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Forkful of salsa chicken in white bowl
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5 from 27 votes

Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken

Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Total Time26 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: mexican chicken recipe, salsa chicken
Servings: 8 - 10 servings
Calories: 204kcal
Author: The Chunky Chef

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.

Notes

** 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

Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 569mg | Potassium: 683mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 721IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg