3 Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe

Taco night has never been easier.  This 3 Ingredient instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe is the shredded chicken taco meat recipe you need for taco salads, burrito bowls, enchiladas and of course tacos!

Don’t worry, if you don’t have an Instant Pot, I’ve provided you with slow cooker instructions.  They are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.  So grab your favorite toppings and get ready to enjoy delicious tacos with minimal effort.

​3 Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe-Tips

I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. This recipe is very quick cooking and so it’s the perfect place for chicken breasts.  The salsa mixture keeps the chicken from drying out so this is a great place to use leaner cuts like chicken breasts. You will cook this recipe on high pressure or on older models it’s labeled “manual pressure.”  By all means, if you have boneless skinless chicken thighs, throw them in there. 

Some people get the burn notice on their instant pot very easily.   I have not had this problem.  If you do, add a 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the pot for good measure.  

I use a taco seasoning packet, but you can easily make your own homemade taco seasoning mixture right from your spice cabinet with chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and onion powder. There are tons of recipes online, but they all use that basic mixture.

The nice thing about  Instant pot pressure cooking is that it automatically switches to a keep warm status after the cooking cycle completes.  What’s great about that is that you can keep your meat warm while you prep everything else.   This is great for parties and such.

What to make with this 3 Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Taco Recipe

I love to use this chicken in of course warmed flour or corn tortillas. Burrito bowls are fabulous with white rice or brown rice and black beans. Serve with pico de gallo, sour cream and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. 

Any Mexican casserole where you need shredded chicken, you can use this chicken.  It’s especially great in chicken enchiladas!  It is one of my favorite ways to use this chicken. 

The possibilities are endless and this is a great meal prep!

Can I use frozen chicken in the Instant pot?

I’ll be honest, I do not prefer to use frozen chicken in the Instant Pot, but in a pinch, yes you can. You’ll need to increase the cooking time.  For regular sized chicken breasts that are frozen, it will take 14-16 minutes at high pressure.  Allow the pot to do a natural release.

Can I use salsa verde?

Absolutely!  If you prefer green over red salsa, go right ahead!  You could even add in some canned green chiles for totally different flavorful profile.  

How long can I store leftover taco chicken?

This taco chicken is good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.  I also love to make extra a vacuum seal it for the freezer!  It will store well for up to 3 months!

Leave a Rating and Review

I think your whole family will love this recipe and you will love this recipe for busy nights!  Please leave a rating and review below  and thank you for stopping by!

This post was last updated on 2/22/24.

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PLEASE NOTE:  Since taco shells and toppings vary, the nutrition info is for the chicken only. You’ll add on whatever shell and toppings you use. This info covers you for 2-3 tacos.  4.5 ounces of chicken total.

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3 Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

3 Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken Tacos are a super flavorful shredded chicken taco with all that slow cooked flavor, but it happens in just 10 minutes with your Instant Pot. You can easily adapt this recipe for slow cookers as well.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 4 people

Calories 104 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning I like Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning.
• 1 cup Salsa Choose a thin picante style salsa.
• 3 medium Chicken Breasts about 6 ounces each
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth Optional- you only need to add if your Instant Pot gets the burn notice.

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Instructions

 

• SLOW COOKERS: Season your chicken breast on both sides with the taco seasoning. Dump the salsa on top. Cook on low for 3-4 hours until shreddable.
• INSTANT POT: Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Put a little avocado oil in the bottom and let it heat up. Season your chicken on both sides with the taco seasoning. Brown on each side. Do not cook through. This will take 1-2 minutes.
  2 tbsp Taco Seasoning, 3 medium Chicken Breasts
• Dump in the 1 cup of salsa (and broth if using) and put the lid on. Turn the Instant Pot to Manual or High Pressure setting (note these are the same depending on your model). Set the time for 10 minutes.
  1 cup Salsa, 1/2 cup Chicken Broth
• Allow the pressure to natural release for 5-7 minutes. Release any remaining pressure and remove the lid. Shred the chicken with two forks and allow it to sit in the cooking liquid.
• You can turn the Instant Pot to the Keep Warm Function and serve when you're ready. I like to serve this on grilled corn tortillas with lettuce, cheese and some sour cream or Greek Yogurt.

Notes

No INSTANT POT or SLOW COOKER?  Use a heavy bottomed pot that can go in the oven, like a dutch oven. Brown the chicken, dump the salsa in, add a lid, and cook at 250 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Check the chicken 1/2 way through. It's ready when you can shred it.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 12gFat: 1g

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