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Home / Cuisines / Mexican

Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken

5
/5
26 minutes
39 Comments
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 03/31/2020

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Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!  Perfect pantry meal, and can be used for so many things (tacos, enchiladas, etc). #chicken #mexican #salsa #shredded #instantpot #pressurecooker #slowcooker #crockpot #cincodemayo #taconight
Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!  Perfect pantry meal, and can be used for so many things (tacos, enchiladas, etc). #chicken #mexican #salsa #shredded #instantpot #pressurecooker #slowcooker #crockpot #cincodemayo #taconight
Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!  Perfect pantry meal, and can be used for so many things (tacos, enchiladas, etc). #chicken #mexican #salsa #shredded #instantpot #pressurecooker #slowcooker #crockpot #cincodemayo #taconight

Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!  With both Instant Pot and slow cooker instructions, you’ll have this flavorful dinner on the table with minimal effort.  Such a versatile recipe, you can use it in tacos, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas and more!

Recipes like my Baked Mexican Rice and Beef Barbacoa are great for when you want restaurant quality food, made easily at home. We love hearty Mexican-inspired meals, and this is one of my Mexican recipes you’ll definitely want in your dinner rotation!

Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!  Perfect pantry meal, and can be used for so many things (tacos, enchiladas, etc). #chicken #mexican #salsa #shredded #instantpot #pressurecooker #slowcooker #crockpot #cincodemayo #taconight

MEXICAN SHREDDED CHICKEN

I don’t know about you guys, but Mexican food is my all time favorite, and I’m pretty much ALWAYS in the mood for it.

So I’ve been tinkering around trying to come up with the perfect all purpose Mexican chicken, that would be super easy to throw together, and could be used in a big variety of ways.

When I settled on this combination, I knew this was it!  No searing or browning, no complicated ingredients, an option to make this with no fresh produce, makes enough food for a crowd, but PACKED with flavor.

This is what I would consider a “dump it in and go” kind of meal.  You literally add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot, start cooking, and walk away!

We love to serve this Mexican shredded chicken over rice (like this Verde rice), in tacos, taquitos, burritos, enchiladas (try out my homemade sauce here), over top a southwest salad, and my personal favorite… chimichangas!

HOW TO MAKE SHREDDED MEXICAN CHICKEN

  1. Add all ingredients to liner of Instant Pot.  Seriously, just dump it all in… that’s the beauty of this recipe.  No need to stir or layer anything.
  2. Add lid and pressure cook for 15 minutes.
  3. Let pot depressurize for 5-10 minutes.  Then go ahead and release any remaining pressure.  I don’t like to do a quick release here as I found it could make the chicken dry.
  4. Remove chicken and shred.  You can alternately shred the chicken in the Instant Pot, I just like to really be able to go at the chicken, and I don’t have enough room to do that without sloshing liquid around.
  5. If you want to thicken the sauce, make a slurry.  Just mix together 2 Tbsp of cornstarch and 3 Tbsp of water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir that into the sauce.  Hit “saute” and cook, stirring often, until thickened.
  6. Return chicken to the sauce.  And serve as desired!

Making shredded chicken and salsa in the Instant Pot

ADDITIONAL COOKING TIPS

  • CHICKEN – You can easily swap out the chicken breasts for boneless skinless chicken thighs, just decrease the pressure cook time down to 12-13 minutes.  When I make this using breasts, my chicken usually weighs between 3 and 3.5 lbs. so you’ll want to use about that amount of thighs.
  • FROZEN – Didn’t remember to thaw your chicken out, (I’ve totally been there!), no problem!  You can cook this recipe with frozen breasts – just increase the pressure cook time to 17-19 minutes.  Also, make sure the chicken breasts are separated – a big block of frozen chicken just isn’t going to cook evenly.

VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE

  • SPICIER – As written, I would say this recipe is about a mild heat level.  If you’d like it spicier, use HOT diced green chiles, add a chopped jalapeno to the ingredients, and/or use a hot salsa.
  • BEER – For some extra flavor, try using a Mexican beer like Modelo instead of the chicken broth.
  • OTHER SALSAS – I love the tang that the salsa verde adds to this chicken, but feel free to use your favorite salsa.  There are SO many flavors out there… the sky is the limit!
  • COOKING METHODS – this is made for the Instant Pot, but I’ve detailed how to make this in a slow cooker or on the stovetop if you’d prefer.  Those instructions will be down in the “recipe notes” section of of the recipe card.
  • NO FRESH PRODUCE – hey, I get it… there are times when you may not have a fresh onion or garlic around the house.  You can swap in 1/2 Tbsp onion powder and 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder if you prefer.

Forkful of salsa chicken in white bowl

MAKING MEXICAN SHREDDED CHICKEN AHEAD OF TIME

As with most braised meats, this shredded chicken beef tastes even better the next day!  Those flavors sit and meld together.  So feel free to make this recipe a day or two ahead of time.

STORAGE

Leftovers should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 5 days.

Keep in mind that more liquid can be absorbed during storage, so if you want it saucier, you may need to add a splash of chicken broth.

Bowl of mexican shredded chicken

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE

  • Instant Pot – I recently upgraded to this model and I love it!
  • Slow Cooker – I’ve had this slow cooker for years and it still works perfectly.
  • Dutch Oven – LeCreuset is my favorite brand, but they’re really pricey, so this Lodge version is a great alternative!

OTHER MEXICAN DISHES:

Homemade Salsa

Flour Tortillas

Cilantro Lime Rice

 

BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERS’ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.

AND DON’T FORGET, IF YOU’VE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Forkful of salsa chicken in white bowl

Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken

5 from 20 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes
Calories: 204
Servings: 8 - 10 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
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Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!

Ingredients

  • 5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh garlic
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 3/4 tsp ancho chile pepper powder
  • 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano (regular oregano will work if you can't find the Mexican variety)
  • 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes drained
  • 4 oz can diced green chiles mild
  • 1 cup salsa verde
  • 1 cup chicken broth reduced sodium
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke (optional)

FOR GARNISH:

  • sliced jalapenos
  • minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to the liner of an Instant Pot.  No need to stir.
  • Secure Instant Pot lid, making sure the valve is set to "sealing". Press the Pressure Cook or Manual button and use the +/- buttons to set the timer for 16 minutes.
  • Once the timer beeps, let the pot depressurize on it's own for 5-10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure. When the pin drops, remove lid and set aside.
  • Remove chicken breasts to a large bowl and shred.

TO THICKEN THE SAUCE

  • In a small bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp cornstarch with 3 Tbsp water until smooth. Pour this mixture into the pot with the sauce and select "saute". Cook for several minutes, stirring often, until thickened to your tastes.
  • Toss shredded chicken with as much of the cooking liquid as you'd like.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

** prep time does not include the time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, as this will vary from person to person.  Mine took about 15 minutes.
Just a reminder that chicken breasts can vary quite a bit in size.  If yours are on the larger side, add 2-3 extra minutes to the pressure cooking time.

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS

  1. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
  3. Remove chicken and shred, then return to the sauce.
  4. Serve as desired.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS

  1. Add all ingredients to a very large dutch oven and heat to boiling.
  2. Reduce heat to MED LOW and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until all chicken is cooked through.
  3. Remove chicken and shred, then return to the sauce.
  4. Serve as desired.

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!
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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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Recipe Rating




  1. Deb says

    Posted on 8/24 at 3:34 pm

    Oh my goodness, this is so good, first time using an instant pot, your directions were clear and direct with many options, thank you!!!

    Reply
  2. Brenda Dodd says

    Posted on 5/13 at 11:00 pm

    Delicious and versatile!

    Reply
  3. Jamie says

    Posted on 4/17 at 6:30 pm

    I have made this twice now and it is a HUGE family favorite! I also used your salsa verde recipe (with a few tweaks – More peppers!!! lol ) after we weren’t able to find our preferred bottled brand. I think I may be making it from scratch from here on out- it was SO easy and absolutely delicious!
    I love that you offer directions on your recipes for other cooking methods as well. I don’t have an instant pot & so many times I see a recipe elsewhere that I like but it only has one cooking method so I bypass it. Thank you for making this so easy and so versatile!!!

    Reply
  4. Colleen Kudo says

    Posted on 3/26 at 1:47 pm

    This was delicious. I had goats milk cream cheese so I made quesadillas and spiced the sauce a bit more for dipping. We like hot. Thank you for sharing. The instant pot directions were spot on and so helpful.

    Reply
  5. Matt says

    Posted on 1/14 at 12:43 pm

    Just made this last night and my partner said this was the best thing I have ever made, and she generally really loves my cooking.

    I am going to be “that guy” and say what I did to change it. (But hopefully not too much, cause I always get annoyed by those reviewers, lol)
    Fully intended to make this using salsa verde, but at the last minute I was told she wasn’t the biggest fan of verde (though was reassuring me that she was going to be fine with it). However I ran back out to the store and got a 16oz jar of a jalapeno cilantro roasted tomato salsa. And I used both cups of that instead of the 1 cup of salsa verde and 15oz of diced roasted tomatoes. Possibly meant that I had to reduce the sauce at the end a bit longer that usual, but the corn starch thickener really helped things.

    I also sautéed the onions a bit, followed by the garlic right before I dumped everything else in. The chicken I had cut up into large chunks, not sure if that matters in the end, but I had seen it suggested elsewhere.

    I served it over some cilantro lime rice.
    🙂

    Found this recipe on google. Looking forward to trying out your other recipes!

    Reply
  6. Gail says

    Posted on 1/12 at 8:11 pm

    So good we’re having this dish again tomorrow with company coming for tacos. Making it ahead this time because as you said, it’s even better the second day! Experimenting with diced tomatoes with habaneros in place of the fire roasted variety. 
    But I’m new to the instapot. If I am cooking 1.5 of the recipe, do I increase the cooking time, and if so, by how much?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/12 at 10:10 pm

      So happy you enjoyed this recipe!! I love the idea of tomatoes and habaneros 🙂 Generally speaking, when you increase the volume of the recipe for pressure cookers, you don’t need to increase the cook time. However, I like to add a minute or two, just to be safe 🙂

      Reply
  7. Kathy says

    Posted on 1/11 at 7:24 pm

    I would recommend cutting up the chicken breasts. The thicker ones were not cooked in the middle. 

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 1/11 at 9:30 pm

      Unfortunately, chicken breasts can vary quite a bit in size, so as mentioned, if yours are on the larger side, you’ll want to add a few extra minutes 🙂

      Reply
  8. Marty says

    Posted on 12/24 at 12:16 pm

    Very, very good recipe!  We used the chicken the first day for quesadillas.  I was a tad bit skeptical because I knew it would probably make a lot of sauce – it did, and it was great!   I never thickened the sauce.  I actually separated much of the sauce from the chicken (about 4 cups) after our first meal, thinking I’d use the chicken for other meals that didn’t need so much sauce.  But then, my husband and I would put about a cup of sauce in a bowl, add the chicken back, some tortilla chips, and maybe a dollop of sour cream (and shredded cheese for him), and make an instantly super delicious chicken soup.  The chicken and sauce are very flavorful.  Had to print this recipe for keeps!  Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Kim Wisner says

    Posted on 12/22 at 2:33 pm

    We can’t get enough of this chicken. There’s so much you can do with it. The sauce is delicious. The next time I make it I might add 8oz cream cheese to the sauce after the chicken is out and being shredded.

    Reply
  10. Kate says

    Posted on 11/22 at 2:33 pm

    This shredded chicken recipe is fast, easy, and delicious! It was my first recipe in my new InstaPot Ultra Mini. I just halved the recipe and it worked great!

    Reply
  11. Duane says

    Posted on 10/14 at 8:24 am

    I love this shredded chicken, it comes out so good, so fast, and so easy.

    Reply
  12. Ruth says

    Posted on 9/9 at 7:46 pm

    This was amazing! Even better the second day. So much flavor. My family loved it!

    Reply
  13. Jenny says

    Posted on 8/26 at 10:40 am

    What will be cooking time if I scale down to 2 chicken breasts? 

    Reply
    • Jen says

      Posted on 9/19 at 4:57 pm

      Same cook time for instant pot, regardless of quantity of ingredients. (Aside from the already mentioned extra time for thick breasts)

      Reply
  14. Susanna says

    Posted on 7/2 at 10:08 am

    We use this as filling for enchiladas! So tasty. We use Siete grain-free tortillas and dairy-free cheese on top and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, finish with a broil. Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
  15. Haley D Williams says

    Posted on 4/6 at 2:28 pm

    This would be great to make and enjoy all week long for lunch! Love how versatile it can be!

    Reply
  16. Suzy says

    Posted on 4/2 at 6:07 pm

    The easiest and best way to make chicken! Love how moist it is too!

    Reply
  17. Catalina says

    Posted on 4/2 at 3:28 pm

    Sounds like a dinner that everyone will love in my family!

    Reply
  18. Carrie Robinson says

    Posted on 4/2 at 7:42 am

    Ooooooo… This looks so good! I want to pile it on top of nachos. 🙂

    Reply
  19. Sara Welch says

    Posted on 4/2 at 12:48 am

    Served this for dinner (tacos) tonight and it has easily become a new family favorite dish! Looking forward to enjoying leftovers for dinner tomorrow, indeed!

    Reply
  20. Michelle says

    Posted on 4/1 at 10:15 pm

    I finally started using my Instant Pot! It only took me a year. I need to try this!

    Reply
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