This flavorful, 30-minute meal is a family-friendly favorite that can help make dinner on busy weeknights a breeze. Just four ingredients is all you need to make Instant Pot Salsa Chicken!
Lately, we've been making this dish in our Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL pressure cooker.
I love this instant pot salsa chicken dinner recipe because it:
- only requires four ingredients that we usually already have in the house, but are also easy to buy at any grocery store at a reasonable price.
- can be made with fresh or frozen chicken breasts without adjusting the times
- is versatile: you can use this chicken in so many different types of meals!
- is fast and stress-free: it only requires about 10 minutes (usually 5) of hands-on prep time, and then the electric pressure cooker does all the rest of the work!
- can be portioned out easily for meal planning. Eat it as tacos one night, breakfast hash the following morning, and on a salad later in the week.
Tools & equipment to make this Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
To create this instant pot salsa chicken recipe, you need some sort of electric pressure cooker. The most popular ones are the Instant Pot and the Ninja Foodi.
I make this recipe in my Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL multi-cooker (pictured above) or my 8-Quart Instant Pot Duo. You could also make this in a 6-quart Instant Pot or 6.5-quart Ninja Foodi without changing the recipe. I do not recommend attempting this recipe in a 3-quart electric pressure cooker. This would be too much food for a smaller appliance like that.
You will also need a rack to place the chicken. Your pressure cooker should have come with one. If not, you purchase the Ninja Foodi Deluxe Reversible Rack (fits the 8-quart) or the Instant Pot rack (fits both the 6 and 8 quart).
4-ingredient easy Instant Pot Salsa Chicken recipe
You only need four ingredients to make this flavorful dinner:
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Salsa - store-bought or homemade (try my 15-minute restaurant-style salsa!)
- Chicken stock or broth
- Taco seasoning
Step-by-Step Instructions
Dry the chicken breasts with paper towels. Place into a large bowl and season with the packet of taco seasoning. Set aside.
Place a rack into the Ninja Foodi/Instant Pot. Pour in one cup of chicken stock or broth. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
Place the chicken on top of the greased rack.
Pour the salsa on top of the chicken. Try to make sure most of the salsa stays on top of the chicken and not too much falls to the bottom.
Pressure Cook on HI for 15 minutes. Your electric pressure cooker will take anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes to come to pressure. When the pressure cooking is done, allow for Natural Release for 15 minutes, then move the pressure release valve over to Vent to Quick Release the remaining pressure.
Place chicken into a large bowl and shred with two forks.
How do you serve Instant Pot salsa chicken?
Tacos is the natural solution! We love this salsa chicken in tacos. But consider using this recipe in other ways:
- Lasagna – layer the seasoned chicken with no-boil lasagna noodles and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese gets all bubbly and melts. Use this Mexican Lasagna as a base for the recipe, just sub in this salsa chicken!
- Salsa chicken pizza – pre-bake homemade pizza dough for 5 minutes, then top with this salsa chicken, some shredded lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and jalapeños.
- Enchiladas – this recipes makes a delicious filling for enchiladas!
- Breakfast Hash – I love making breakfast hash with leftovers, especially those with Mexican-inspired flavors! Use leftovers from this recipe the next day. Cube potatoes, and sauté in a skillet until the potatoes become crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Add the leftover salsa chicken. Feel free to add beans, more salsa or fresh diced tomatoes, sliced avocados, chopped cilantro, and serve with sour cream.
What wine pairs with salsa chicken?
With a red salsa and traditional taco seasonings, I like to serve this with either a full-bodied white wine or a light red wine. For white wines, Viognier pairs deliciously with these flavors. For red wine, go for an Oregon and California Pinot Noir.
More Instant Pot chicken recipes
Instant Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo- Healthy 30-Minute Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken
- Immunity Boosting Chicken Soup
- Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Dairy-Free)
Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- ¾ cup salsa
Instructions
- Dry the chicken breasts with paper towels. Place into a large bowl and season with the packet of taco seasoning. Set aside.
- Place a rack into the Ninja Foodi/Instant Pot. Pour in one cup of chicken stock or broth. Spray the rack with cooking spray. Place the chicken on top of the greased rack.
- Pour the salsa on top of the chicken. Try to make sure most of the salsa stays on top of the chicken and not too much falls to the bottom.
- Pressure Cook on HI for 15 minutes. Your electric pressure cooker will take anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes to come to pressure. When the pressure cooking is done, allow for Natural Release for 15 minutes, then move the pressure release valve over to Vent to Quick Release the remaining pressure.
- Place chicken into a large bowl and shred with two forks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
More easy chicken dinner recipes
- Instant Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo
- Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken
- Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
- Air Fryer Paprika Chicken
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