Description
This Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken recipe is a quick and flavorful meal perfect for busy weeknights. Tender, shredded chicken breasts or thighs are cooked in a zesty salsa verde sauce, seasoned with cumin, garlic, and onion powders for a vibrant Mexican-inspired dish. Serve it over rice, in tacos, burrito bowls, or salads for versatile dining options.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salsa Verde Sauce
- 1 cup salsa verde (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts or thighs in the Instant Pot. Evenly sprinkle the ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper over the chicken pieces to infuse flavor.
- Add Salsa Verde and Broth: Pour 1 cup of salsa verde and 1/4 cup chicken broth or water over the seasoned chicken to create the cooking liquid and help keep the chicken moist.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and seal the pressure valve. Set the pressure cooker to Manual or Pressure Cook mode on high pressure for 12 minutes if using fresh chicken or 15 minutes if cooking from frozen.
- Release Pressure: After cooking finishes, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then carefully perform a quick release by opening the valve to release any remaining steam.
- Shred the Chicken: Carefully open the lid and use two forks to shred the chicken directly in the pot, mixing it well with the sauce to absorb all the flavors.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the lime juice, taste for any needed seasoning adjustments, then garnish with fresh chopped cilantro if desired. Serve warm with your choice of rice, tacos, burritos, bowls, or salads.
Notes
- You can double the batch for meal prep—leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months.
- For extra heat, add a chopped jalapeño or a dash of hot sauce into the pot before cooking.
- This recipe is versatile; feel free to swap chicken breasts for thighs depending on preference.
- To keep the chicken extra moist, avoid skipping the chicken broth or water in the cooking liquid.
