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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tacos Recipe with Fresh Pico de Gallo for Perfect Taco Night

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A quick and easy Instant Pot chicken taco recipe featuring juicy, tender chicken and fresh, vibrant pico de gallo. Perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt to taste
  • 8–10 small corn or flour tortillas
  • Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado slices, sliced radishes, chopped green onions

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Rub this seasoning all over the chicken breasts or thighs.
  2. Turn your Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode and heat 1 tbsp olive oil. When hot, add the chicken pieces and brown them for about 2 minutes per side until golden crust forms.
  3. Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth around the chicken pieces. Cancel the ‘Sauté’ function, secure the lid, and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  4. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
  5. Open the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat finely. Stir some cooking liquid back into the shredded chicken to keep it moist.
  6. While the chicken cooks, combine diced tomatoes, chopped onion, minced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Mix gently and let sit for 10 minutes.
  7. Warm tortillas on a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side or wrap in foil and heat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
  8. Spoon shredded chicken onto warm tortillas, top with fresh pico de gallo, and add any optional toppings.

Notes

For juicier chicken, use thighs instead of breasts. Browning the chicken before pressure cooking adds deeper flavor. Let pico de gallo rest for 10 minutes to enhance flavors. Store chicken and pico separately to avoid soggy tacos. Adjust jalapeño heat by removing seeds or substituting with mild peppers.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot, chicken tacos, pico de gallo, easy dinner, pressure cooker, Mexican recipe, quick tacos, healthy tacos

Find it online: https://sofiaspice.com/easy-instant-pot-chicken-tacos-recipe-with-fresh-pico-de-gallo-for-perfect-taco-night/