These Instant Pot Chicken Tacos use frozen chicken straight from the freezer! No thawing, no planning ahead, just dump everything in the Instant Pot and have tender shredded chicken tacos on the table in 30 minutes.
This is the dinner I make when I completely forgot to take something out for dinner — which in a house with 8 kids happens more than I would like to admit. Frozen chicken goes straight into the Instant Pot and 30 minutes later we have the most tender flavorful shredded chicken taco night my family loves.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
I took my old Crockpot Chicken Tacos Recipe and converted it to a pressure cooker recipe for those nights that you completely forgot that you had to make dinner.
- Just $1.63 per serving — $8.13 total for a full taco night
- Ready in 30 minutes from frozen — faster than any drive-through taco run
- Only 4 ingredients
- The pressure cooker makes the most tender shredded chicken every single time
- Perfect for meal prep
Everyone will love this Instant pot chicken recipes and it is so easy to prepare. You may also love Instant Pot Carne Asada Street Tacos Recipe, Instant Pot Fiesta Lime Chicken Recipe or Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos Recipe.
Ingredients
- Chicken breasts — fresh or frozen both work. This recipe is specifically designed for frozen chicken straight from the freezer — no thawing needed. Chicken thighs also work and stay slightly juicier under pressure
- Salsa — adds flavor moisture and a subtle heat to the chicken as it cooks. Chunky salsa or our Homemade Salsa Recipe both work beautifully. Use mild, medium, or hot depending on your family’s preference
- Taco seasoning — seasons the chicken throughout the cook time. Use a store-bought packet or our Taco Seasoning Recipe for even more flavor
- Chicken broth — provides the minimum liquid the Instant Pot needs to build pressure and keeps the chicken moist. Chicken stock works as a substitute
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
How to Make Chicken Tacos in the Instant Pot
Step 1 – Place chicken (frozen) in the instant pot.
Step 2 – Cover with chicken broth, salsa, and taco seasoning.
Step 3 – Place the lid on and make sure the knob is set to sealing position on the lid.
Step 4 – Click the manual button and turn it to 15 minutes (20 minutes if you are using frozen chicken breasts).
Step 5 – After the cook time, release the high pressure from the instant pot by moving the knob on the lid to the venting position from the sealing position.
Step 6 – Remove the chicken taco meat from the instant pot and shred with 2 forks.
Step 7 РReturn the chicken to the instant pot and stir into the juices. Then switch the instant pot to the saut̩ setting and cook off the additional liquid in the instant pot.
Step 8 – Serve the chicken and sauce on your favorite taco shells or tortillas. Top with your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Use frozen chicken straight from the freezer. This is the whole point of this recipe — no planning ahead required. Just add 5 extra minutes to the cook time for frozen versus fresh
- Do not skip the sauté step. After shredding the chicken switch to sauté for a few minutes to cook off the excess liquid — this concentrates the flavor and keeps the taco filling from being watery and soggy
- Cover the chicken with liquid. The Instant Pot needs at least ½ cup of liquid to build pressure — make sure the chicken is covered before sealing the lid
- Quick release carefully. When moving the valve to venting keep your hand away from the steam — use a towel or long utensil to move the knob safely
- Shred with a hand mixer. Place the cooked chicken in a large bowl and use a hand mixer on low for 15–20 seconds — the fastest and easiest way to shred a large batch of chicken
Variations and Substitutions
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for a slightly juicier result — same cook time works
- Skip the salsa and use extra chicken broth plus a squeeze of lime juice for a cleaner flavor
- Add a can of diced green chiles to the pot for extra heat and flavor
- Use the shredded chicken for burrito bowls, taco salads, quesadillas, or enchiladas instead of tacos
- Double the batch and freeze half for an almost instant dinner later in the month
Serving Suggestions
This chicken is delicious served on hard taco shells or you can try making the Best Flour Tortilla Recipe. Corn tortillas would also be yummy.
Dinner is so easy even when making chicken tacos instant pot frozen chicken. You can literally forget about dinner until the last minute and still make this so fast.
Everyone will love instant pot shredded chicken tacos from frozen chicken. Perfect for busy weeknights. Serve with these easy sides to complete a delicious meal.
- Easy Spanish Rice Recipe
- Delicious Cilantro Lime Rice
- Crock Pot Refried Beans
- Slow Cooker Black Beans
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Find more What to Serve with Tacos recipes
Another option for this chicken is taco salads! You can make these easy homemade taco bowls and have delicious taco salads that are so flavorful with this shredded chicken.
The shredded chicken is amazing. It is so easy and tender.
Taco Topping Ideas
- Sour Cream
- Onion
- Lettuce
- Shredded Cheese
- Red Onions
- Tomato
- Quick Salsa Verde De Tomatillo Recipe
- Very Simple Guacamole Recipe
- The best pico de gallo recipe
- Fresh Lime
- Fresh Cilantro
So many tasty choices! Our family loves toppings so this is a favorite around here. Enjoy!
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Refrigerator
- Store the shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. The flavor gets even better overnight as the chicken sits in the juices
Freezer
- Freeze the shredded chicken with the juices in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or microwave. Perfect for quick chicken burrito bowls later in the week
Reheating
- Reheat in the microwave in 60-second intervals or on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth to keep the chicken moist
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen chicken in the Instant Pot?
Yes! This recipe is specifically designed for frozen chicken with no thawing required. Just add 5 extra minutes to the cook time compared to fresh chicken.
Why is my Instant Pot chicken dry?
The chicken was overcooked, reduce the cook time by 2–3 minutes and make sure the chicken is fully covered with liquid before sealing the lid.
Does the chicken need to be covered in liquid?
Yes! The Instant Pot needs at least ½ cup of liquid to build pressure. Make sure the chicken is covered before sealing.
More Easy Taco Recipes
These Instant Pot Chicken Tacos have saved dinner in our house more times than I can count. Frozen chicken, 30 minutes, and a taco night the whole family loves for just $1.63 a serving!
If you make them leave a star rating and a comment below — I love hearing what toppings your family piled on and whether the frozen chicken trick saved your dinner night the way it saves mine!
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen_
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
- ½ cup chicken broth
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Place 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts in the pressure cooker.
- Pour 1 cup salsa and ½ cup chicken broth over the chicken.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons taco seasoning over the top.
- Place the lid on and make sure the knob is set to sealing position on the lid.
- Click the manual button and turn it to 15 minutes (20 minutes if you are using frozen chicken breasts).
- After the cook time, release the pressure from the instant pot by moving the knob on the lib to the venting position from the sealing position.
- Remove the chicken from the instant pot and shred with 2 forks.
- Return to the instant pot and stir. Then switch the instant pot to the sauté setting and cook off the additional liquid in the instant pot.
- Serve the chicken on your favorite taco shells or tortillas. Top with your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
Watch how easy it really is to make with this video:
My family really liked it and it was so easy to make. We served with mexican rice and beans.
Woohoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing and for the positive review!
My son loves chicken tacos, he asks for them weekly. This makes it soooo easy, and of course delicious! The salsa adds a nice little extra flavor
So easy & so good. This was the first recipe I tried when I got my Instant Pot. It is also my go to for taco night. So easy but so good
So easy, so quick, and so tender!! This was perfect for Taco Tuesday after a long day at work. I love the Instant Pot and just added this recipe to my regulars!!
so good!
My favorite chick tacos so my flavor & I like them on flour & corn tortillas. So fast, so yummy & so inexpensive. No more going out for Taco tuesday
This was such a simple and time saving recipe. I made quesadillas for our supper and had plenty to lunch the next and some to freeze for another day. I highly recommend this recipe.
Dinner was so easy and fast.
Wry easy recipe and it taste great! Even my picky eaters loved it.