Instant Pot Salsa Chicken is the One (Instant) Pot recipe you want in your back pocket for busy days. Requiring only 4 ingredients, chicken (fresh or frozen!), salsa, taco seasoning, and a cooking liquid (like chicken broth), and the prep literally takes 2 minutes! Once you get everything set up the Instant Pot takes care of the rest.
This is one of those truly “I’m too busy to cook, but I’m not doing takeout again” recipes. A One (Instant) Pot meal that’s well-rounded and can be taken a few different directions. Taco seasoning and your favorite salsa take care of the seasoning, resulting in wonderfully moist, taco-infused chicken. And the smell while it’s cooking is AMAZING.
If you enjoy this recipe, you'll also love Chicken Fajita Tacos because they can be prepared in a similar amount of time and have similar flavor profiles. Chipotle Chicken Salad offers a similar shortcut to getting dinner on the table quickly when you use Rotisserie chicken.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- So Easy! It takes just minutes to get the Instant Pot set up, and then you're free to do other things while your chicken cooks. Take advantage of the short cook time to prep your toppings - if you're going taco or a similar route.
- Versatile. This shredded salsa chicken makes a great base to create a wide range of dishes. It's excellent for the obvious fare, like tacos and burritos, but you could also build a rice bowl or make a feisty sandwich with lots of melty cheese. Mmmm.
- Works with Fresh or Frozen Chicken. The only difference is a slightly longer cooking time!
Ingredients
At this salsa chicken recipe’s most basic, you need just 4 ingredients. From there you can - and should! - make some adjustments :). Add in some freshly chopped peppers and onions, canned beans, or frozen corn. You don’t need to adjust the recipe other than adding these types of ingredients to the mix!
- Skinless Chicken: I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they always turn out so juicy! You can use chicken breasts if you’d prefer. You can use bone-in or boneless, fresh or frozen chicken here. If your chicken has skin, be sure to remove the skin before cooking.
- Salsa: I love Pace for this salsa chicken recipe because it’s chunky and tomato-forward and I grew up eating it (nostalgia salsa!). I love a good chunky salsa here, but you can use whatever salsa you’d like, of any viscosity.
- Cooking liquid: I prefer to use a broth or stock over water because water brings nothing to the flavor party. Go ahead and use chicken, beef, or vegetable broths/stocks.
- Taco Seasoning. You can use my homemade low sodium taco seasoning recipe or pick up a package of taco seasoning mix. There are a lot of variations to choose from now.
See the recipe card for the quantities you need of each.
Spicy Variation
If you gotta have that spice, I’ve got your spicy Salsa Chicken variation covered! Here are a few ways you can turn up the heat.
- Add 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the taco seasoning
- Add up to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the taco seasoning
- Toss in some fresh or dried chiles before the lid goes on the Instant Pot
- Serve with fresh or pickled jalapenos or other spicy pepper (i.e. Thai, serrano)
Love spicy taco flavors? Try this creamy taco soup.
How to Make Salsa Chicken - Directions
To get started, grab your ingredients and your Instant Pot and let's get started!
- Prep the chicken. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot and sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top.
- Add liquid. Pour the salsa and cooking liquid on top of the chicken. I like to give everything a quick stir to make sure the taco seasoning isn’t sticking to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Cook. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid. Cook for 15 minutes for thawed chicken and 20 minutes for frozen. After the cooking time is up, let it naturally release for 15-20 minutes. When ready, remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl with a pair of tongs.
- Shred. Shred the chicken with two forks. While shredding the chicken, cook the liquid using Sauté on Normal to reduce the leftover liquid for 7-10 minutes. Stir occasionally once the liquid starts to simmer.
- Serve. Once reduced, you can add the meat back into the juices or spoon it on top of the chicken before serving. You can also just save the juices to use as a base for enchilada sauce or taco soup. Use this salsa chicken to make tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and more. Enjoy!
If you like this Instant Pot salsa chicken recipe, you should definitely check out my buffalo chicken bowls, pulled pork tostadas, and spicy venison chili.
Top Tips
- Skinless is Best. You can use frozen chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe. But you should definitely opt for skinless chicken or remove the skin beforehand as the Instant Pot will not give you crispy results.
- Using Frozen Chicken. Keep in mind that when using frozen chicken the Instant Pot will take slightly longer to come to pressure, and it will require 20 minutes total cook time.
- Don't Rush the Release. The longer you let it naturally release, the better when dealing with meat - I find waiting for a natural release keeps the meat moister.
Serving Suggestions
You should definitely pair this salsa chicken in the Instant Pot with one of the following and you’ll have a real fiesta on your dinner agenda:
- Instant Pot Spanish Rice - no veggie chopping required!
- Restaurant Style Refried Beans - a shortcut version using canned beans!
- Air Fryer Nachos - nachos, faster thanks to the air fryer.
- Creamy Green Sauce - great for tacos, salads, rice bowls, and more!
- Easy Mexican Beef Tips - transforms tougher beef cuts into cozy, tender bites.
Storage
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to six months. For maximum enjoyment, use within 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat: You may possibly notice a thin layer of fat hardened on top of your leftovers (especially if you use chicken thighs); go ahead and skim that off the top before reheating. Reheat in the microwave in short intervals or in a skillet on the stove.
Recipe FAQs
Obvious fare like tacos, burritos, and tostadas! You could also use salsa chicken as the main protein in a rice bowl, a cheesy grilled sandwich, or use it as a salad topping. And if you find a delicious and unique use for this recipe, please share it below 🙂
I say use whatever salsa you like, from pico de gallo to green tomato salsa or salsa verde! A unique salsa like a corn-based one would also work well here.
The short answer is, submerge the chicken as much as possible while cooking as too little moisture results in the dreaded burning warning. For success in this recipe, stir the chicken well in the liquids before cooking, especially making sure there is liquid between the chicken and the bottom of the Instant Pot cooking vessel. If you think there should be more liquid before closing the lid, by all means add more cooking stock.
In my experience, rubbery chicken is the result of two things - overcooking or releasing the pressure too quickly after cooking. Or committing both sins at once. Chicken doesn't take long to cook in the Instant Pot. I have found that most chicken dishes only take 15 minutes (from fresh chicken, not frozen). Releasing the pressure too quickly after cooking can also be to blame for as it tends to dry out proteins like chicken.
Unfortunately, yes you can! But if you follow these simple tips, you can avoid that tragedy:
Use the right cut: Lean cuts of meat were not meant for cooking with short pressure times. Reach for tougher cuts for longer pressure cooking.
Natural release vs. quick release: A natural release gives the meat time to rest and reabsorb juices, meaning juicy moist chicken central.
Follow tested and trusted recipes: Like this one! Pressure cooking times can vary when you consider protein type, cut, and size. Are you using a similar-sized cut of meat to the recipe? To ensure success, follow the recipe as closely as possible as cooking times were written to accommodate whole chicken thighs.
More Instant Pot Main Dish Recipes
If you tried this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Instant Pot Salsa Chicken (with Fresh or Frozen Chicken)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs or breasts, fresh or frozen (I used boneless chicken thighs)
- 1 cup salsa (I used Pace)
- 1 cup cooking liquid (broth, stock, or water)
- 2 packets taco seasoning
Instructions
- Place chicken (fresh or frozen!) in the Instant Pot. Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning (obviously this works for thawed chicken, not so much for frozen.
- Pour salsa and cooking liquid on top of the chicken. I like to give everything a quick stir to make sure the taco seasoning isn’t sticking to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Close and lock the lid. Select either the Poultry or Pressure Cook setting; set the timer for 15 minutes on Normal for thawed chicken, 20 minutes for frozen. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
- After the cook time is up, let natural release for 15-20 minutes (if possible). The longer you let it natural release the better when dealing with meat - I find waiting for a natural release keeps the meat moister.
- Once the pressure is released, remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl with a pair of tongs. Shred chicken with two forks. You can either set aside the chicken or add it back into the Instant Pot after the next step.
- While you're shredding the chicken, press the Sauté button (on Normal) to reduce the leftover liquid. Set to Saute for 7-10 minutes. Stir occasionally once the liquid starts to simmer.
- I like to spoon some of the reduced leftover liquid over the shredded chicken before serving. Or you can save it and use it as a base for enchilada sauce or taco soup. Use Instant Pot Salsa Chicken to make tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and more. Enjoy!
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