Only 3 ingredients, chicken, salsa and garlic make these Instant Pot chicken tacos a dinner no-brainer! Your family will love using this Mexican shredded chicken in tacos, in burrito bowls or in a quesadilla. One pot meal done and on the table in just 20 minutes!
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Whether it is Cinco de Mayo or you just have a craving for some Mexican shredded chicken, this recipe for Instant Pot chicken tacos could not be any easier!
With only 3 ingredients, this simple weeknight dinner is so versatile that you can use it basically any of your family's favorite taco, bowl, burrito or quesadilla recipes.
If you love this recipe then you're also going to love the carne asada quesadilla or walking taco casserole. Both topped with simple guacamole and you're good to go!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Great base recipe. Great shredded Mexican chicken recipe for using as a base in tacos, bowls, quesadillas or nachos.
- Customizable. Easily adaptable to meet your family's taste needs. Use pico de gallo or mild salsa for a milder flavor or hot salsa for a version that is more spicy!
- Easy for most kitchen appliances. Can be made in the pressure cooker, Ninja Foodi, slow cooker or even the oven!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Chicken: Boneless breast meat is used for this recipe, however chicken thighs may be used. Cooking times may be impacted.
- Garlic: Garlic paste adds a nice level of flavor. Minced garlic may also be used.
- Salsa: Fresh or jarred salsa works well. Pico de gallo or even Rotel may be substituted.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cook time and temperatures.
Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker or Ninja Foodi Instructions
- Trim chicken of excess fat. Place into pot.
- Add garlic, salt and salsa to pressure cooker pot.
- Carefully seal the lid and follow all safety directions. Turn pressure release valve to sealing.
- Once completed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then release pressure by turning the from sealing. Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before shredding.
Crock Pot or Slow Cooker Instructions
- Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Slow cook on low for 3-4 hours or until chicken is cooked to 165F.
- Remove meat from crock pot and use two forks to shred meat.
Oven Directions
- Add trimmed chicken to an oven-safe casserole dish. Season with salt and garlic and cover with salsa.
- Bake at 375F for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through to 165F.
Expert Tips
- Serving: Serve in tortillas and top with taco fixings like shredded cheese, extra salsa or tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole and Greek yogurt. This Mexican shredded chicken can also be made into a taco bowl over rice for a gluten free option, or without rice or tortillas for a low carb or keto version.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Chicken may also be stored in the refrigerator overnight and shredded the next day. This will help to maintain moisture.
- Make Ahead: Recipe can be made ahead and used for up to 4 days if properly stored in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked, shredded meat in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.
Cooking Time Notes
- For frozen meat - cook for 11 minutes using the poultry setting.
- For fresh meat - cook for 7 minutes using the poultry setting.
- Note the size of your meat will impact cook time. If you are using smaller or larger chicken breasts, adjust accordingly.
FAQs
You can make this recipe without salsa. Instead, season the meat with a packet of taco seasoning and pour 1 cup of water or chicken broth over the meat.
Alternatively, you can use two cans of Rotel with a little bit of water - start with ¼ cup and add more as needed. Rotel tends to be spicier so keep that in mind if you do use it.
Enchilada sauce may also work, however it will need to be thinned with a bit of water to ensure your pressure cooker does not give off the burn notice.
Use hot salsa or add in chopped jalapeños to make the recipe more spicy.
If your shredded chicken is tough then it has not been cooked long enough. Cooked meat will pull easily.
My favorite hack for making easy pulled chicken is to use a stand mixer or hand mixer to quickly shred it.
This method does tend to "shred" more than "pull" the chicken. If you want larger pieces that are more intact, use the two fork method.
Yes you can make this with meat straight from the freezer. You will need to add additional time to account for the frozen meat.
The Food Network has a great resource for How to Cook Frozen Food in Your Instant Pot that is very helpful.
Related Recipes
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Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1.5 cups fresh salsa
- 2 cloves garlic minced or mashed into paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Trim chicken of excess fat. Place into Instant Pot.
- Add garlic, salt and salsa to pressure cooker pot.
- Carefully seal Instant Pot and follow all safety directions. Turn pressure release valve to sealing. Cook on Poultry Setting for 7 minutes (see notes for using frozen chicken.)
- Once completed, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then release pressure by turning the from sealing. Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before shredding.
Notes
- Serving: Serve in tortillas and top with taco fixings like shredded cheese, extra salsa or tomatoes, lettuce, guacamole and Greek yogurt. This recipe can also be made into a taco bowl over rice for a gluten free option, or without rice or tortillas for a low carb or keto version.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Chicken may also be stored in the refrigerator overnight and shredded the next day. This will help to maintain moisture.
- Make Ahead: Recipe can be made ahead and used for up to 4 days if properly stored in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked, shredded meat in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months.
- For frozen meat - cook for 11 minutes using the poultry setting.
- For fresh meat - cook for 7 minutes using the poultry setting.
- Note the size of your meat will impact cook time. If you are using smaller or larger chicken breasts, adjust accordingly.
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