We love some tacos in my house. Taco night is always a good night. My kiddos, who are 10 and 8, currently eat 4 tacos each on taco night. My son sometimes opts for 5. What am I gonna do when they are teenagers?! While we all adore our standard ground turkey tacos, I also like to change it up. We make baked shredded chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, salsa verde pork tacos and I personally love some vegetarian tacos with black beans and veggies. We even make breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs and sausage and cheese! Today though, I’m so excited to share with you these Instant Pot chicken tacos. They are so easy to make and come out with such incredible flavor! Which just fits the bill for me most nights of the week. All you do is season your chicken breasts with taco seasoning and add to the Instant Pot insert along with some jarred salsa and chicken broth. And that is all, folks! Set it and get the rest of your meal and toppings ready to eat because dinner is going to be ready soon! Once cooked, just shred the chicken and toss it back in with the sauce to get coated with all of the flavors from the salsa liquid. It helps it stay nice and moist, too. No dried out chicken here! Then you’re ready to stuff your tacos with this delicious, juicy, flavorful shredded chicken. Then you’re ready to stuff your face. And one of the things I love most about this recipe is that it’s just 4 ingredients and takes about 3 minutes to prep in the Instant Pot. Talk about winning at dinnertime! (If you are interested, you can also check out this slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken that’s very similar and super hands off in the crock pot.) OK, let’s get cooking. Now, I’ve got those notes and tips coming up below on how to make Instant Pot chicken tacos. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Frozen chicken: You can also use frozen chicken breasts for this recipe. You’ll just need to increase the cook time under pressure to 12 minutes. (That info is listed in the recipe card below as well.) Salsa: I prefer a chunky, jarred salsa for this. It will break down into the sauce without becoming too runny or liquidy like a fresh salsa or a more pureed salsa might. (So if you’re making an easy homemade salsa, leave it a little chunkier.) Salsa part 2: Feel free to use a mild, medium or hot salsa depending on your tastes. You could also use a flavored salsa if you want to change up the flavor here. Taco seasoning: You can use store-bought taco seasoning or make my easy homemade taco seasoning.
And it couldn’t be easier to make this. Just season your chicken breasts with the taco seasoning and add them to the Instant Pot along with the salsa and chicken broth. Seal, set and that’s it! Just 8 minutes of cook time and dinner is ready. However, a quick disclaimer: Instant Pot recipes often fail to mention the time it takes for the pot to come to pressure or to release it. I have found it misleading when trying to plan, so I wanted to be sure to include it here. I’ve included 15 minutes of “additional time” to account for the amount of time it will take for the pot to come to pressure and then the time for the quick release. The exact amount of time can vary, but that’s at least a rough estimate. Oh and in case you’re in the market for one, I have and love this 6-quart Instant Pot. Now, let’s talk about add-ins. Because while this is a super flavorful recipe, you can certainly change up the flavor a bit.
Add-ins:
Onions: Saute a small onion in oil in the Instant Pot until tender, then add the chicken and proceed with the recipe. Peppers: Same thing. Feel free to saute some diced bell peppers - and/or jalapeno - with or without the onion before starting the recipe below. Green chilies: You can add a can of diced green chilies along with the salsa before cooking the chicken for some extra flavor. Corn: Stir in some fresh, frozen or canned corn after you’ve cooked and shredded the chicken, before serving. Beans: You could also stir in some black or pinto beans to your chicken mixture before serving if desired. Creamy: Want to make some creamy chicken tacos? Totally do-able. Add ½ to ⅔ cup of plain Greek yogurt to the chicken mixture after you’ve cooked and shredded it and stir it into the sauce. You can also add a few tablespoons of cream cheese if you’d like.
So many ways to make this your own and change up the flavor! Speaking of customizations, let’s talk toppings. Tacos would not be tacos without toppings if you ask me. Here’s a few ideas to get you thinking…
Topping Ideas:
Shredded lettuce or cabbage Extra shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese Chopped fresh cilantro Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole Salsa or pico de gallo Greek yogurt or sour cream Hot sauce or sriracha Pickled red onions Pickled or fresh jalapeños Fresh lime juice
Mix and match with your favorites and let everyone customize their own. OK, now we are ready to eat! Let’s talk serving… We make our tacos with brown rice along with the chicken and toppings, so they are a complete meal on their own. However, you could also do some steamed rice on the side, with or without some black beans. Or do a fun side like confetti brown rice. You could also add a side salad or some Mexican coleslaw if you’d like. It’s addictive! And if you want to get creative, here are a few more ideas of ways to use this chicken.
Ways to Use:
Make hard or soft shell tacos Top a rice or grain bowl with this chicken and some veggies Scatter some shredded chicken on top of chips with cheese to make nachos (or use for these loaded chicken nachos) Use it to tuck inside burritos or enchiladas Serve it cold in a wrap or on top of a salad It’s also great for sliders or on burger buns with some coleslaw
How do you make shredded chicken?
Finally, let’s talk about leftovers. Cause this chicken keeps great! (That makes it an excellent option for meal prepping.) Leftover chicken, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes great! Let the chicken cool, then place in a labeled freezer-safe ziptop bag or container and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and it’s ready to use or warm up for whatever you are making. So there you have it! A new way to do taco night that will have your family going back for more! I hope you give this recipe a try soon. (And if you do, leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram. I love hearing from you!) Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts but you could substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Frozen chicken: You can also use frozen chicken breasts for this recipe. You’ll just need to increase the cook time under pressure to 12 minutes. Salsa: I prefer a chunky, jarred salsa for this. It will break down into the sauce without becoming too runny or liquidy like a fresh salsa or a more pureed salsa might. Salsa part 2: Feel free to use a mild, medium or hot salsa depending on your tastes. You could also use a flavored salsa if you want to change up the flavor here. Taco seasoning: You can use store-bought taco seasoning or make my easy homemade taco seasoning. Add-ins: Feel free to saute some onions or peppers before adding the chicken. Or stir in some green chilies to cook with the chicken. You can also stir in some corn or black beans at the end for serving. Or stir in some Greek yogurt to make creamy chicken tacos. Serving: Use this chicken for hard or soft shell tacos. Or use for nachos, burritos, enchiladas, rice or grain bowls, wraps, salads or sliders. Leftovers: Leftover chicken, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes great! Let the chicken cool, then place in a labeled freezer-safe ziptop bag or container and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and it’s ready to use or reheat.
