Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
This 2 ingredient recipe for Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken is a quick and easy way to get a flavorful shredded chicken that can be used in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, chili and even pasta. Perfect for meal prepping dinners and makes a great protein for freezer meals.
One of the best ways to use your instant pot or pressure cooker is to make the basics. You can cook meat, eggs, rice and even breakfast casserole with this handy tool.
My favorite way to cook chicken is in the instant pot because you can set it and forget it. You can even cook frozen chicken in a pressure cooker!
The best chicken recipe for the instant pot hands down is salsa chicken. Simply add salsa and chicken to the pot and in about 30 minutes total, it’s done!
This chicken recipe uses green salsa or salsa Verde along with the chicken for a mild tasting chicken that can be used with so many healthy Mexican dinners.
🍗Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken Breast or Chicken Thighs: In many cases, chicken breast can dry out when it’s cooked. That is NOT the case for this pressure cooked chicken as it is cooked in the juices of the chicken as well as the salsa. Although I personally love chicken breast in this recipe, chicken thighs will also work too.
Salsa Verde or Green Salsa: Salsa Verde can be found in almost any grocery store in the Hispanic section. Choose a salsa that is not creamy. You’ll need 1 cup of salsa for every pound of chicken you’re cooking.
📖How To Make Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
1️⃣ Prep The Ingredients: Trim the fat off of the chicken and make sure you have 1 cup of salsa per pound of chicken.
2️⃣ Add To Instant Pot: Add the chicken to the bottom of the instant pot and pour the salsa over top. Flip chicken around to make sure it is coated on both sides and make sure chicken is in an even single layer.
3️⃣ Pressure Cook Chicken: Cook chicken on manual HIGH pressure for 18 minutes. A quick or natural release is fine.
4️⃣ Shred Chicken: Remove chicken breast from pot and shred. Add back to the instant pot with the juices and salsa to evenly coat. Serve immediately or store chicken with the juices and salsa it was cooked in.
🧊Using Frozen Chicken In The Instant Pot
Yes! You can use frozen chicken in this recipe, but be aware that the time it takes to come to pressure will be longer than if it was thawed out. It’s important to make sure the chicken is fully cooked.
If for some reason it’s not, place back in the pressure cooker for 2-3 minute intervals until an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
For further instruction, check out my instant pot frozen chicken recipe.
🍲Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken
Don’t have an instant pot? You can make this recipe in your slow cooker or Crockpot!
Follow this recipe as instructed but instead cook for 6-8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH or until chicken is fully cooked through.
🌟The Best Way To Shred Chicken
In A Stand Mixer: Although this requires a bit more dish cleaning, shredding chicken in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment makes for the best shredded chicken.
Using Shredding Claws: These have been a must have kitchen tool that I never knew I needed! It makes shredding chicken and pork so much faster and easier. These ones are my favorite.
With Two Forks: Chicken can also be shredded with two forks, it will just take a bit longer.
🍽How To Use Salsa Verde Chicken
- Burritos
- Tacos
- Enchiladas
- Nachos
- Quesadillas
- On Top of Salad
- On Top of Rice
- With Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
🧊Storing, Reheating & Freezing Leftovers
Storing: Chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Reheating: The best way to reheat shredded chicken is on the stove top in a pan over low heat until it’s warmed through
Freezing: You can make ahead this chicken and store it in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 5 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and using.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
- Carrot Ginger Soup
- Instant Pot Breakfast Potatoes
- One Pot Pasta with Meat Sauce
- Instant Pot Breakfast Casserole
- Instant Pot Collard Greens
- Instant Pot Arroz Con Pollo
Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken Breast
- 2 cups Salsa Verde
Instructions
- Prep The Ingredients: Trim the fat off of the chicken and make sure you have 1 cup of salsa per pound of chicken.
- Add To Instant Pot: Add the chicken to the bottom of the instant pot and pour the salsa over top. Filp chicken around to make sure it is coated on both sides and make sure chicken is in an even single layer.
- Pressure Cook Chicken: Cook chicken on manual HIGH pressure for 18 minutes. A quick or natural release is fine.
- Shred Chicken: Remove chicken breast from pot and shred. Add back to the instant pot with the juices and salsa to evenly coat. Serve immediately or store chicken with the juices and salsa it was cooked in.
SLOW COOKER SALSA VERDE CHICKEN
- Don’t have an instant pot? You can make this recipe in your slow cooker. Follow this recipe as instructed but instead cook for 6-8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH or until chicken is fully cooked through.
