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These easy Instant Pot chicken tacos are quick, healthy, and flavorful. The whole family will love them!

close-up of three Instant Pot chicken tacos topped with sour cream

This Instant Pot chicken tacos recipe is perfect for Taco Tuesday or any night of the week. They’re ready in about half an hour total. I like to prep the taco toppings while the chicken is cooking.

I have to say that I always get excited for tacos since I don’t have them very often!

Ok, just warning you in advance that these are a little messy, but that’s part of the fun when eating tacos, right? I don’t recommend these as a first date food. 😛 

These electric pressure cooker chicken tacos aren’t particularly spicy, so if you want to add some heat, use hot green chilis instead of mild ones, or add some cayenne pepper. 

an Instant Pot filled with shredded chicken for tacos

How to make shredded chicken tacos in the Instant Pot

  • Add all the sauce ingredients (diced tomatoes, chicken broth, diced green chilis, and seasonings) to your Instant Pot, then add the chicken.
  • Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.
  • Take the chicken out and shred it using two forks.
  • Add it back into the Instant Pot so it’s coated in the sauce.
  • Make your tacos! 

I tested this recipe with chicken breasts cooked on high pressure for 8 minutes, but I found the chicken was a bit harder to shred, so 10 minutes gives it a more “shreddable” texture. Feel free to do them for 8 minutes, though, especially if they’re smaller chicken breasts. 

You can use chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe. I’d cook thighs for 12-13 minutes. Chicken thighs tend to be fattier (therefore more moist and flavorful). They’re also much more forgiving when you cook them and tend to dry out less easily. 

Pro tip: You don’t need to use the spice/seasoning mixture I suggest – pre-made taco seasoning is fine if you prefer.

close-up of three Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos with homemade salsa

How to top chicken tacos

Here’s some suggestions:

  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Tomatoes
  • Cilantro
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce
  • Red onions
  • Avocado
  • Grated cheddar or Tex Mex blend cheese
  • Fresh lime juice

I like to warm my flour tortillas by wrapping them in foil and putting them in the oven at 375F for 20 minutes or so prior to serving the meal.

You may also like my Instant Pot BBQ chicken or my BBQ chicken tacos.

three Instant Pot chicken tacos with sour cream beside lime wedges

Will you make these Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos? 

Questions? Let me know in the comments.

These Instant Pot chicken tacos are healthy and delicious. This easy family meal is ready in only 30 minutes, and it can be made with chicken breasts or thighs.
5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

These easy Instant Pot chicken tacos are quick, healthy, and flavorful. The whole family will love them!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Inactive time: 10 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (4 fluid ounce) can mild diced green chilis with juices
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 large chicken breasts

For serving (optional, to taste):

  • Tortillas
  • Tex-Mex cheese blend shredded
  • Fresh cilantro chopped
  • Avocado chopped
  • Red onions chopped
  • Iceberg lettuce shredded
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Lime wedges

Instructions 

  • Add all ingredients except for the chicken to your Instant Pot. Give it a good stir.
  • Add the chicken and spoon some of the sauce over top. 
  • Close the lid, set the valve on "sealing", and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. 
  • While the chicken is cooking, prep the taco toppings.
  • Once the countdown has finished, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. 
  • Take the chicken out of the Instant Pot and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Using 2 forks, shred it, or cut it up using a knife. Add the cut-up chicken back into the Instant Pot and coat with the sauce.
  • Assemble tacos as desired. 

Notes

  • Feel free to use pre-made taco seasoning instead of the spices I suggest if you wish.
  • You can definitely add more chicken if needed (keep cooking time the same) - it makes plenty of sauce. I had about a pound of chicken. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer. I would cook them a bit longer (12-13 mins. so they're fall-apart tender). If using frozen chicken, I'd add on an extra 2 minutes. If ever in doubt, use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is 165F. 
  • If you want to reduce the sauce: prior to shredding the chicken, take it out of the Instant Pot and press the "sauté" button. Let the sauce bubble away for 5-10 minutes before adding the chicken back in.
  • I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.
  • Inactive time indicates the time it takes the Instant Pot to get up to pressure.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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17 Comments

  1. I want to add cream cheese to make it creamy! Do I add it before I pressure cook or after and mix it in?

    1. Hi! I haven’t tested it, but 3-4 hours on high or until the chicken shreds easily should do it. 6-8 hours on low should work too. If you’re worried about it going dry, try chicken thighs.

  2. Oh I forgot. add some serrano. You may make another salsa, same procedure just using tomato, and adding oregano instead of cilantro. Oh, and chile serrano 🙂

  3. It looks pretty good. But hey, you must not eat any taco without salsa. It think it goes great with salsa verde: Just roast over a hot pan some tomatillos, a garlic. Then blend it, adding salt and pepper. Add some finely chopped onion and cilantro,

    1. Love your salsa verde idea! I didn’t include salsa because the tomato mixture is already present, but I think salsa verde would be fab! That’s the best part of tacos… you can top them with whatever you want 🙂

    1. You mean like ground chicken? Hmmm I think that would work, but it won’t take as long to cook. I’m not sure if pressure cooking it is necessary in that case. You could just as easily do it on the stove.

    1. Hi! I haven’t tested it, but 3-4 hours on high or until the chicken shreds easily should do it. 6-8 hours on low should work too. If you’re worried about it going dry, try chicken thighs. Let me know if you do make it!

      1. Ok one more question?! 1, 4 ounce can mild diced green chili’s with juice. Is that suppose to be 4 ounce? I only found 6, 10, and 14.5. I bought a 10 😬

  4. 5 stars
    This was sooo good. I made it exactly as written and it came out perfect. I had a lot left over so I made some rice and mixed up some “burrito bowl” type lunches and even that was delicious. Super easy, fast and tasty recipe…thank you!