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If you’re wondering what to serve with your chicken tinga, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 11 of the most popular side dishes for chicken tinga.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best side dishes to serve with chicken tinga are corn tortillas, cilantro lime rice, black bean and corn salad, and cilantro lime slaw. For more Mexican dishes, try elotes, sheet pan nachos, or borracho beans. Or give potato hash or mac and cheese a try for something more unusual.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Corn tortillas

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Corn tortillas are the best accompaniment to chicken tinga.

You can stuff them with your chicken tinga and turn them into tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or even toast a couple of them and make chicken tinga tostadas.

The possibilities are endless!

You can easily buy these from your nearest grocery store, but you should try making them yourself at least once.

These three-ingredient corn tortillas are the softest tortillas you’ll ever have.

Cilantro lime rice

Cilantro lime rice is a great way to jazz up plain white rice.

And it’s easy too – the only extra step is tossing your rice with (you guessed it) lime juice and chopped cilantro.

The refreshing, zesty flavor will contrast perfectly with your smoky shredded chicken.

This cilantro lime rice tastes just like Chipotle!

Black bean and corn salad

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Want a hearty salad to pair with your chicken tinga?

Try this black bean and corn salad.

It’s loaded with juicy tomatoes, tender beans, creamy avocado cubes, and crunchy red onions – a real medley of flavors and textures.

Then everything is tied together with tangy lime dressing, giving the salad a delicious citrusy note.

Give this dish a try with The Stay At Home Chef’s recipe.

Cilantro lime slaw

This slaw is light and crisp, making an excellent contrast to your tender chicken tinga.

You can use it as a topping for your tacos – or you can enjoy it as a side salad alongside your chicken tinga and rice.

Psst… want a creamier slaw? Add some mayo or yogurt to the mix.

Get the recipe for this vibrant cilantro lime slaw here.

Elotes

Your Mexican feast wouldn’t be complete without some elotes.

They’re a step above your usual grilled corn.

Instead of just slathering the corn with butter, it gets brushed with a creamy mayo mixture, dipped in crumbled cotija cheese, and finally sprinkled with some spicy seasoning.

Check out The Noshery for the full recipe.

Sheet pan nachos

These nachos are great when you’re entertaining a big crowd.

They’re easy to put together and are guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Win-win.

Spread out your nacho chips and simply layer on your toppings – chicken tinga in this case! Plus LOTS of cheese.

After five minutes in the oven, you’ll have delicious sheet-pan nachos ready to serve.

Instant pot borracho beans

Looking for something unique?

Try these borracho beans.

Also known as drunken beans, they’re a great alternative to soup to beat chilly weather. And a spoonful of chicken tinga is just what they need to make them a complete meal.

Pro-Tip: they get better with time, so prepare these instant pot borracho beans in advance if you can.

Mac and cheese

Classic creamy mac and cheese may not be a traditional side for chicken tinga, but it sure is a tasty combo.

Just imagine your savory, slightly spicy chicken smothered with a luscious cheese sauce.

It’s pure comfort on a plate.

Skip the boxed stuff – you can easily make homemade mac and cheese in just 20 minutes.

Potato hash

Got some leftover chicken tinga?

Why not serve it for brunch with this potato hash?

The fluffy potato cubes are just what you need to soak up all that sweet-savory goodness from the tinga sauce. You could even add a poached egg on top.

Start your day off right with this potato hash with bell peppers and onions.

Shrimp sopes

Serve a fun twist on a surf and turf meal by pairing your chicken tinga with some shrimp sopes.

Wondering what a sope is?

It’s a popular street food in Mexico – a small savory cake is topped with pretty much anything you like!

But in this case, guacamole, shrimp, and chicken tinga (YUM).

Impress your guests with these gluten-free cilantro lime shrimp sopes.

Southwestern chopped salad

Give your classic chopped salad a Southwestern makeover with this recipe.

Aside from the traditional Romaine lettuce, this version features corn, olives, carrots, bell peppers, and black beans.

It also has a creamy and refreshing avocado dressing – exactly what you need to mellow out your spicy chicken tinga.

Make your lunch less boring with this Southwestern chopped salad.

The best side dishes to serve with chicken tinga

Corn tortillas
Cilantro lime rice
Black bean and corn salad
Cilantro lime slaw
Elotes
Sheet pan nachos
Instant pot borracho beans
Mac and cheese
Potato hash
Shrimp sopes
Southwestern chopped salad