Instant Pot Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken
Three ingredients, 15 minutes under pressure, and enough tangy tomatillo shredded chicken to fill a week of tacos, burrito bowls, and quesadillas.
instant-pot Timer
Set for 15 mins @ High Pressure (240°F / 116°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 8 adults.
Get to the Point
Layer 3 lbs frozen chicken breasts in the pot; pour 16 oz salsa verde over.
Sprinkle 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, 4 minced garlic cloves. Do not stir.
Seal, cook 15 min High Pressure with 10-min natural release; quick-release remainder.
Shred with 2 forks directly in the pot until sauce coats every strand.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Place 3 lbs frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts directly into the Instant Pot in a single layer. Do not thaw. Do not add water.
The salsa provides all the liquid this recipe needs. Adding water to a jar of salsa gives you watery salsa — do not.
Pour 16 oz (1 full jar) of salsa verde over the breasts, covering them fully. Sprinkle 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 4 minced garlic cloves on top. Do not stir.
Stirring at this stage pushes salsa to the bottom where it triggers the burn warning. Layer only — the pressure will mix it all.
Seal the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook at High Pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a full 10-minute natural pressure release, then vent any remaining pressure.
10-minute natural release is the difference between tender shreds and dry meat. Skip it and the fibers seize.
Open the lid and use 2 forks to shred the chicken directly in the sauce, or beat 30 seconds with a hand mixer on low for the fastest shred. Stir once to coat every strand in salsa.
A hand mixer with the standard beater attachment shreds 3 lbs of hot chicken in under 30 seconds. It looks silly and it works.
Let the shredded chicken sit uncovered in the sauce for 5 minutes off Keep Warm. The strands will drink the salsa back up and thicken into a scoopable filling.
This is the reason your shredded chicken always tasted watery — the shred pulls sauce onto the fibers, but only after a rest.
Use Herdez Salsa Verde if you can find it. It is tomatillo-forward with just enough green chile heat, and it is the difference between chicken that tastes like the taqueria and chicken that tastes like a Crock-Pot from 2004.
Rinse a scoop of shredded chicken briefly under warm water in a strainer to knock the heat back, then serve on soft flour tortillas with shredded cheese only. No salsa on the plate.
- Cilantro-lime rice
- Charred street corn
- Warm flour tortillas and lime wedges
Warm covered in a small saucepan over medium-low for 5 minutes with 2 tbsp water stirred in to loosen. Microwave in 30-second bursts if in a hurry — but always add water first.