• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Thyme For The Table

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Blogging Resources
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About Me
    • Blogging Resources
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Published: Aug 7, 2022 · Modified: Mar 23, 2023 by Jen Talley · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Chicken tacos on a wood board with the text: Instant Pot Chicken Tacos.

    Taco night just got better with these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos! This simple recipe creates pulled chicken tacos in under 15 minutes.

    Chicken tacos on a wood board with a cut lime next to them.
    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

    Taco Tuesday is a family favorite. This chicken recipe is one your whole family will love.

    This simple recipe creates flavorful tacos that you can load with your favorite toppings like these Instant Pot Black Beans! The chicken cooks quickly which means dinner is ready before you know it!

    Don’t forget to use this Homemade Taco Seasoning for your flavorful chicken tacos. It is the perfect chicken taco seasoning recipe. Plus it's a great way to use those spices like chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin that have been sitting in your cabinet!

    Looking for another easy Instant Pot dinner? Try delicious Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup. It is the best dinner for a cool evening.

    Why You'll Love Pressure Cooker Chicken Tacos

    • This easy recipe is done in under 15 minutes! 
    • Double this chicken taco recipe to feed a crowd. Create a taco bar with lots of fun toppings.
    • The shredded chicken can be used on taco salad, on nachos, in chicken tortilla soup, or in enchiladas.

    Recipe Ingredients

    You'll need the following ingredients to make shredded chicken tacos.

    The ingredients for instant pot shredded chicken tacos.

    Boneless Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenderloins will be cooked and shredded for the tacos.

    Salsa adds moisture and another layer of flavor.

    Taco Seasoning adds flavor to the chicken tacos.

    Flour Tortillas, Corn Tortillas or Hard Taco Shells are the perfect way to hold the chicken filling.

    The toppings are endless for these tacos. Look below of the list of optional toppings.

    How to Make Shredded Chicken Tacos

    Here are some quick visual instructions. The full recipe with ingredient measurements is in the recipe card below!

    Add the chicken, salsa, and tacos seasoning to the instant pot. Mix the chicken mixture.

    Raw chicken, salsa and taco seasoning mixture in the Instant Pot.

    Select high pressure and set the timer for 6 minutes. Next, do a 5 minutes natural release. Finish with a quick release.

    Instant pot with the timer set for 6 minutes.

    Carefully remove the chicken into a bowl.

    Pro Tip: Add some of the liquid from the instant pot to keep the chicken moist while you are shredding it.

    Cooked chicken in a glass bowl with two forks.

    Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.

    Two hands using forks to shred the chicken.

    Enjoy these delicious tacos on flour tortillas, corn tortillas, hard shell tacos, or as nachos! Look below for topping options for your Instant Pot Chicken Tacos!

    Four chicken tacos on a wood board with a cut lime next to them.

    Recipe Tips & Tricks

    • Warm the flour tortillas with a wet paper towel on top in the microwave. Warm tortillas are easier to roll up.
    • Heat corn tortillas on a dry pan or fry them in a little oil before filling them.
    • Stretch the meat further by adding drained and rinsed black beans and corn to your pulled chicken tacos.
    • Shred the chicken in the liquid it cooked in. It helps keep the chicken moist.

    What to Serve with Chicken Tacos

    Get out your cutting board ready and try some of these favorite taco toppings!

    Toppings for tacos on a large white platter.
    • Lettuce
    • Cheese
    • Fresh Cilantro
    • Lime
    • Tomato
    • Red Onion
    • Pico De Gallo or Fresh Salsa
    • Cubed Avocado or Guacamole
    • Sour Cream or Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
    • Fresh Jalapeños or Cowboy Candy (spicy and sweet candied Jalapeños)
    • Refried Beans or Instant Pot Black Beans
    • Guajillo Sauce has a delicious chile flavor.
    • Spicy Mexican Street Corn is a delicious side dish for tacos.

    Storage and Reheating

    • Storage: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    • Reheating: Reheat the chicken in the microwave or on the stove in a saucepan.
    • Freezing: Chicken can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

    Additions and Substitutions

    • Chicken Thighs: You can substitute boneless skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts/tenderloins.
    • Black Beans: Drain and rinse canned black beans. Add them to the instant pot to warm up while you are shredding the chicken.
    • Corn: Add frozen or drained canned corn to the instant pot before starting it.
    • Spicy: Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to give your Mexican chicken tacos a spicy kick.
    • Healthy: Serve the chicken on a bed of romaine lettuce using some of the healthy toppings such as cilantro, pico de gallo, and avocado. It is one of our favorite healthy recipes.

    Variations

    • Add the shredded chicken to enchiladas, chicken tortilla soup, chicken taquitos, or nachos.
    • Swap the traditional salsa for pineapple salsa to create Hawaiian-inspired tacos.
    • Use the chicken in these easy Street Tacos.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you make shredded chicken tacos in the crockpot?

    Slow cooker chicken tacos are great for days when you know you have a busy night ahead. Add the same ingredients to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Shred the chicken. Give crockpot chicken tacos a try!

    How to make shredded chicken for tacos?

    Add chicken, salsa and taco seasoning to the instant pot or crockpot. For the Instant Pot it is done in 6 minutes with 5 minutes natural release. In the slow cooker, it is done in 6 hours. The chicken should easily pull apart.

    Can you stack chicken in the Instant Pot?

    Yes, you can pile chicken on top of each other in the instant pot. The more food and liquid you add to the Instant Pot the longer it will take to come to pressure.

    More From Thyme for the Table

    Follow on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Let's cook together on YouTube! See you there! Don't forget to tag me so I can see what you are making!

    Rate This Recipe! I love hearing from you!

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    • A bowl of chicken tortellini soup with carrots, celery, onion and a loaf of fresh bread in the background.
      Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
    • Mild taco seasoning mixed in a small black canister.
      Homemade Mild Taco Seasoning Recipe
    • Rack of pork loin back ribs on a wooden cutting board with a spoon of bbq sauce next to them.
      BBQ Pork Loin Back Ribs Recipe
    • Rotini pasta, broccoli, chicken, parsley and parmesan cheese in a white bowl with a fork in the background.
      Chicken Broccoli Scampi Without Wine
    Chicken tacos lined up in a row on a wood board.

    📖 Recipe

    Close up picture of the chicken tacos with red onion, cilantro and avocado on them.

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe

    Taco night just got better with these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos! This simple recipe creates pulled chicken tacos in under 15 minutes.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: Chicken, Instant Pot, Tacos
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes minutes
    Natural Release: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 16 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Cost: $5

    Equipment

    • 1 Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound Chicken Breasts or Chicken Tenderloins
    • 1 cup salsa
    • 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning (or 1 packet)

    Optional Toppings

    • lettuce
    • tomatoes
    • sour cream
    • shredded cheese
    • diced avocado or guacamole
    • jalapeno
    • cilantro
    • red onion
    • salsa

    Instructions

    • Add the chicken to your pressure cooker.
    • Pour the salsa and taco seasoning on the chicken and mix it together.
    • Place the cover on and make sure the lid valve is set to "sealing." Select high pressure for 6 minutes. After the timer goes off allow a 5 minute natural release, followed by a quick release (be careful of the hot steam that will come out of the valve).
    • Remove the lid and remove the chicken and liquid to a large bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken into pieces.
    • Serve the shredded chicken on flour tortillas, on corn tortillas, in hard taco shells, or on a salad. Add your favorite toppings such as cheese, sour cream, guacamole, tomato, and more!

    Notes

    • Storage: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
    • Reheating: Reheat the chicken in the microwave or on the stove in a saucepan.
    • Freezing: Chicken can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

    Food Safety

    • Cook chicken to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat.
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    More Fast Instant Pot Recipes

    • Close up picture of the cooked black beans with cilantro, red onion and lime on top.
      Easy No Soak Instant Pot Black Beans
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment or Question Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Rachna says

      August 08, 2022 at 1:32 am

      5 stars
      I love tacos. Can't wait to make your recipe for chicken tacos in my pressure cooker. Looks so delicious.

      Reply
    2. Anjali says

      August 08, 2022 at 7:30 am

      5 stars
      Yum!! This was such a delicious dinner for our family! So easy to make and so much better than takeout!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        August 09, 2022 at 1:38 am

        I'm so glad your family liked it!

        Reply
    3. Ieva says

      August 08, 2022 at 7:35 am

      5 stars
      This was the quickest tacos I've ever made! The chicken stayed moist and succulent in the pot and most of your suggested toppings as well! Delicious 🙂

      Reply
    4. Farah says

      August 08, 2022 at 10:09 am

      5 stars
      Wow these look amazing! I can't wait to try them out, we make tacos at least every couple of weeks and it would be great to use my instant pot to make these. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        August 09, 2022 at 1:39 am

        Definitely give them a try!

        Reply
    5. Katherine says

      August 08, 2022 at 10:20 am

      5 stars
      These shredded chicken tacos are my family's new favorite for taco night!

      Reply
      • Jen Talley says

        August 09, 2022 at 1:39 am

        Hi Katherine! That's great to hear! Enjoy!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Chicken tacos on a wood board with the text: Instant Pot Chicken Tacos.
    A head shot of Jen from the food blog Thyme for the Table.

    Welcome to Thyme for the Table! This is the place to find the best recipes to share with your friends and family around the kitchen table!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • An everything bagel and plain bagel on a small wooden cutting board.
      New York Style Sourdough Starter Discard Bagels
    • A bowl of chili with cheese, sour cream, green onions and red onions on top.
      Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe (Beans Optional)
    • A dutch oven of chili with chili toppings surrounding it.
      The Best Chili Charcuterie Board
    • Rack of pork loin back ribs on a wooden cutting board with a spoon of bbq sauce next to them.
      BBQ Pork Loin Back Ribs Recipe

    Footer

    Chicken tacos on a wood board with the text: Instant Pot Chicken Tacos.

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us!
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails
    • Follow on Instagram
    • Follow on Facebook
    • Follow on Pinterest

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Web Stories

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme