The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
Instant Pot Salsa Chicken is a quick and easy way to make shredded chicken, perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, and more. The chicken will be juicy and flavorful.
It costs approximately $9.71 to make this Salsa Chicken in the Instant Pot. The recipe makes six servings for about $1.61 per serving.
Salsa Chicken
This recipe is for you if you are overwhelmed with hectic evenings and meal time. Between our three families, we have twelve kids, all with different schedules, so we understand how busy weeknights can be. That is why we created this recipe: to help our weeknights be easier.
It only takes ten minutes to prep this dish, and then the Instant Pot does the work for you in a matter of minutes. Salsa Chicken is great for filling tacos, quesadillas, and burritos.
You will have dinner ready in no time, with everyone feeling satisfied. All twelve of our kids (and spouses) can attest to that!
If you are cooking for a crowd, you can make this chicken salsa in the Instant Pot and have room in the oven or stovetop to make sides to go along with it.
Or use this chicken to meal-prep for lunches throughout the week. Salsa Chicken is a versatile recipe to meet all your needs!
What You’ll Love About Instant Pot Salsa Chicken:
- Customizable: After cooking this chicken, you can serve it over lettuce, in quesadillas, tacos, burritos, etc.
- Time Saver: This is a great last-minute meal option as it is much faster than cooking chicken in a slow cooker.
- Convenience: You most likely have the four simple ingredients for this recipe already in your kitchen.
Ingredients & Estimated Cost:
- ½ cup chicken stock – $0.17
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts – $5.96
- 16 oz jar chunky salsa – $2.99
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix – $0.59
The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained. The pricing for this recipe was updated in October 2023.
How To Make Salsa Chicken
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.
- First, pour the chicken stock into the Instant Pot.
- Then add ½ cup of salsa.
- Next, add in the chicken.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the chicken.
- Pour the remaining salsa over the chicken and lock the lid in place.
- Cook for fifteen minutes on high pressure.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally before removing the lid.
- Shred the chicken.
- Serve as desired: use in tacos, taco bowls, burritos, enchiladas, soups, and more.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Recipe Variations:
- Salsa: You can use any salsa you like in this recipe.
- Chicken: In this recipe, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or ground chicken.
- Seasonings: You can adjust the seasonings in this recipe to your liking. Some popular additions include chili powder, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Toppings: You can serve your salsa chicken with various toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, and diced tomatoes.
Substitutions:
- Chicken stock: You can substitute water for the chicken stock.
- Taco seasoning mix: You can make your own taco seasoning mix.
- Instant Pot: You can cook this recipe in a slow cooker instead of an Instant Pot. To do this, place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is cooked.
Specific Flavor Ideas:
- Mango Salsa Chicken: Use mango salsa instead of regular salsa.
- Pineapple Salsa Chicken: Use pineapple salsa instead of regular salsa.
- Black Bean Salsa Chicken: Add one can of drained black beans to the pot before cooking.
- Taco Salad: Serve the shredded salsa chicken on a bed of lettuce with your favorite taco toppings.
- Quesadillas: Fill tortillas with shredded salsa chicken, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Fold the tortillas in half and cook in a skillet until golden brown.
Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Serving and Storage Tips
Serving:
- Serve the chicken as is, or top it with your favorite taco toppings, such as shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, and diced tomatoes.
- Serve it over rice, in tacos, or burritos.
Storing:
- Place salsa chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing:
- Place the chicken in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thawing:
- Thaw Instant Pot salsa chicken in the refrigerator overnight. You can also thaw it at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
Reheating:
- Reheat the chicken on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- To reheat the chicken on the stovetop, cook it in a skillet over medium heat until heated.
- To reheat it in the microwave, place the chicken in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated.
Salsa Chicken Recipe FAQs
It may not have cooked long enough. Try cooking it for a more extended amount of time to see if that does the trick.
You can place the raw chicken directly in the Instant Pot and cook it. This is one more reason you will love this recipe. There are no added unnecessary steps.
Yes, you can place the chicken on top of each other in the Instant Pot, and they will cook evenly during the pressure cooking process.
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Have your little one help pour in the chicken stock and salsa into the Instant Pot. This is a fabulous opportunity to teach your child about the ingredients and materials used in this recipe so they can become familiar with kitchen foods and items.
Ages 4-5: Introduce your child to fractions as they pre-measure the ingredients and add them to the Instant Pot. They can also put the lid on the Instant Pot.
Ages 6-8: With only four ingredients needed, this is an excellent recipe to ask them to gather the ingredients in preparation for the recipe.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe unsupervised while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Budget Tips
We enjoy making this recipe for meal prep throughout the week. It is a great way to stretch the budget as you can get multiple meals from the recipe’s servings.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot French Dip Recipe
- Instant Pot Country Style Ribs
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Instant Pot Meatloaf and Potatoes
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Bulk Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Salsa Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Liquid measuring cup
- cutting board
Ingredients
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 2 pounds about 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 16 oz jar chunky salsa
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix or 2 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning
FOR SERVING: (all optional)
- Taco shells
- Rice
- All your favorite toppings
Instructions
PUT INGREDIENTS IN POT:
- Pour chicken stock into an Instant Pot.
- Pour about ½ cup of salsa into the pot.
- Add chicken and taco seasoning.
- Pour the remaining salsa over the chicken, making sure the chicken is coated.
PRESSURE COOK:
- Lock the lid in place and make sure the steam release knob is turned to sealing.
- Set Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- When the cooking time is done, let the pressure naturally release.
- Quick release any remaining pressure.
TO FINISH:
- Remove the lid carefully and move the chicken to a cutting board.
- Use 2 forks to shred the chicken for tacos or bowls.
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner tonight and it did not disappoint! Turned out tender, juicy and delicious; easily, a new family favorite recipe!
Suja md says
This looks and sounds fabulous! Love this recipe.
Alison Corey says
Your Instant Pot Salsa Chicken recipe is an absolute game-changer! I can’t believe how easy it is to make flavorful, juicy shredded chicken in such a short time.
Sisley says
My favourite midweek meal at the moment. So tasty and great for leftovers the next day too.
Carrie Robinson says
This is such a genius way to make taco and burrito filling! 🙂 Definitely going to give this a go soon.