Instant Pot Salsa Chicken (with Fresh or Frozen Chicken)

Shredded instant pot salsa chicken in a bowl.

5 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken (with Fresh or Frozen Chicken)

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken is the one (Instant) Pot recipe you want in your back pocket on busy days. Requiring only 4 ingredients, prep literally takes 2 minutes! Then the Instant Pot takes care of the rest.

Prep Time2

Cook Time15

Instant Pot Natural Release Time20

Total Time37

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: instant pot salsa chicken

Servings: people

Calories: 293kcal

Author: Christina Koncker

Equipment

1 Instant Pot

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!

Notes

You can use frozen chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe. But you should definitely opt for skinless chicken or remove the skin beforehand. 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.

Nutrition