Salsa and Chicken is all you need for a quick and versatile shredded chicken.
Fads with kitchen gadgets always seem to come and go, but when you find an appliance that can replace multiple gadgets AND save you time, then it’s a life saver in my book! Let me tell you about my new appliance best friend, the Instant Pot. This gadget has been gaining popularity the past year, and after using it for a month, I’m all on board.
Prior to using the Instant Pot, my view on pressure cookers was that of most people, they can be dangerous if not used correctly. Well the Instant Pot has 10 safety mechanisms designed in place to eliminate common errors. After using it several times now to make a variety of dishes, I feel very comfortable using it.
Now how about this 2 ingredient Salsa Chicken. This recipe was already super easy with the Slow Cooker, but it would take at least 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low to cook. With the Instant pot, you can have flavorful, juicy chicken breast in 30 minutes, and you could even use frozen chicken breast! Yes, you read that right, frozen chicken breast cooked in 30 minutes, no defrosting needed! You can’t cook frozen chicken in the crock pot, so that’s already a huge advantage.
One important note with the Instant Pot, is the pressure release. From what I’ve read around the internet, it’s recommended to release the pressure naturally when cooking poultry. With this method, you turn the Instant Pot to OFF after the time is done and allow the pressure to release on its own. This takes a few minutes to complete. The other method is to do the quick release. Here you turn the valve manually from sealing to venting. I recommend wearing oven mits with this method since steam will rapidly shoot out.
For this recipe I did the quick release since I was running short on time, but I cooked the chicken for 25 minutes on high pressure. If your chicken breast are small and defrosted, you could do 20 minutes high pressure and allow the pressure to release naturally. I would also recommend letting the chicken rest for about 5 minutes prior to shredding. If using frozen chicken breast, then I would do 25 minutes on high pressure and release naturally.
Now you have delicious shredded salsa chicken for Tacos, Burrito bowls, Salads, or even with a side of rice. However you serve it, you’ll be happy to have a yummy meals in less than 30 minutes! Do you have an Instant Pot? I would love to hear your experiences and favorite recipes to make.
Here are some of my favorite recipes to use Salsa Chicken:
Baked Chili Rellenos with Salsa Chicken
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2 Ingredient Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
Salsa and Chicken is all you need for a quick and versatile shredded chicken.
Ingredients
- 1-2 lbs Chicken Breast
- 1 Cup Salsa Store bought or homemade, any kinds works!
- Season chicken with salt and pepper
Instructions
- Season Chicken breast with Salt and Pepper and place in Instant Pot.
- Cover with salsa and place Instant Pot lid, and secure it.
- Ensure valve is on Sealing.
Select Manual and High Pressure for 20 minutes. If your chicken is frozen, I would add 5 minutes.
- When cooking time is up, press the off/cancel button. It's recommend to allow the pressure to release naturally for poultry, but I've done both, quick release and natural.
Remove chicken from Instant pot and place in a bowl. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before shredding. Then place shredded chicken back in Instant pot to absorb the leftover juices. Serve with tacos, salads, quesadillas, burrito bowl, or with rice.
Slow Cooker:
- Place fresh/thawed Chicken breast into slow cooker, add salsa and a few tablespoons of water. Cook on High for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and place in a bowl. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes before shredding. Then place shredded chicken back in the slow cooker to absorb the leftover juices.
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