Instant Pot Chicken Tacos: A Great Family Recipe

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Super flavorful and incredibly easy to put together, these Instant Pot Chicken Tacos are the perfect quick weeknight dinner option.

You’ll be able to whip them up using just a few pantry staples, and they’re sure to be a huge hit with everyone in your household.

I have to admit, these have made taco night come up more frequently in my household, and I’m not complaining.

Are the Instant Pot Chicken Tacos Healthy?

In my opinion, these tacos are actually healthy. They give you a good chunk of protein from the chicken breast, the carbs from the tortillas and the fiber and micronutrients from the veggies and toppings.

Plus, you always have the option to take a few extra steps to make the tacos healthier.

• You can use a leaner cut of chicken as opposed to the chicken breasts. Chicken thighs are great, because they cut down the cook time and also pack in more flavor.
• For added nutrition, you can drizzle a bit of olive oil (aka healthy fat) into the mix, along with the seasoned chicken.
• You can also get some extra protein by adding black beans along with the shredded chicken.
• Another great way to make these Instant Pot chicken tacos healthier is to choose low sodium or low fat varieties for the cheese you’re using, and add more of fresh, crunchy veggies.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Tacos Cooking Times

Here’s a breakdown of the cooking time for these pressure cooker chicken tacos.

• Prep Time-10 minutes
• Cook Time-20 minutes
• Total time- 30 minutes
• Yeild-10-12 tacos

Remember that if you are starting off with frozen chicken breasts, the cooking time might be slightly longer.

Ingredients For the Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

To make the Instant pot chicken tacos, here’s what you’ll need.

• 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 3 tablespoons taco spice mix
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water

For serving

• Tortillas 10-12
• Salsa
• Avocado cut or mashed
• Cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Jalapeños (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

Once you have your ingredients ready, here’s the process you’ll need to follow to put these chicken tacos together.

Step 1: Season the Chicken Breasts

In a bowl, sprinkle taco seasoning over the skinless chicken breast cubes. If you love the heat, you can also add some chili powder into the mix.

Step 2: Get it Ready For the Pressure Cooking

Add the seasoned chicken, a cup of water, and salt to the instant pot and stir to mix. You can also use chicken broth instead of water to make it extra flavorful.

Step 3: Pressure Cook the Skinless Chicken Breasts

Select the PRESSURE COOK button on HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes. (Make sure the valve is in the SEALING position).

Step 4: Cook Chicken Until Well Done

Once done, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release pressure by manually moving the valve from SEALING to VENTING position.

Step 5: Shred Chicken

Open the lid carefully and select the CANCEL button. Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl and shred them using two forks.

Step 6: Serving and Assembling the Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

Heat the tortillas in a hot pan. Build your tacos by adding shredded chicken, mashed avocado, salsa, and cilantro on top of each of the warm tortillas.

Step 7: Add-Ons and Toppings

Optionally can also add some sour cream and a few jalapenos for extra flavors. Squeeze some lime juice on top. Serve hot and enjoy.

How to Store and Reheat the Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

1. You can store the leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or for around 3 months in the freezer. 
2. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of breasts.
3. I’ve used packaged / store-bought salsa and taco mix for this recipe.

What Toppings Go Well With the Instant Pot Chicken Tacos?

The best part about these Instant Pot Chicken Tacos is the fact that they are super customizable. You can add in the toppings of your choice, based on what you have at hand.

Condiments

Sour cream is an excellent classic topping for these delicious tacos. If you don’t have it at hand or are looking for a healthier alternative, some plain Greek yogurt should do the trick.

And of course, don’t forget the shredded cheese!

Salsa

Any kind of salsa or pico de gallo can be a great topping to your for your chicken tacos. If you don’t have the time to whip up fresh salsa, you can use jarred salsa too.

Another great idea is to use salsa chicken instead of skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.

Veggies

One of my favorite toppings for these shredded chicken tacos are freshly chopped veggies. I like to stick to the classics- diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce and sliced onions.

I also sometimes like to add some avocado slices to bump up the nutritional value of the tacos.

Can You Prep the Recipe in Advance?

You sure can! You can season the chicken breasts, cook them in your electric pressure cooker and then refrigerate it for 2-3 days, until you are ready to assemble the tacos.

This can be particularly helpful if you love tacos and like to meal prep and save on cooking time.

Can You Use Leftover Chicken for the Recipe?

Yes! This is actually a great way to use up any leftover chicken breasts that you might have, or even some rotisserie chicken.

It is always great to start off with fresh chicken though, because the flavors and textures you’ll get will be unmatched.

Can You Use Taco Shells Instead of Tortillas?

You totally can! It all depends on what you have at hand.

These versatile Instant Pot Chicken Tacos can taste incredible when crafted using crunchy taco shells and topped with a little squeeze of lime juice for some extra tanginess.

More Instant Pot Recipes

If you loved how this recipe turned out, and are inspired enough to try your hands at some more such delicious recipes, here are a few good ones you might want to look at.

• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
• Instant Pot Orange Cake
• Instant Pot Mexican Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Crack Chicken
• Instant Pot Egg Roll In A Bowl
• Best Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
• The Best Vegan Tacos With Pineapple And Mango

These easy, quick and luscious chicken tacos with salsa are lightly spicy, juicy, and full of flavors. This recipe is perfect for a delicious and hassle-free taco night with the family. And with INSTANT POT you can make it in less than 30 minutes. Healthy and delicious tacos effortlessly!!!