without excessive spice.
Start with small amounts of any substitute, like 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per pound of chicken. Taste and add more as needed. You can also omit chiles altogether and increase onion, garlic, oregano and cumin for flavor.
How can I tone down leftover chicken tinga that is too hot?
If you have a batch of chicken tinga in your fridge that is still too spicy, there are some fixes you can try:
- Stir in or top with sour cream, yogurt, cheese or Mexican crema.
- Shred and saute some extra chicken breast to mix in.
- Add more cooked rice or beans to dilute the spicy sauce.
- Mix in extra chopped tomato, onion, cilantro or lettuce.
- Splash in some chicken broth or water to thin out the spicy flavor.
- Add a few tablespoons of tomato paste or ketchup to mellow out the heat.
You can also transfer the tinga to a skillet and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes to mellow out the spices. Just be sure to add a splash of liquid to prevent scorching. Taste and adjust seasoning with lime juice or sugar until you achieve the desired flavor.
What are some tips for serving spicy chicken tinga to avoid it being too hot?
Here are some serving suggestions to help temper the potential heat of a spicy chicken tinga dish:
- Serve in tortillas or tacos filled with toppings like lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado, rice, or beans.
- Offer lime wedges for squeezing over the tinga to mellow the heat.
- Provide sour cream or Greek yogurt on the side for mixing into the tinga as needed.
- Have extra warm tortillas available. Starch can help absorb some of the capsaicin oil.
- Suggest filling the tinga tacos with extra meat or vegetables to balance the sauce.
- Reduce the amount of tinga sauce and increase the ratio of other taco fillings.
- Offer a salad or rice as a side dish to allow diners a mild break between bites.
Emphasize that the tinga can be customized to individual tastes. Some enjoy the bold spicy flavor, while others may want to tone it down.
What drinks pair well with spicy chicken tinga?
The following beverages complement and help tame the heat of spicy chicken tinga:
- Beer – Crisp lagers like Corona, Modelo or Pacifico. The carbonation and maltiness helps cleanse the palate.
- Mexican soda – Jarritos mandarin or lime sodas contain citrus flavors that accentuate the dish.
- Horchata – Sweetened rice milk provides a creamy, soothing contrast.
- Margarita – The tart lime offsets heat, while the salt enhances other flavors.
- Mexican hot chocolate – Warm, rich cacao balances the seasoning and chiles.
- Agua fresca – Refreshing blends like watermelon, cucumber, or hibiscus cut the heat.
Avoid milk or sugary sodas, which can amplify the perception of spiciness. Stick with drinks containing citrus, salt, carbonation or traces of fat/protein for the best pairing.
Can I use the leftover spicy chicken tinga sauce for anything else?
Yes, you have several options for repurposing any extra spicy chicken tinga sauce:
- Mix into or top off burritos, nachos, tacos, enchiladas or burrito bowls
- Toss with chopped vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms for quick fajita sauté
- Simmer with beans or lentils to infuse them with flavor
- Stir into pasta, rice or vegetable side dishes
- Use as base for chili or soup by adding broth and other ingredients
- Spread over the inside of quesadillas before adding other fillings
- Swirl as sauce for fajita chicken, steak or shrimp
- Heat and serve as dip for tortilla chips
The tinga sauce keeps well refrigerated for 4-5 days. You can also freeze it in batches for longer storage. Defrost and reheat for an instant spicy flavor boost in various dishes.
Conclusion
Chicken tinga is meant to be moderately spicy, but sometimes it can be mistakenly made too hot. Adding tomatoes, dairy, acid and other ingredients can help balance out the heat. Choosing milder chile varieties and spices prevents over-spicing in the first place. If serving spicy tinga, provide cool, creamy drinks and topping options to help keep the dish enjoyable. With some adjustments, you can bring the tinga back into the right range of seasoning.