Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

These super easy Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos turn an ordinary taco dinner into extraordinary! They’re amazingly quick to make, perfectly seasoned, and a great way to get a wholesome meal on the table in less than 30 minutes!

Plus, you can use either fresh or frozen chicken breasts! You just add a few simple ingredients into the Instant Pot, push the button, and ding-ding-ding – dinner is served.

Just like these Air Fryer Fish Tacos, you get an incredible meal that’s simple yet healthy and not your typical everyday dinner.

Even if you’re cooking for a crowd, it takes the same amount of time to cook moist and tender shredded chicken! It will probably take you longer to prep the toppings than actually cook the star of this meal. So let’s get to it!

 

Ingredients

• Chicken stock – helps ensure that the chicken stays moist and juicy while cooking.
• Salsa – infuses a bit more flavor into the chicken while cooking.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts – I’m using chicken breasts but you could also use boneless skinless thighs if you prefer.
• Olive oil – adds a bit of richness and helps the spices stick to the chicken.
• Taco seasoning I used store-bought taco seasoning, but use homemade taco seasoning if you prefer!
• Jalapeno and/or chipotle in adobo (optional) – adds a bit of spice while chipotles in adobo add smokiness. Both are delicious, but you can skip them if you don’t have either on hand!

Tips

So, how do you shred chicken?

When meat is slow-cooked or pressurized, it is super easy to pull the meat apart into shreds. The meat will have a certain pattern to it like a grain which means it should pull apart easily when it’s nice and tender.

As easy as it is to pull the chicken breasts apart with your hands, there are a few other methods you may want to consider.

By hand – The cooked chicken should be cool enough to touch, but still warm. Place the chicken on a clean cutting board or plate. Use your hands to pull the chicken apart into desired shredded pieces.

Two forks – This method is just as easy as using your hands but won’t leave them dirty. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and stab two forks into the center of the chicken breast and pull it apart into pieces. Do this until you get smaller pieces of your desired size of shreds.

Hand mixer – If you’re doing more than two chicken breasts, you may want to save energy by using a hand mixer. Just put the cooked chicken in a deep bowl. Use the hand mixer on low to break the chicken apart. Once it’s evenly shredded, you’re good to stuff your taco shells.

Stand mixer – Using the paddle attachment, set it to low and let it shred the chicken in about 15 to 20 seconds. It’s super quick, but cleanup will take a little more time. I would only recommend this if I were cooking for a crowd and was in a terrible hurry.

The great thing about using chicken breasts is that there is no skin, no bones, no fat and makes shredding super easy.

How to make tacos

Make these tacos the way you like them! Use soft flour tortillas or soft corn tortillas or crispy taco shells.

If you want to make your own flour tortillas, try these Vegan Tortillas from my other blog. They’re perfectly soft and pliable and really easy to make at home! Plus, they freeze great, and you likely already have the ingredients at home. If you need a gluten-free option, try these super bendy Gluten-free Tortillas!

If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, try these Vegan Fajitas made with portobello mushrooms, bright bell peppers and caramelized onions. Or these air fryer peppers and onions. If you’re not vegetarian, these Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas are another great option made in a pressure cooker!

So once you have your base, stuff tortillas with the shredded chicken and top with your favorite toppings.

 

Toppings

I like my tacos loaded with cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes, black olives, crisp lettuce, a bit of raw onion, and if I have some, a dab of roasted diced green chilis and guacamole.

I prefer cheddar cheese because it has a sharp flavor and is smooth and creamy, but you can use whatever you like or be like a traditionalist’s and use none at all.

You can use Monterey Jack, Colby or go a more traditional white cheese, like cotija which is salty and creamy. You might also like shredded Mozzarella for a milder flavor but lots of creaminess.

You can even add more salsa for more great flavor or make your own avocado dressing to drizzle on top.

If I’m serving a crowd, I like to set up a taco bar with a variety of toppings. That way, to each his own.

What type of salsa should I use?

You can go mild or wild with the salsa that you add to the Instant Pot Chicken. Personally, I like to keep it on the mild side for my kid, but I do like some heavy heat on occasion.

If you’re using the jalapeno or chipotle pepper you might want to use a milder salsa.

Tenayo Salsa is all-natural, non-GMO, has no preservatives, vinegar or sugar added, and comes in original or chipotle flavor. It can be found online and at Walmart Supercenters.

Newman’s Own Organics Medium Salsa ranks as one of the healthiest on the market and can be easily found Costco, Target and Walmart Supercenters.

I’m a personal fan of Kylitos Roasted Salsa. It can be found at Albertsons, Kroger, United Supermarkets, Market Street and Walmart.

For a spicy homemade version, try this amazing Salsa Tatemada!

Seasonings

I used storebought taco seasoning and it tastes great. But you can easily make your own Homemade Taco Seasoning.

Most taco seasoning is made with chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper. So any combination of these ingredients would be great.

Don’t want to use a taco seasoning? Then throw a couple of peppercorns into the instant pot. Or use dried chili pepper or some other spice like coriander powder or Mexican oregano – really anything that you know you will enjoy.

You might also want to try Mexican oregano or add some roasted green chilis!

How to store

You can store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you don’t think you’ll eat the remaining shredded chicken within 3 days, you should freeze it.

How to freeze

Once the shredded chicken has completely cooled, place it in a sealable freezer bag or an airtight container, label and date, and it will maintain good for about 4 months.

I would portion out the amount you plan to reheat and use separate bags if necessary so that you can reheat the exact amount you think you will need.

Vacuum sealing food will make it last longer without freezer burn, but if you don’t have a vacuum sealer, there is an easy hack that is almost as good.

To do this, you’ll still be sealing it in a freezer bag, but did you know that using a pot of water can help to get even more air out of that bag before you sinch it up? Take a look at this quick video to learn more!

How many chicken breasts can I fit into an Instant Pot?

For this recipe, I used a pound of boneless chicken breasts which will adequately feed a family of four. That’s about 2 chicken breasts in total. As a general rule of thumb, for every pound of boneless chicken you cook, you should get about 2 ½ cups of shredded chicken.

If you’re using a 6-Qt. Instant Pot Duo, like mine, you can fit three breasts easily in the pot.

Or if you’re cooking for more, you can layer the chicken breasts. If you use fresh chicken breast, then you can stack them on top of each other, crisscrossing them. If you’re using frozen chicken breasts you can stack them side by side.

To ensure even cooking, when you stack fresh chicken breast, make sure to cross them rather than have them all stacked the same way.

Be sure to season each piece separately before stacking them so that the chicken is evenly seasoned throughout.

Try to get breasts of the same size and thickness to get consistent evenly cooked breasts.

I would not recommend making more than 4 pounds of chicken at a time in the Instant Pot. Note that the more chicken in the pot, the more time needed to come to pressure.

Do I need to add time if I add more chicken breasts?

Actually, no. Pressure cooking means each piece of food will cook evenly in a given time. So if you cook 4, 6 or 8 chicken breasts, it requires the same amount of time.

The time is determined by the size and thickness of the food, not the quantity, so the pressure cooking time is the amount of time required to get food fully cooked through.

Can I use bone-in chicken breasts?

Yes, but for shredding, using boneless chicken breasts is so much easier! I don’t recommend it not because you can’t do it, but you would then need to debone and then shred the chicken which would take more time and effort.

But if that is what you have, by all means, use it up.

Can I cook frozen chicken breasts in an Instant Pot?

How many times have you forgotten to take chicken breasts out of the freezer to thaw? I know, right?! But here is the great news – with the Instant Pot it doesn’t matter one bit!

Just follow the same directions as fresh chicken breasts. Note that the chicken breast should be individually frozen rather than in a block for best results.

If your frozen chicken is all frozen together, then you will need to adjust the cook time depending on the size of the frozen block because it will be much thicker than layering individual breasts.

If this is the case, then for every ounce over 16 ounces, add 3 minutes of cook time. You should use a digital scale.

Just note that the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C) for it to be cooked through to the center. If you check it, and it is not to temperature, you’ll need to return it to the Instant Pot and pressurize it again.

It’s hard to say how much time because frozen blocks of chicken will vary in size.

How to reheat and moisten the shredded chicken

Reheating shredded chicken is super easy and you can use the microwave, stovetop, or oven.

To add moisture to shredded chicken, it’s best to use chicken stock or broth.

In the microwave, use a microwave-safe container and cover it with a damp paper towel to moisten the chicken. Microwave it in 1-minute increments for up to 5 minutes making sure to stir each time. Once heated, let it rest for a minute, remove the paper towel and enjoy!

To reheat it on the stovetop, warm a little broth over medium heat but don’t bring it to a boil. Add the chicken to a skillet so that the broth coats the chicken. The shredded chicken can be frozen or defrosted. Stir occasionally and cook until it reaches 165 °F (74 °C).

Using an oven, place the chicken in an oven-safe dish with enough broth to just cover the meat and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 425°F (218 °C) for about 20 minutes making sure the internal temperature reaches 165 °F (74 °C). You can stir the meat during the baking process to ensure it reheats evenly. If the shredded chicken is frozen, you’ll want to defrost it or thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating it in the oven.

Why use an Instant Pot?

Using the Instant Pot to get quick and easy, wholesome meals is a total game-changer in the kitchen. 

You just put the ingredients in the pot, set the timer, and it’s hands-off from there! More time to sip on delicious drinks like this Cherry Margarita. 😉 

No more standing over a hot stove, making sure there’s enough liquid or that it isn’t spilling over. And it shaves a lot of actual cook time necessary to get the perfect dinner on the table in as little time as possible. Espceially with something like this Instant Pot air fryer rotisserie chicken!

Plus, it’s easy to clean up in a snap!

If you love your Instant Pot as I do, be sure to browse through some other Instant Pot recipes.

 

Shredded Chicken on Stovetop

Don’t have an Instant Pot? Don’t worry, people were making shredded chicken long before there was an Instant Pot.

Start by following the seasoning directions.

In a stockpot, place chicken breasts in broth and salsa just enough to cover the chicken and bring to a slow simmer.

It should gently simmer without bringing it to a hard boil. The liquid will reduce. If you need to add more liquid, then do so a little at a time to keep the breasts from drying out. We’re not making soup, so just a bit at a time if you need it at all.

It should take about 30 minutes until the chicken is tender and reached the appropriate internal temperature.

Shred the chicken and prepare your tacos. If you have leftover chicken, use them in these great chicken Street Tacos!

What’s the difference between pulled chicken and shredded chicken?

To be honest, there’s no real difference. Almost any meat can be pulled apart or shredded once it has been cooked and tender.

It helps to note the difference by cooking different meats. Take pork, for example, if you slow cook it (like for these Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos), it reaches a point of falling off the bone, so it can be pulled apart quite easily. This is due to the connective tissue melting during the long cooking process.

But white meat is leaner and doesn’t separate quite as easily. White meat lacks connective tissue and shreds instead of falling off the bone.

Shredding can take a little more action, whereas pulling is done more easily when the meat is super-tender, but they are inherently the same.

That being said, in the US, the distinction implies that pulled chicken has been barbecued or smoked at a low and slow rate and usually has a rub or bbq sauce. Shredded chicken refers to the suppleness of the meat which could be either baked or stewed and has been taken apart after the cooking process.

So really you can have your tacos both ways. You can call them shredded chicken tacos or pulled chicken tacos, it’s up to you they’ll still taste the same. 😉

What goes with chicken tacos

Margaritas, of course! If you’re feeling a bit tropical, you can serve a Frozen Pineapple Margarita with chips and Mango Habanero Salsa to start.

Or, if you’d rather have a twist on the usual, try this Gin Margarita. This Texas Margarita would be a great + more traditional choice!

And be sure to check out all of our simply amazing sides here!

I’d love to hear from you if you make these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos! Leave a comment below or share it with the world by tagging #fooddoodlesrecipes so I’ll be sure to see it. Enjoy!