Juicy Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
Juicy Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken is the perfect protein to serve over rice bowls, fill tacos or burritos, or make meal prep a breeze. Made with fresh salsa and a deeply flavored tomato base, this tender shredded chicken is one of the easiest meals you can have on the table in an hour or less.
Recipe Snapshot
PREP + COOK TIME: 40 minutes (including time to pressurize)
METHOD: Instant Pot
OTHER TOOLS: forks for shredding
TOTAL INGREDIENTS: 12
What’s To Love About This Recipe
- The Instant Pot is my go-to method for prepping easy, juicy, and tender proteins for the week! I use this flavorful shredded chicken more as a base recipe than as a finished dish since it’s great for tacos, bowls, burritos, or salads.
- This is one of those recipes that’s even tastier after it sits or refrigerates! The flavor deepens even more the next day.
- In this recipe, you’ll get bold Mexican flavors, but it’s mild enough for most people as written. If you like more or less spice, it’s very easy to adjust by changing the salsa variety or adding extra spice.
- Add easy Instant Pot Mexican Chicken to your weekly menu and enjoy flavor-packed shredded chicken in multiple ways that are anything but boring! It’s the perfect choice to refrigerate or freeze, keeping your kitchen stocked with delicious options for quick lunches and weeknight dinners.
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs – Boneless, skinless chicken cooks so well in the Instant Pot because it stays juicy and tender and absorbs other flavors and ingredients. I used chicken breasts here, but you can use either breasts or thighs in this recipe.
- Fresh salsa (mild or medium) – I recommend a mild or medium salsa to keep this recipe versatile and family-friendly, focusing on the tomato-forward flavor. The flavor can really change depending on the salsa variety you use.
- Tomato sauce – Adding tomato sauce creates a rich, concentrated base that deepens the chicken’s flavor.
- Chicken broth – Chicken broth provides the necessary moisture to the Instant Pot to reach full pressure while also adding savory flavor to the dish.
- Ground cumin – Cumin is a classic flavor in many Mexican recipes and provides the signature warmth and earthiness.
- Chili powder – Another classic choice for Mexican dishes is the smoky heat from chili powder in just about every seasoning blend.
- Smoked paprika – This adds a smoky, distinctive depth to the recipe.
- Garlic powder and onion powder – Add deeper, aromatic elements to the dish with these classic seasonings for added depth!
- Salt and black pepper – Bring the flavors all together with salt and pepper. Feel free to adjust the salt to taste before cooking, depending on the salsa you use, or add more after cooking.
- Lime juice (Optional) – This is an optional, but impactful addition that adds a ton of flavor! After cooking the chicken, add a fresh squeeze of lime juice for a citrusy element.
How To Make Instant Pot Mexican Chicken
- Add the chicken to the Instant Pot in an even layer.
- Pour the fresh salsa, tomato sauce, and chicken broth over the chicken.
- Sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Gently stir to coat the chicken in the sauce.
- Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir well to coat it in the sauce.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the “keep warm” setting and let the chicken sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
Pro Tips
- It’s important not to let the chicken sit in the Instant Pot for too long without releasing the pressure, as it can overcook.
- To prevent the chicken from drying out, be sure to add the right amount of liquid and cook it for only 10 minutes.
- If using frozen chicken breasts or thighs, add 5 minutes to the total cooking time (see more tips for cooking Instant Pot Shredded Chicken).
- Shredding the chicken with two forks helps keep it juicy and tender and makes it easy to reintegrate it into the salsa-packed sauce.
- While this is a great recipe to batch and freeze, I recommend cooking only approximately 2 pounds of chicken at a time (as written here) to keep the cooking time on the shorter side.
- The sauce will look a little thin right after cooking, but it thickens as it sits with the shredded chicken. Shredding the chicken fairly fine also helps it soak up more of the sauce.
- Letting the chicken rest on the “keep warm” setting for even a few minutes makes a noticeable difference in texture.
- This recipe works best when the chicken is fully coated in the sauce before cooking, rather than just sitting underneath it.
- A squeeze of lime at the end really brings the flavors together; the overall taste is slightly flatter without it.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken thighs give a richer flavor and stay more tender throughout cooking, but I prefer using chicken breasts here for a lighter, more versatile result.
- You can easily customize this recipe with add-ins to make it more robust and hearty. Add frozen corn, canned black beans, or canned green chilies for variety.
- The salsa you use can really change the final flavor, as well. Fresh salsa tends to give the recipe a brighter flavor than a jarred version. My favorite fresh salsa is from Walmart, and you can find it by the bagged salads in mild, medium, and hot varieties.
- For a spicier version, add a hot salsa variety or a dash of cayenne pepper. You can also add a drizzle of your preferred hot sauce to the Instant Pot before cooking, or when ready to serve.
How To Serve Instant Pot Mexican Chicken
One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility! You can literally include juicy shredded chicken in any of your favorite Mexican dishes. Serve it hot in Burrito Bowls, tacos, or on nachos with all your favorite toppings. You can even serve the leftovers cold in fresh salads or in a fiesta-inspired wrap!
No matter how you serve flavorful Mexican shredded chicken, round out your meal with simple sides such as Easy Spanish Rice, Brown Rice, Canned Tomato Salsa and tortilla chips, or Avocado Corn Salsa.
Storing and Reheating
How To Best Store Leftovers
Fridge
Store leftover shredded chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Shredded chicken leftovers make an excellent option for freezing! Add single-serving portions to freezer-safe bags or sealed containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How To Best Reheat Leftovers
Leftover chicken can be reheated in a variety of ways, depending on how you plan to serve it. Reheat in the microwave in short intervals, or in a skillet on the stove. Add a splash of water or chicken broth if needed to add moisture.
Juicy Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
Juicy Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken is the perfect protein to serve over rice bowls, fill tacos or burritos, or make meal prep a breeze. Made with fresh salsa and a deeply flavored tomato base, this tender shredded chicken is one of the easiest meals you can have on the table in an hour or less.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- ¾ cup fresh salsa mild or medium
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: squeeze of lime juice after cooking
Instructions
- Add chicken to Instant Pot in an even layer
- Pour fresh salsa, tomato sauce, and chicken broth over chicken
- Sprinkle in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
- Gently stir to coat chicken in sauce
- Lock lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Let pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure
- Remove chicken and shred with two forks
- Return shredded chicken to pot and stir well to coat in sauce
- Turn Instant Pot to “keep warm” setting and let chicken sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly
- Taste and adjust seasoning, then add a squeeze of lime juice if desired
Notes
- Store leftover shredded chicken in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze in single-serving portions for up to 3 months.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet, adding a splash of water or chicken broth as needed for moisture.
- Use the correct amount of liquid and stick to a 10-minute cook time to keep the chicken from drying out or overcooking.
- If using frozen chicken, add 5 minutes to the total cooking time.
- Shred the chicken fairly fine with two forks to keep it juicy, tender, and fully integrated with the sauce.
- The sauce will look thin right after cooking, but it thickens as it sits with the shredded chicken.
- For best results, coat the chicken fully in the sauce before cooking rather than letting it sit underneath.
- A squeeze of lime at the end brings the flavors together and makes a noticeable difference in the overall taste.
