Ah yes, I remember the evening I took these photos. I remember these tacos very, very well.

So two things:

• I have no idea why these are called Chicken Tinga Tacos. What does Tinga mean? I am not the person to ask. A literal name would more likely be Chicken Adobo Tacos after its main flavor profile, but I have come to loathe uber-literal recipe names. (I’m looking at you Bon Appetit with your Tuna, Asparagus and New Potato Salad with Chive Vinaigrette and Fried Capers.)
• I love chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I’ve used them for years and use them regularly. In fact, when I buy a can, I always store the leftovers in a tiny tupperware container in the fridge. Next to the butter, if that matters. It lasts two weeks or more (IMO). I kind of consider it a pantry ingredient.

And this is an easy pantry meal, for the most part. Except for the cilantro garnish, you can buy everything here and it will keep until exactly when you’re ready for it. (I often buy chicken thighs when they’re on sale and freeze them.) Like emergency rations, except tasty and stuff.

Have you been paying attention? Yes? I wasn’t, because guess what’s missing? Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuu…. Damn my pantry. Um, fridge, whatever. I swear — still swear — that I checked the supply of peppers when I was planning the meal. Pepper gnomes! Distant cousin of the underwear gnomes. They’re out to get me. I mean, of all the recipes not to have an ingredient for, this is it, because while there’s little hands-on time involved, it takes 1 hour 45 minutes start to finish.

And I started exactly 1 hour 45 minutes before I needed to eat because I had somewhere to be at a certain time that night.

So rather than being an on-time, planned relaxed cooking experience, I had to deal with my chicken tacos like a chicken with her head cut off. I went to the nearest store (Albertson’s, I hate Albertson’s) because, duh, it’s the closest. No chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. (I hate Albertson’s a little bit more.) Almost a mile further away to my favorite King Soopers, they have it but the self-check line is eight people deep. I was holding my measly little one can looking at the clock, thinking, “OK, I’m only 20 minutes behind. OK, 25. By the time I get home… Fuuuuuuuuu…”

There. There are your adobos. There! Are you stinkin’ happy, Tinga Tacos? You’d better be buddy, because I was mad busy and frayed.

I mean on that particular day, I needed to go to the bank near where I was, but I didn’t grab what I needed on my rush out for peppers. I needed wax paper, a few other store things, and I was right there, but no. No. I got nothing else done but finding what I thought I already had. It’s all about you, adobos, isn’t it? Snort.

After it thickens (20 minutes), I was supposed to and have always in the past let the sauce cool for 20 minutes in the food processor before blending it smooth. No-head chicken lady didn’t do this. She was splattered with hot tomato sauce for her efforts.

Luckily, there were 45 minutes in the oven to stain treat my shirt and then sit down on the couch to watch Hulu and chill out before toasting the tortillas, chopping cilantro and shredding the chicken.

Looking at the clock, I had to shred the chicken while hot. And messy. And finger-burning and stupid. Stupid gnomes.

But seriously? Yes, it was still all worth it.

Since I discovered this recipe, I make it about once a month and we love it. It is very spicy, especially if you add two (stupid) peppers like I do, but adjust it to your own tastes. And double check your pantry the morning of the meal. Just in case.

(Yes, I made it on time that night, by the skin of my teeth.)

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• Chicken Tinga Tacos