The delicious Mexican dish, Chicken Tinga, gets a Vermont twist with the addition of Grade A maple syrup. While not a traditional pillar of this classic recipe, this northeast ingredient fits into the formula. Its rich and robust flavor profile balances well between the tinga’s smokey chipotle peppers and acidic tomatoes. Together, this saucy chicken makes for a filling weeknight dinner that makes the most of your garden’s late summer produce.
A late summer garden generously provides heaps of heirloom tomatoes. Tomatoes are a staple in chicken tinga, providing a snappy acidity to the sauce. We make use of our harvest in this recipe by coring a pound of the season’s tomatoes instead of using canned whole tomatoes. While we used heirloom tomatoes, you can also use Roma tomatoes! The fresh tomatoes are packed with flavor that get a tiny bit caramelized when cooked before pureeing with chipotle peppers and maple syrup, amongst other ingredients.
This recipe gives home cooks the option to use a full 7oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or half of the can. This is completely up to your spice tolerance! However, the addition of maple syrup gives this dish a signature sweetness that balances the spice. Using an entire can might not overwhelm you with spice. We tested with a little more than half a can, and found we had the tolerance for the whole thing!
The sauce comes together fast, only asking for a quick toast of some ingredients before blending. Want a chicken tinga shortcut? Simply make the sauce and simmer it over shredded rotisserie chicken!
Enjoy the chicken tinga on refried bean brushed tostadas with a pile of shredded romaine, sliced avocado, cotija, jalapeno slices and crema.
