A new weeknight favorite: Sheet Pan Chicken Tinga Bowls! Chipotle-seasoned chicken roasted on a sheet pan with peppers and onions, then served bowl-style with rice, chunky avocado salsa (so good!), cheese, and chips on the side for scooping it all up. These vibrant chicken tinga bowls are the easiest meal prep dinner and come together in under 45 minutes.
I was this close to making it another Taco Tuesday, but I figured we’d switch things up and go for a Mexican-inspired chicken tinga bowl instead. I’ve been sitting on this recipe for what feels like forever, and with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to share this super simple dish!
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I adore this time of year—Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and summer right around the corner. My recipes start leaning toward lighter, fresher options that are perfect for warm, sunny days.
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- Red enchilada sauce
- Chipotle peppers in adobo
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Salt
- Bell peppers
- Yellow onion
- Cooked rice
- Shredded cheddar/cotija cheese
- Yogurt/sour cream + limes
- Lettuce
Chunky Avocado Salsa
- Avocados
- Jalapeño
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Flaky salt
Expect plenty of tacos, big salads, easy grill recipes, fresh berry desserts, and even ice cream! Oh, and cocktails, obviously.
Cinco de Mayo is my excuse to go all-in on Mexican-inspired dishes. I wanted to capture the amazing flavors of chicken tinga and chipotle-seasoned chicken. I’ve made tinga tacos before, but this time, I thought a bowl would be even better. And you know how much I love a good bowl recipe—so these were a blast to put together!
Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Roast the chicken and cook the peppers
On a sheet pan, toss the chicken with olive oil, chipotle peppers, enchilada sauce, and spices (oregano, cumin, and salt). A little paprika would be a tasty addition too.
On the other side of the pan, add onions and peppers—I usually go for two bell peppers. If I have a poblano lying around, I’ll throw that in too. They add such great flavor!
Bake until the peppers start to char. That’s it—nothing complicated here!
Step 2: Make the chunky avocado salsa
While the chicken cooks, I whip up my chunky avocado “salsa.” It’s not technically a salsa, but we’ll call it that for simplicity.
Just toss together avocado chunks, chopped cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice, and flaky salt. Simple, but so delicious.
Step 3: Shred the chicken
Once the chicken’s cooked, shred it with two forks, then mix it with the sauce on the pan.
Pro tip: If you like crispy chicken, broil the shredded chicken for a minute or two to get a little char.
Step 4: Assemble the bowls
Scoop some steamed rice into your favorite bowl, then add the peppers and chicken. I love topping the warm chicken with shredded cheese.
Finish it off with the avocado salsa, a dollop of yogurt, and a squeeze of lime. So. Good.
Want to take it further? Try adding pineapple salsa, mango salsa, or pico de gallo—I’m a sucker for fruity salsas. Black beans or refried beans would also be great here. And don’t forget the chips for scooping! YUM!
