Instant Pot Shredded Salsa Chicken Recipe
This Instant Pot Shredded Salsa Chicken starts with a quick sauté of red onion and garlic, then pressure cooks in tangy salsa verde and taco seasoning until it falls apart at the touch of a fork. Just 10 minutes under pressure and about 30 minutes total, so you’ve got juicy shredded chicken ready for tacos, bowls, and quesadillas all week.
Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ red onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¾ cup salsa verde mild
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add oil and diced red onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onions become translucent.2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ red onion
- Add crushed garlic and continue sautéing for 1 minute. Turn off the Instant Pot.2 cloves garlic
- Scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot to ensure there are no bits stuck to the bottom. Add chicken breasts on top of the onions.1 ½ pounds chicken breasts
- Sprinkle taco seasoning mix and salt on top of the chicken.1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix, ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- Pour in salsa verde and water. Pick up chicken breasts to let some of the liquid get underneath them.¾ cup salsa verde, ¼ cup water
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and make sure the pressure release valve is set to sealed.
- Cook chicken for 10 minutes on high pressure. Do not open the Instant Pot for 10 minutes after the timer goes off for a 10-minute NPR.
- Open the pressure release valve and let any excess steam out.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and let sit in the liquid for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Serve salsa shredded chicken as tacos, in a burrito bowl, or on top of your favorite salad. Enjoy!
Notes
- Salsa swap: Use medium salsa verde for more heat, or regular red salsa in place of the salsa verde.
- Taco seasoning: Homemade or store-bought both work. Packets vary in salt, so taste before adding the extra salt.
- Chicken thighs: Boneless thighs cook in the same 10 minutes. Bone-in thighs need 15 minutes.
- Frozen chicken: Not tested with this recipe. Thaw the chicken first for the best results.
- Avoid the burn notice: Scrape the bottom of the pot after sautéing and lift the chicken so the liquid runs underneath.
- Make it creamy: Melt an 8-ounce block of cream cheese into the cooking liquid while you shred.
- Storage: Refrigerate with some of the cooking liquid in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freezes well for up to 4-6 months. Add a splash of cooking liquid so it doesn’t dry out after thawing.
- Make ahead: Chop the onion a day early, or double the batch for meal prep all week.
Nutrition
Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 442IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
