Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon Olive oil; 2 pounds Chicken breasts; 1 cup Chicken broth; 1 tablespoon Taco seasoning; 2 cups Salsa; ¼ cup Cilantro (finely chopped)

published April 19, 2021 — last updated April 23, 2021

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Instant Pot salsa chicken is an easy keto friendly meal your family will love. You can easily serve it on its own, over rice, as part of lettuce wraps or tacos, or on a salad for a spicy dinner any night of the week.

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken breast on a plate

Salsa chicken is a versatile and keto friendly meal that you can put together in just a couple of minutes any taco night.

You can easily serve it on its own or make it into a meal.To keep it keto, you can serve it over this easy Spanish cauliflower rice or as filling in a lettuce wrap.

If you don’t follow the keto diet, you can enjoy the chicken as part of a taco, taco bowl, or over white rice. It is also a great way to enjoy avocado, cheese, sour cream, or any of your favorite Mexican flavors.

Make this along with a few of our other Instant Pot chicken dinners including cheesy Instant Pot chicken and rice with broccoli , Instant Pot cream of mushroom chicken and wild rice or Instant Pot butter chicken.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll only need a few ingredients for this. Here’s what to have on hand:

Olive oil – You could use another light tasting oil if you prefer.
Chicken breasts – For the chicken, make sure they are skinless and boneless.
Chicken broth – You can use regular or reduced sodium or just plain water if you prefer.
Taco seasoning – I love this simple homemade taco seasoning recipe but you can also can pick your favorite brand and choose a milder or hotter option.
Salsa – You can make fresh salsa, get your favorite brand, or get fresh salsa from your local store if they have it.
Cilantro – You can use fresh cilantro for a fresh flavor.

We used a 6 quart Instant Pot for this recipe.

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken breast on a plate topped with cheese

New to using an Instant Pot? Make sure you read our beginner’s guide on “How to Use an Instant Pot” to get started!

Instructions

Here’s how to make it.

Step 1 – Saute the chicken. Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and let it heat up.

Once it is hot, add the olive oil and then place the chicken breasts in the pot. Cook them for 3 minutes on both sides. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts you may need to do this in two batches. Set the cooked chicken aside.

Step 2 – Deglaze and pressure cook. When the chicken is done, add the chicken broth and use a sturdy spoon or spatula to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add the chicken back into the pot and then top with the taco seasoning and salsa.

With the valve in SEALING position, lock the lid in place and then set to HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.

When the time is up allow the pot to do a 5 minute natural release. After 5 minutes is up, turn the valve to VENTING and allow the remaining steam to release from the pot.

Step 3 – Thicken and serve. Once the pin drops, you can carefully remove the lid. Use a pair of tongs to remove the chicken from the pot.

Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE again and let the salsa come to a boil, which will allow it to thicken up. It will take about 5 to 7 minutes to thicken. Make sure you stir it often so it does not burn.

Once thickened add the fresh cilantro to the sauce.

To serve, you can either add the chicken back to the salsa, shred it, and mix it in with the sauce or you can spoon the hot salsa over the chicken breasts.

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken on a plate with cauliflower rice

Is it Keto?

Salsa chicken is a great keto dinner option. The key is to make sure the salsa you choose is low in carbs. An easy way to do this is to check for how much added sugar there is if any. You could also use rotel or diced tomatoes and green chilies.

Ways to Serve It

If you love taco bowls, you could shred the chicken and use it in this amazing taco bowl recipe. You could serve them with your favorite soft or hard taco shells and all the fixings you like.

Another great option is to serve over white, brown, or even cauliflower rice.

No matter how you serve it, you can always dress it up with grated cheese, avocado, sour cream, jalapenos, or all of it.

How to Freeze It

To make this ahead as a quick meal that you just need to thaw and reheat, allow it to cool completely. Place the chicken and salsa in a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible before sealing. You can freeze it for up to 1 month.

When you want to serve it, allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge. You can then microwave on high for 3-5 minutes for 1 chicken breast and salsa. Or, you can place all of the salsa and chicken in a large skillet and heat over medium heat until warmed through.

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Servings: 8

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 35