Meal Prep This Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Tonight

Sheet pan with chicken tinga
October 21, 2025

Tinga de pollo is traditionally simmered on the stove, but we've reverse-engineered the recipe to minimize mess and active cook time. By throwing everything together on one sheet pan, you get the same bold flavor for a fraction of the effort. The chicken bakes in a blend of crushed tomatoes, chipotle chiles, and spices until juicy, then gets shredded right on the pan with caramelized onions and tomatoes. Piled onto crispy, oven-baked tostadas with a layer of Mexican crema and slices of avocado, it’s a high-protein meal that’s perfect for meal prep, too. It keeps beautifully in the fridge, making it ideal for easy lunches or quick dinners throughout the week.

Organic Corn Tortillas

Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga

Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga

Masienda Team

Servings

4-6

Category

Weeknight

Ingredients

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ lb)

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes

  • 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce

  • 1 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp ground cumin

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 3 tsp kosher salt, divided

  • 1 large white onion, very thinly sliced

  • 3 Roma tomatoes, small dice

  • Mexican crema, for serving

  • Avocado, sliced, for serving

  • Tostadas, for serving

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F (convection if available). Pat the chicken dry and place it on a 13x18-inch sheet pan. Drizzle the chicken with olive oil, then add the crushed tomatoes, chipotles with adobo sauce, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and 2 tsp of salt. Mix directly on the pan until the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.

  2. Scatter the sliced onions and diced Roma tomatoes around the chicken. Season with the remaining 1 tsp of salt.

  3. Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (or the chicken is white when cut into) and the onions are softened and caramelized.

  4. Remove the pan from the oven. Using two forks, shred the chicken directly on the pan and toss everything together so it’s coated in the smoky tomato-chipotle sauce.

  5. Spoon the tinga onto crisp tostadas, spread with a layer of Mexican crema, and top with sliced avocado. Serve immediately.

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