Jackfruit or Chicken Tinga

4 servings

Tinga is both a preparation and dish, a saucy base flavored with sweet onions, tomatoes and chipotle chiles in which roasted and shredded meat is simmered until it’s fall-apart tender. It’s great in tacos or on tostadas; with crema, salty cheese or avocado; over rice; with a salad; or in a messy sandwich, with or without cheese. Made in one pan, the dish comes together quickly and is very forgiving. Use more or less chipotles in adobo, depending on how much spice you like. This recipe works well with either cooked chicken — use leftovers, or quickly pan-fry chicken breasts or thighs (see NOTE) — or canned or frozen jackfruit — which is native to South India but grows across the Yucatán. Active time: 15 mins; Total time: 20 mins

MAKE AHEAD: Tinga may be made up to 5 days in advance and rewarmed in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in a lidded container for up to 5 days. From staff writer G. Daniela Galarza

Ingredients

One (14.1-ounce) can young jackfruit in brine, drained; about 8 ounces frozen young jackfruit, defrosted and drained; or 8 ounces cooked, boneless, skinless chicken (see NOTE)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion (7 to 8 ounces), halved and thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt, plus more as needed

3 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

One (14.5-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup chipotle chile peppers in adobo (from one 7-ounce can), chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)

Corn or flour tortillas, rice or salad, for serving (optional)

Steps

In a medium bowl or colander, using your fingers, shred the jackfruit or chicken into thin pieces.

In a large skillet over mediumhigh heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and salt and allow it to soften and start to brown, stirring often so it doesn’t burn, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano and cumin. Add the tomatoes, water and chipotle chiles, and cook, stirring, until the sauce comes to a simmer, about 3 minutes.

Add the jackfruit or chicken, and simmer until warmed through, stirring occasionally. Taste, and season with more salt, if desired. Stir in the lime juice, and serve in tortillas, over rice, with a salad or however you’d like.

NOTE: Use 8 ounces of meat from a rotisserie or roasted chicken, or pan-fry 12-ounces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs, seasoned with salt, until lightly browned on both sides and cooked all the way through to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees, about 3 minutes on each side. (12 ounces of raw chicken will yield about 8 ounces of cooked chicken.)

Nutrition | Per serving (with chicken; based on 4): 218 calories, 20 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 48 mg cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 8 g sugar

Nutrition | Per serving (with jackfruit; based on 4): 156 calories, 4 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 771 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber, 12 g sugar