In these tacos, the guisado—a homey braise or stew—is served care of Masienda’s very own Miguel Guerrero. One day while craving tinga, yet fresh out of tomatoes, he subbed in tomatillos, creating what has since become a family staple. Leftover tinga is also a revelation served atop tostadas
Purchase VITAMINA T: Your Daily Dose of Tacos, Tortas, Tamales, and More here.
recipe
yields
6 tacos
6 corn tortillas, homemade or store-bought, warmed
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total)
1 medium onion, halved 6 garlic cloves, peeled 1 bay leaf
1 dried chipotle chile
1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
1 serrano chile, stemmed and halved lengthwise
2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise
1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves
blender
Mexican crema
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Crumbled queso fresco
ingredients
special equipment
garnishes
steps
- In a medium pot, combine the chicken breasts, half of the onion, 2 of the garlic cloves, the bay leaf, chipotle chile, and salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a bowl to cool. Strain the cooking liquid into an airtight container, discarding the solids. Measure out 1 cup of stock and set aside. (Leftover stock can be stored in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.)
- using clean hands or 2 forks, shred the chicken as finely as possible.
- In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the tomatillos, remaining 4 garlic cloves, the serrano, and the jalapeños. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Transfer the sautéed ingredients to a blender. Add the cilantro and reserved cup of stock. Blend until the mixture reaches a uniform, pourable consistency. Season to taste with salt.
- Slice the remaining onion half into half-moons. In the same skillet used for sautéing the ingredients, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion over medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the blended sauce into the pan with the onion. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Add the shredded chicken and stir until well combined. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
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Reprinted and excerpted with permission from:
VITAMINA T: Your Daily Dose of Tacos, Tortas, Tamales, and More Mexican Street Food Classics by Jorge Gaviria and Fermín Núñez with Allegra Ben-Amotz © 2026. Photographs by Jeni Afuso and Dylan James Ho © 2026. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House. -
Contributing City
Austin






