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salsa chicken in the Instant Pot after cooking
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5 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken (6 ingredients)

Instant Pot salsa chicken comes out so juicy and flavorful, with just a handful of ingredients! Use it up in tacos, in wraps, on pizza, or just enjoy as is.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Time to pressurize7 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free
Servings: 8
Calories: 154kcal
Author: Denise Bustard

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups salsa see note 1
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast see note 2
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  • Combine- In the inner pot of the Instant Pot, combine the salsa, water, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir until well combined, then add the chicken breasts and turn to coat.
    ingredients for salsa chicken in the instant pot
  • Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to the 'sealing' position, then pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, carefully release the pressure immediately (quick pressure release).
    instant pot with 8 minutes on the timer
  • Shred- Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean bowl, and shred using two forks or a hand mixer.
    overhead view of shredded chicken in bowl with two forks
  • Toss- Return shredded chicken to the Instant Pot. Add lime juice, and toss everything up in the sauce. Enjoy!
    overhead view of shredded salsa chicken in the instant pot after cooking through

Video

Notes

1- we tested this recipe with two different brands of medium-spiced chunky salsa
2- swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs, increasing the cook time to 10 minutes with a quick pressure release.
3- nutritional information is for ⅛ of the batch, roughly 4 oz of shredded chicken
Freezer packs
  1. Combine the chicken, salsa, water, chili powder, cumin and salt in a ½ gallon or larger freezer bag or silicone bag, or an 8 cup meal prep container. Stir to combine, and squeeze out as much air as possible.
  2. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  3. Thaw completely, then cook as directed in the recipe card.
Storage & reheating
  1. Cool completely, then portion out into an air tight container or reusable silicone bag.
  2. Store in the fridge (4 days) or the freezer (3 months).
  3. Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, or in a frying pan, using tongs to stir and flip it up, until steaming hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz (note 3) | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 653IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg