Chicken Tinga Tacos (Tinga de Pollo)

Method

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1. 1Put the chicken in a pot with half an onion, 1 garlic clove, the bay leaf and a pinch of salt, and cover with water by about 3 cm. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes until fully cooked and easy to pull apart.
2. 2Lift out the chicken, let it cool slightly and shred it finely with two forks. Reserve 240 ml (1 cup) of the poaching liquid; the rest makes a good soup base.
3. 3Blend the tomatoes, chipotles (or the paprika mixture) and 120 ml of the reserved liquid until completely smooth.
4. 4Heat the oil in a wide pan and cook the sliced onions over medium heat for 6-8 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the chopped garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. 5Pour in the tomato sauce, add the oregano and salt, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce darkens and thickens slightly.
6. 6Stir in the shredded chicken, adding a little more poaching liquid if needed. Simmer for 5 minutes until the chicken has soaked up the sauce and the filling is moist but not runny; adjust the salt.
7. 7Warm the tortillas in a hot, dry pan for 20-30 seconds per side until soft and lightly puffed, and keep them wrapped in a clean towel.
8. 8Spoon tinga onto each tortilla, top with avocado, cheese, crema and cilantro, and serve right away with lime wedges.