Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/2/21
Pulled chicken tacos

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
352 Calories
16g Fat
22g Carbs
33g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 352
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 129mg 43%
Sodium 891mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 72mg 6%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 464mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These shredded chicken tacos are bursting with Mexican flavor and cook right in the Instant Pot. It’s an easy, no-fuss meal that is sure to become a weeknight staple.

A few simple ingredients are all you need to throw this dish together. Your favorite taco fixings shredded cheese, white onion, and cilantro—help complete the meal. Add your favorite homemade or store-bought taco sauce or create a quick one by cooking down the liquid leftover in the pot and drizzling it on top. Whether you love authentic street tacos or prefer crunchy taco shells, you’ll love this juicy pulled chicken filling.

There are only two simple steps to making these tacos. It’s a foolproof recipe that anyone can handle and perfect for making ahead of time. Throw the ingredients in a slow cooker instead of an Instant Pot and set it on low before you go to work. When you get home you’ll have perfectly cooked meat that can be served in corn tortillas or with sides of Mexican rice, black beans, and guacamole. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound chicken breasts

  • 1 pound chicken thighs

  • 1 small onion, roughly diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 tablespoon paprika

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 2 canned chipotle peppers, chopped

  • 8 to 10 corn tortillas

  • Chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pulled Chicken Tacos ingredients
     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Chop the onion into a small dice. Add the chicken breasts and thighs to the pot of the Instant Pot. Add the onion, garlic, olive oil, spices, and chipotle peppers to the pot. Toss all of the ingredients with the chicken to coat completely. 

    Raw chicken with chopped onions
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Cook the chicken on the meat setting for 30 minutes.

    Allow the chicken to cool slightly and remove the chicken from the pot, leaving the cooking liquid behind, then shred the chicken. You can use two forks or even use a hand mixer. Just make sure your bowl is big enough.

    You can reduce the cooking liquid with the sauté setting if you wish, then add it back to the chicken. 

    Shredded chicken
    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. Top warmed corn tortillas with the pulled chicken, chopped cilantro, and chopped onion. Add taco sauce or a shredded cheese if you wish!

    Pulled Chicken Tacos
     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Tip

  • Heat the corn tortillas over the flame of your stove for 5 to 10 seconds per side. This gives it a slight char, which adds great flavor and the heat makes them more flexible. 

Recipe Variations

  • You can use all chicken breast or all chicken thighs. We like the combination, but using one cut will also work.
  • This recipe is also delicious with a pork roast. Use a Boston Butt or any other bone-in pork roast.