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Instant Pot full of shredded chicken in green sauce for tacos or burritos.
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5 from 1 vote

Chile Verde Shredded Chicken

The easiest salsa verde chicken recipe made in the pressure cooker! Whip up this amazing shredded chicken for tacos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, lettuce wraps, and more!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Chicken Main Dishes
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 8 to 12 Servings
Calories: 272kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients for the shredded chicken to your Instant Pot.
    Ingredients for chile verde shredded chicken in an Instant Pot
  • Give everything a big stir so that all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed.
    Ingredients for salsa verde chicken stirred up in an instant pot.
  • Press “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” and adjust the time for 20 minutes, making sure your Instant Pot is set to high pressure. Keep the steam valve closed (in the “sealing” position) for the cooking process. The Instant Pot will take about 10 to 15 minutes to come to full pressure before it goes into its 20 minute cycle.
  • Once the 20 minutes is up, you can use the quick release valve to release any remaining pressure, or allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 to 30 minutes. I always take the longer approach as it results in even more tender chicken. For frozen chicken, pressure cook on high pressure for 24 minutes.
    Chile verde chicken in an Instant Pot, ready to shred.
  • Use tongs to transfer the cooked chicken thighs to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it to your desired consistency.
    Shredded chicken on a cutting board.
  • Transfer the shredded chicken back to the pressure cooker and allow it to sit in the juices until you’re ready to use it. Taste the chicken for flavor and add additional salt to your personal taste. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chicken.
    Shredded chicken in an Instant pot with salsa verde.
  • Use chile verde chicken for tacos, burrito bowls, burritos, and more. I like making burrito bowls with homemade Mexican Rice (or steamed brown rice), black beans, salsa, and guacamole. For low-carb, make burritos with cauliflower rice or tacos using low-carb tortillas.

Notes

*You can use a combination of boneless chicken breasts and thighs if you’d like.
**Use your favorite store-bought or homemade green salsa (also known as salsa verde or tomatillo salsa).
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
This easy chicken recipe is even more flavorful the next day, so feel free to make it in advance of when you need it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (about 1/2 cup) | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 399mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g