Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
20 Minute Instant Pot Chicken Tacos with fresh or frozen chicken breast and chockfull of vegetables. I cooked them in between packing for the move, that's how easy this pressure cooker recipe is. You gotta try, and you gotta buy an Instant Pot!
20 Minute Instant Pot Chicken Tacos with fresh or frozen chicken breast and chockfull of vegetables. I cooked them in between packing for the move, that's how easy this pressure cooker recipe is. You gotta try, and you gotta buy an Instant Pot!
- Carbohydrate 5.64425809112448 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.334503993077196 g
- Fiber 0.920806959911696 g
- Protein 1.04112375020829 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0531259722262799 g
- Serving Size 1 1 taco (111g)
- Sodium 99.7750556367092 mg
- Sugar 4.72345113121278 g
- Trans Fat 0.0244053888875363 g
- Calories 25 calories
Step-by-step
- To the Instant Pot, add chicken breasts (if using frozen make sure they are separated) and salsa on top. Close the lid, set pressure vent to Sealing and press Pressure Cooking on High for 15 minutes for fresh or 20 minutes for frozen. Display will say ON, Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure, you will see a bit of steam coming out from a release valve, then float pin will rise and countdown will begin.
- After 15-20 minutes your chicken is ready, Instant Pot will beep and display will say OFF. Turn the release valve to Venting position, wait until the float pin drops down and open the lid.
- Remove chicken breasts onto the plate and transfer liquid to a bowl. Shred chicken with 2 forks and return to Instant Pot along with beans, corn, cilantro, cumin, salt, lettuce and 1/4 cup liquid from cooking. Stir.
- Serve with warmed up tortillas and your favourite toppings.
The Mechanics of Pressure Cooking Poultry
Setting the pressure valve accurately determines whether meat fibers contract into chewiness or unravel into tender shreds. When sealing boneless poultry in a high-pressure environment, thermal energy forces moisture deep into the muscle tissue while breaking down tough collagen networks over fifteen to twenty minutes. Although many home cooks commit the error of releasing pressure immediately, allowing a ten-minute natural release prevents sudden moisture loss caused by rapid steam evacuation. Because sealed vessels retain nearly all liquid, layering dense ingredients improperly can trigger the dreaded burn notice before the heating element reaches operating pressure.
Maximizing Second-Day Textures
Transforming chilled leftovers requires specific thermal strategies to restore structural integrity without drying out the protein. Storing shredded poultry directly in its cooking liquid for up to three days in an airtight container preserves juiciness, but reheating requires gentle pan-searing over medium heat rather than high microwave wattage to drive off excess surface water. While cold black beans and corn add contrasting snap straight from the refrigerator, warming the tortillas on a dry skillet for thirty seconds reactivates gelatinized starches for optimal flexibility.
