Easy Salsa Verde Chicken (Instant Pot | Slow Cooker)

This Easy Salsa Verde Chicken can be made in your Instant Pot or slow cooker with just THREE ingredients. This tasty chicken recipe is perfect for putting in tacos, taquitos, tostadas, burrito bowls, and more!

Weeknights can always be a little crazy…but weeknights in May are next level, aren’t they? Sports, concerts, open houses, field trips…so many activities I cannot keep up. And all of this makes getting dinner on the table especially challenging.

Enter Salsa Verde Chicken – aka one of the easiest dinner recipes you’ll ever make. Similar to my popular Salsa Lime Chicken, but with a twist! This three ingredient recipe is exactly the kind of recipe we all need in our arsenal this time of year.

Why I love this Recipe:

• It’s super yum with minimal effort.
• It comes together with only THREE ingredients.
• It’s the perfect base for so many different dishes: enchiladas, tacos, taquitos, salads or burrito bowls.
• If I forget to start the slow cooker, I can easily throw it in the Instant Pot – both cooking methods are super easy and perfect for hands off meal prep, too!

What is Salsa Verde?

Salsa Verde is a tomatillo based salsa that organized from Mexico. It’s green in color and is made from either roasting or boiling the tomatillos and then blending them with cilantro, fresh lime juice, onions, garlic, and jalapeños. It’s bright and zesty and the perfect sauce to drizzle, dip, and spoon over your favorite Mexican dishes.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Skinless Chicken Tenders or Chicken Breast: About 1 ½ pounds of chicken are needed for this recipe, and you can use fresh or frozen chicken. This is also delicious with chicken thighs or you can even make Salsa Verde Pork.
• Salt-Free Taco Seasoning: Using common spices from your pantry, you can make this easy taco seasoning in a few minutes. I make a huge batch and keep it in my pantry.
• Jar of Roasted Salsa Verde: I love the one from Aldi, but you can also make it homemade! This is my favorite homemade Salsa Verde recipe, and it’s 21 Day Fix friendly!

Instructions:

This recipe couldn’t be easier!

Step one: Add your chicken and salt free taco seasoning to your Instant Pot or Crock Pot.

Step two: add a jar of Salsa Verde, then cook the chicken according to the recipe card below.

Step three: Shred your chicken and serve!

How to Shred Chicken:

For me, the easiest way to shred chicken is with two forks. First, remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Then, use two forks to separate and shred the chicken into long, skinny pieces.

Another method loved by my readers is to use a hand mixer or stand mixer for a few seconds at a time. Just be careful not to mix for too long, or the texture of your chicken can get a little mushy.

After shredding, add your chicken back into the pot or in a bowl with the salsa verde.

Serving Suggestions:

I love serving this salsa chicken over salads or in bowls with lots of toppings. Since this recipe takes just a handful of ingredients, you can let the whole family create a delicious taste by adding on their own toppings of choice. Some fun topping ideas are:

• Fresh corn or my Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Black beans
• Shredded cheese
• Quinoa or brown rice
• Fresh jalapeños
• Fresh cilantro
• Guacamole
• Fresh Pico de Gallo

This chicken is also delicious for Taco Tuesday in a corn or flour tortilla or even made into chicken taquitos!

Love easy Mexican inspired meals like this one? Try this Mexican Shredded Beef recipe from What Molly Made!

FAQs:

I forgot to thaw my chicken. Can I make this chicken from frozen?

Yes! If you have an Instant Pot, you can cook this meal straight from frozen! Just follow the timing in the recipe card below. It is not recommended to cook from frozen in your crock pot because the meat will stay at unsafe temperatures for too long and you could become sick from eating it.

I made this recipe for meal prep – how do I store it?

Your cooked shredded chicken will keep for 3-5 days if refrigerated and stored in an airtight container.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! One jar of salsa should be enough for up to 3 pounds of chicken!

I made a huge batch of chicken. Can I freeze it for later?

Yes! In fact, I highly recommend doubling or tripling this recipe for meal prep and freezing it flat in ziplock bags or in your souper cubes for 2-3 months. It thaws so well and is a great for a quick dinner or lunch.

How do I thaw frozen salsa chicken?

For best results, thaw overnight in your refrigerator, then reheat in a small saucepan.

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos

Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas with Avocado Peach Salsa

Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup 

Healthy Instant Pot Chicken Taquitos