These Instant Pot Chicken Tacos have become a weekly staple in our house! With just three ingredients and done in under 30 minutes, they will become a staple in your house too!
Grab some of my homemade taco seasoning, (and while you are at it, one of my margaritas) and let’s do this!
For the longest time, this Slow Cooker Taco Chicken has been a fan favorite on Simple Joy. And for good reason. It’s super easy to make and perfect for in tacos, on salads, or stuffed into a burrito with some cilantro lime rice. When friends ask me for easy dinner ideas, I always point them towards that post.
Recently, a reader asked me if I had an Instant Pot version of it, and I thought, “Duuuuuude, I totally should!” Guys. True confession: I use ‘dude’ in my day to day language more than someone in their late (crying) 30’s should. The other day my 10 year old called me ‘dude.’
I might need an intervention.
Anyway! Instant Pot Chicken Tacos! So I did it. And then I did it again and again and again. Because after I made them once and saw how easy they were I was sold. And after Nathan tried them and felt like the pressure cooker kept the chicken about 10 times more tender than the slow cooker did, he was sold.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKEN TACOS
- Start off by making some homemade taco seasoning. You are going to want to make the big batch, because these will become a weekly staple for you.
- Add three tablespoons of taco seasoning, three cups of chicken stock, and 1 pound of chicken tenders to your instant pot.
- Seal the instant pot, make sure that the steam release is set to sealed. And set it to manual, high pressure for five minutes.
- It will take a little bit (about 10 minutes) to reach pressure, and then it will count down the 5 minutes. Once it beeps, turn the steam release to venting. Once the float valve drops (about 10 more minutes), you can open the pressure cooker.
- Take out the chicken tenders. Shred them, and make the best chicken tacos!
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THESE PRESSURE COOKER CHICKEN TACOS
- We’ve made this recipe using both chicken breasts and chicken tenders and the chicken tenders turn out more . . . . tender ???? . . . . every time.
- Be picky about your chicken stock. Some is SO super salty, and that really will impact your recipe.
- If your family eats in stages like mine sometimes does (ALL THE ACTIVITIES), keep your chicken unshreded in the instant pot and only pull out chicken tenders and shred it as you make tacos.
- Obviously you can eat your tacos however you see fit (I don’t micro manage taco consumption), but my favorite way is with this amazing pico de gallo on top and this great cilantro lime rice on the side.
- This recipe is super flexible. So if you want to make more than one pound of chicken, throw it in and make sure that it is covered by liquid, adding in a little more taco seasoning.
OTHER GREAT INSTANT POT DINNERS
- I can’t wait to try making this Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe!
- Lettuce wraps are totally my jam. I’m for sure making these Instant Pot Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- I can’t believe I’ve lived into my late 30’s without this Instant Pot Lasagna Soup in my life!
- If you are going to break out your Instant Pot for anything, let it be this Creamy Instant Pot Spaghetti!
- I LOVE this Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup and could it more than once a week easily!
If you make these great instant pot chicken tacos or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Instant Pot Taco Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 3 TBSPs taco seasoning
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot.
- Seal the instant pot, make sure that the steam release is set to sealed. And set it to manual, high pressure for five minutes.
- It will take a little bit (about 10 minutes) to reach pressure, and then it will count down the 5 minutes. Once it beeps, turn the steam release to venting (quick release, not natural release). Once the float valve drops (about 10 more minutes), you can open the pressure cooker.
- Take out the chicken tenders. Shred them, top the chicken with pico de gallo and serve in taco shells.
Eric says
I’m comparing to another recipe. The other one says 3 chicken breasts, which is what I’m using. This one says 1lb. Should be about the same. However, the other says to use a lot less broth and c
Set to cook on “Poulty” for 12 minutes as opposed to this which says “Manual” for 5 minutes. I don’t have a manual setting, so I’m going to use Poulty for the 5 you say and hope that works. Any ideas on that?
I’m sorry, Eric, I can only speak to the way that I’ve done it. If you try it that way let me know how it goes!
Callid says
Can i our frozen chicken in or does it need to be thawed?
I have not tried it with frozen chicken breasts. But! I recently made shredded chicken with frozen chicken breasts in the IP and it only required me adding time to the cook time.
Rachal says
How much time did you add for frozen?
Morgan says
I made this last night and it was delicious! My husband is super picky and doesn’t even particularly like chicken all that much but he licked his plate clean and couldn’t stop talking about how good these tacos were! He even said we need to add it into our weekly dinner rotation, they were so good.
Thanks so much for a delicious, easy and quick recipe!!
I’m so happy you liked them Morgan!
Jen says
I made the recipe exactly as directed and chicken was very tough and dry. Should the recipe have said natural pressure release for 10 minutes instead of QR? It wasn’t very clear.
I’m really sorry that the recipe didn’t turn out for you Jen. I make this probably once a week and never have that. Make sure that your chicken stock covers the chicken tenders (the amount listed should be enough). And definitely a quick release, not a natural release. In my experience, a natural release can mean longer cooking time, which has made other recipes for me turn out tough dry chicken in the past. I did update the recipe to make it more clear.
Heather says
These were so delicious!! Thank you!
So happy you liked them Heather!
Erin Blanke says
Such a good recipe! Pro tip: shred the chicken using your stand mixer. Works great every time!!
So glad you liked it Erin!
teri says
I have a huge question. You specifically say quick release, and then immediately say it should 10 more minutes to do this quick release. when I quick release it takes about 30 to 60 seconds to open, a natural release would be 10 minutes. or do we natural realize for 10 minutes then vent all the way. It seems to me that you are completely contradictory here
It is a quick release. With this recipe it did take my pressure cooker quite a bit of time for the float valve to drop, but every pressure cooker is different.
Rod says
My kids like the chicken diced, like they would get from a Qdoba or Chipotle. Does the chicken have enough firmness to dice or should I dice the raw chicken before cooking in your opinion?
I don’t think this is a good recipe for dicing. You might like these instead! Chicken Tacos We literally ate them last night, we have them once a week, lol!
Karen Self says
Do you have this recipe for a crockpot?
Thank you!! ♥
I sure do! You can find it here: Crockpot Chicken Tacos.