Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe

As if you even needed one more reason to love your Instant Pot, right? Well, why not enjoy one anyway courtesy of chef and recipe developer Jaime Shelbert of Wholly Nourished. This Instant Pot salsa chicken dish will make even the easiest Instant Pot recipes you already know and love seem like they take a lot of hands-on work because it's just so gloriously simple. And yet, the entrée it cooks up is so tasty and tender, your diners will think you must have cooked the meat for hours, not minutes. "This recipe is pretty foolproof. Set it and forget it," Shelbert says, adding: "I love this recipe for the simple fact that it's an easy weeknight meal and it's a hit with the family!"

And while the Instant Pot is the secret sauce here, so to speak, the other key player is, well, the sauce. Or the salsa, to be more accurate. It infuses flavor and moisture into the meat, creating a perfect anchor ingredient for a burrito, taco, enchilada, or to be served over rice or mixed into a salad.

It doesn't take much to make this amazing meal, provided you have an Instant Pot at the ready. All you need is a 16-ounce jar of chunky salsa, 2 larger or 4 smaller boneless, skinless chicken breasts (aim for about 2 pounds), a teaspoon of garlic powder, a tablespoon of taco seasoning, and the juice of 1 lime.

Now, as for that salsa? That's where you can get creative. Go for a spicy one, a mild one, a mango-infused one, or whatever sounds great to you.

First, pour the jar of salsa into the Instant Pot. Then place the chicken breasts on top of the salsa, spread out evenly on the bottom of the cooker.

Next, season the chicken breasts with the garlic powder and taco seasoning, and then pour the lime juice over top the chicken. And that's it, your prep-work is done!

Once all the ingredients are in place, close the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing. Then set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 12 minutes.

After the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to sit for 10 minutes before turning the valve to venting, then remove the lid carefully as there may be some residual heat and steam.

Now shred the chicken with two forks or, if you have them, you can used dedicated meat shredding tools.

Finally, pour the desired amount of sauce from Instant Pot over the shredded chicken and stir to combine it in, then serve your delectable savory chicken. 

Or, alternatively, add the chicken back into the Instant Pot with the sauce and set it to the keep warm setting until you are ready to serve the meal — the flavors will only get richer with time spent back in the cooker. Got leftovers? Shelbert says: "Store [them] in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days."