3 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

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Zesty, Mild, and flavorful Salsa Verde Chicken made with just 3-4 ingredients in your Instant Pot pressure cooker or slow cooker/crockpot. This easy shredded chicken is perfect for salsa verde shredded chicken tacos, enchiladas, sopes, burrito bowls, and more.

Chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins are simmered in a salsa verde with Mexican spices for an easy and delicious dinner. My favorite way to cook salsa verde shredded chicken is in my Instant Pot, but this recipe can also be made in a slow cooker, dutch oven, or simmered on your stove. I find that the Instant Pot gives the most tender chicken and all I have to do is dump it and forget it, which is perfect for busy nights.

Salsa Verde Chicken

Ways to Use Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken

• Tacos
• Enchiladas
• Enchilada Casserole
• Burrito Bowls
• Quesadillas
• Sopes
• Taquitos or Flautas
• Taco Chili

Salsa Verde Chicken Substitutions

• Substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins
• Substitute salsa verde for red salsa
• Substitute chicken taco seasoning for regular taco seasoning

Ways to Cook Salsa Verde Chicken

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken – Place your chicken breasts into your slow cooker and pour the salsa verde and taco seasoning over the chicken. Give it a good mix and cook for 6-7 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Shred when done.

Stovetop Salsa Verde Chicken – Add all over your ingredients to a pot, plus 1 cup of chicken broth or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 30-60 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender. Make sure to keep an eye on your chicken in case the sauce reduces and it starts to burn. If the sauce is reduced too low add more liquid. Shred when done.

Dutch Oven Salsa Verde Chicken – Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Place all of your ingredients into your dutch oven, plus one cup of water or chicken broth. Place lid on your dutch oven and place in your oven. Cook for 90 minutes.

Can I use frozen Chicken Breasts for Salsa Verde Chicken?

Yes, you will just need to increase your cook time in the Instant Pot. All other cooking methods should stay the same. For Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken with frozen chicken breasts increase the time to 20 minutes. If your chicken breasts are frozen into a solid lump run them under cold water to pull them apart. The one time I didn’t pull them apart the center of the breasts wasn’t cooked all the way through and I had to add them back in and cook them longer.

The Fastest way to Shred Chicken Breasts

I learned this chicken breast shredding hack years ago and it’s a total lifesaver. When your chicken breasts are done cooking add them to a bowl and use an eclectic hand mixer to shred them. You can also use a stand mixer. Put them on medium speed to shred your chicken breasts. They should be done in about a minute.

Can I freeze Salsa Verde Chicken?

Heck yes! I do this all the time. I’ll cook a family pack of chicken breasts (just add a second jar of salsa and a second pack of taco seasoning) for the extra chicken. I freeze whatever is left in a freezer Ziploc bag for up to 6 months. Make sure to add some of the sauce. When you’re ready to enjoy them again you can simmer them on the stove until heated through, place them in the fridge the night before, or microwave the chicken.

You can also reheat cooked shredded chicken in the Instant Pot. To do this place the chicken in the IP and use the saute function. You might need to add a little chicken stock or salsa verde if the chicken looks dry or needs moisture.

How to Make Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

My favorite way to make Salsa Verde Chicken Instant Pot aka pollo verde recipe.

Salsa Verde Chicken Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts (if they’re large you can use 3)

Chicken Taco Seasoning Mix (McCormick Brand) – You can use homemade taco seasoning or a regular taco seasoning packet. If using homemade taco seasoning add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning.

1 16oz Jar of Salsa Verde – I use the Herdez Mild Salsa Verde, but you can use any salsa verde you like or even homemade.

How to Make Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken

Add the chicken breast to the Instant Pot pan.

Add the chicken stock, taco seasoning, and salsa verde sauce on top of the chicken. Stir the salsa verde chicken to combine and cover the chicken breast.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook for 15 minutes (20 if using frozen chicken breasts). I use the chicken button and then adjust the time to 15 minutes

Allow the salsa verde chicken to natural release. Natural release can take between 15-30 minutes. You can do a quick release if you’re in a hurry.

Once the salsa verde chicken has finished, remove it from the sauce.

Set the Instant Pot to Saute to reduce the sauce. The sauce will reduce in 5-7 minutes. Keep it stirred.

While the sauce is sauteing, shred the chicken. You can shred the chicken with forks or by placing the still hot chicken in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed.

Once the sauce has reduced and the chicken has been shredded, turn the Instant Pot off or set it to Keep Warm. Add in extra salsa verde or stock as needed or desired.

Add the chicken back to the sauce and combine. Serve over rice, in tortillas, or however you like. Enjoy!