Taco Night just got a little easier! This Instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe Only 6 ingredients and less than 5 minutes of prep time. Your whole family will love this juicy chicken taco meat!
You can use it for traditional tacos, but don’t stop there! Enchiladas, burritos, salads, quesadillas, tostadas, and even taco bowls are delicious with this flavorful shredded chicken.
I will admit that before we tried the Mexican Chicken in the Pressure Cooker, we rarely had chicken tacos. Ground beef was so easy that it was always my default.
But one night we had leftover Instant Pot salsa chicken, and the next day I chopped up the leftover chicken and used it to make myself a taco salad.
It was so delicious that I decided I should adapt it to make shredded chicken for tacos. My whole family felt the love instantly, and now we have this zesty baked chicken on a regular basis!
How to Make Pressure Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Ready – Coat the inside of your Instant Pot with cooking spray for easy cleanup.
- To add – Place the chicken breast in the bottom of the pot. Stir together the salsa, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour over chicken.
- to cook – Put a lid on your Instant Pot and set it on “manual” high pressure for 15 minutes. When this is done, let it naturally release for 5 minutes, then move the valve to vent to release the remaining pressure.
- piece – Remove the chicken and cut it into a pan or plate. I like to use 2 forks, but you can also use a KitchenAid with a paddle attachment, or a heavy duty hand mixer. Return the shredded meat to the pot and stir to coat with the sauce.
- thickening – This step is optional! If desired, set the Instant Pot to roast and cook to reduce the amount of liquid.
- serve – Serve chicken with warm flour or corn tortillas, white or brown rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and onions. Let everyone collect their own tacos!
Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes, you can use frozen chicken breast. Just add a minute or two to the cooking time. Perfect for those days when you need a last minute meal with minimal effort!
Favorite Toppings for Chicken Tacos:
- Shredded Lettuce – We like iceberg or romaine.
- Chopped tomatoes
- Extra salsa or pico de gallo
- Shredded Cheese – My family likes basic cheddar or colby jack, but you can use any cheese you like!
- diced avocadoes or guacamole
- Hot black beans, refried beans, or pinto beans
- Sour cream
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped Red Chilli
- Lime wedges
Leftover chicken?
Leftovers store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can reheat the chicken in the microwave, or even in a saucepan on the stove.
You can also freeze taco chicken. I like to let it cool for a few hours, then transfer it to heavy duty zipper bags. It will keep in the freezer for 4-5 months. Let it defrost in the fridge.
I like to make a double batch and freeze half for another easy weeknight meal later.
Instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe Variations:
- For a more flavorful profile, use the sauté function to brown the chicken breasts first in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. (Be sure to remove the brown bits to avoid getting brown notes.)
- In place of the salsa, you can use a can or two of diced tomatoes and green chilies.
- For a fresh lemon flavor, you can add the juice of a lime, and even juice if you really like the lime flavor.
- Stir in the can of black beans before or after cooking the chicken.
- Substitute chicken breasts for 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs.
- For extra heat you can add chopped jalapeno peppers, red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
More family favorite Mexican recipes:
Yield: 9 servings
Instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe
These easy chicken meat tacos are perfect for busy weeknights, and are so versatile! Use it for tacos, burrito bowls, taco salads, quesadillas and more.
Preparation time
3 minutes
Cooking time
20 minutes
over time
12 minutes
Full time
35 minutes
Instructions
- Spray the interior of the Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the pot.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the salsa, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour over chicken.
- Add a lid to the instant pot and make sure the valve is at the “sealing” position. Select High Pressure and set to 15 minutes. (Note that it will take 12-15 minutes to come under pressure.)
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully move the valve to “venting” and allow the remaining steam to escape. Remove the lid.
- Remove and cut the chicken. You can either use two forks, or use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to coat with the sauce.
- If you want, you can set the Instant Pot to “Sauté”, and cook some of the liquid.
- Serve hot shredded chicken with corn or flour tortillas, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato and all your favorite toppings.
Notes
Tip: While the chicken is cooking, prepare all of your taco ingredients. Grate cheese, chop lettuce, dice tomatoes, warm tortillas, etc.
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Nutritional Information:
Production:
9
Serving Size:
1
Amount per serving:
Calories: 186Total Fat: 4 gSaturated Fat: 1 gramTrans fats: 0 gramsUnsaturated fats: 2 gCholesterol: 86 mgSodium: 631 mgCarbohydrates: 4 gFiber: 1 gramSugar: 2 gProtein: 32 grams
Each serving is about 1/3 cup.
If you try this shredded chicken taco recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! I hope your family loves it as much as I do, and I always appreciate a comment or 5-star review!