Need a quick weeknight meal for the whole family or a simple meal prep recipe, this easy Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos recipe is it! Chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, stock, and seasoning combined in the Instant Pot and pressured cooked until tender.
The chicken comes out fork tender and shreds easily directly in the pot! Serve on corn or flour tortillas and top with your favorite taco toppings. This meat also makes great burritos or burrito bowls!
I like to keep the toppings simple, just like my favorite street tacos, I add large diced white onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime! I also like a dollop of homemade guacamole or some shredded cabbage for a little crunch. Quickly give your tortillas a little char over an open flame or under the broiler of your oven.
You might also like these Sesame Chicken Tacos or these Loaded Doritos Nachos. Find all of my dinner recipes and Instant Pot recipes here for even more inspiration!
Recipe Highlights
- No prep work: this recipe is as simple as it gets! Just dump all the ingredients for the chicken into the Instant pot, pressure cook, and shred once tender. Perfect for taco night.
- Great as leftovers: the chicken taco meat easily stores in the fridge or freeze so it can be reheated for lunches or dinners!
- Family friendly: kids and adults will love this, the meat is flavorful but not too spicy.
- Versatile: use shredded chicken in tacos, enchiladas, burrito bowls, on pizza, or even in a grilled cheese!
Shredded Chicken Taco Toppings
In my opinion, toppings make the taco, here are some toppings that accompany this chicken perfectly:
- Diced white or yellow onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Thinly sliced green cabbage
- Fresh lime juice (lots!)
- Crumbled queso fresco cheese or cotija cheese
- Guacamole or sliced avocado
- Fresh or pickled jalapeno
- Salsa Verde or Pico De Gallo
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Key Ingredients & Ingredient Notes
A few simple ingredients make this recipe, see below for any notes or substitutions:
- Chicken: use boneless skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Enchilada sauce: canned red enchilada is a quick way to add flavor and moisture. Homemade red enchilada sauce can work as well, use mild or medium sauce.
- Seasonings: kosher salt, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder are the seasonings I use, pre-made or homemade taco seasoning mix can be substituted.
- Stock: chicken stock/broth adds the necessary liquid and a little extra flavor. Use bone broth or vegetable broth instead.
- Tortillas & toppings: flour or corn tortillas are both great or use crispy taco shells. Toppings like onions, cilantro, fresh lime, and cabbage accentuate the chicken.
How to Make The Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick Overview:
- Combine chicken, sauce, seasoning, and broth in instant pot.
- Pressure cook until tender and shred.
- Serve as tacos or bowls.
- In the base of the Instant Pot combine the chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, seasonings, and broth. Mix to combine.
- Secure the lid onto the pressure cooker, select the “Pressure Cook” setting, set to “high pressure” for 20 minutes, and start. Once the timer has expired allow the pressure to release naturally. Remove lid and shred chicken in the pot.
- Warm tortillas and fill with the shredded chicken, top with diced onion, cabbage, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Recipe Tips
- Use Salsa for Extra Flavor: instead of using just broth, try cooking your chicken in salsa or enchilada sauce for added flavor. You can use any variety you like—mild, medium, or spicy. Salsa not only adds flavor but also helps keep the chicken moist.
- Don’t Overcook Chicken: high pressure ensures the chicken cooks quickly and remains tender.
- Shred chicken with a Hand Mixer: use a handheld mixer on low speed right in the Instant Pot to quickly shred the chicken.
- Customize with Additional Veggies: add extra veggies like bell peppers, onions, or zucchini to the Instant Pot with the chicken.
- Add Fresh Toppings for Extra Flavor: Top tacos with fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, pickled onions, or shredded lettuce.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
These chicken tacos are great on their own or pair with a few of these simple options:
- Steamed white rice or cilantro lime cauliflower rice
- Black beans or refried beans
- Queso or guacamole and chips
- Simple lettuce salad
- Easy cabbage slaw or salad
Storage & Reheating
This Instant Pot taco chicken meat can easily be stored and reheated for later. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. This is also freezer friendly, transfer cooled chicken to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to a month! Leftovers are great on tacos, taco salads, rice bowls, or in quesadillas.
Recipe FAQs
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs are preferred for these shredded chicken tacos. Thighs tend to stay more tender and flavorful, while chicken breasts are leaner – chicken tenders would also work.
Yes, you need at least 1 cup of liquid, such as water, chicken stock, or salsa, to create enough steam for pressure cooking. This recipe uses a combination or chicken stock and enchilada sauce.
Use two forks or an electric hand mixer on low to shred the chicken directly in the Instant Pot. It should be fork tender and shred easily.
If the chicken gets too dry, mix in a little salsa, stock, or a extra enchilada sauce after shredding.
Yes, you can double this recipe. The recipe card below can be multiplied as desired for ingredient amounts.
Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 large Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 10 oz. can Red enchilada sauce , mild
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Chili powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- Corn or flour tortillas
- Shredded cabbage, diced onion, cilantro, and lime, for topping
Instructions
- In the base of the Instant Pot combine the chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, seasonings, and broth. Mix to combine.3-4 large Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 10 oz. can Red enchilada sauce , 2 cups Chicken broth, 2 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Ground cumin, 1 tsp Garlic powder , 1/4 tsp Chili powder , 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- Secure the lid onto the pressure cooker, select the "Pressure Cook" setting, set to "high pressure" for 20 minutes, and start. Once the timer has expired allow the pressure to release naturally. Remove lid and shred chicken in the pot.
- Warm tortillas and fill with the shredded chicken, top with diced onion, cabbage, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Leftover chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.Corn or flour tortillas , Shredded cabbage, diced onion, cilantro, and lime
Nutrition
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