Instant Pot Smoky Honey Cilantro Chicken {Bonus: Slow Cooker Directions}
The best thing to ever come out of my pressure cooker, this Instant Pot smoky honey chicken is tender, flavorful, and perfect for salads, enchiladas, tacos – you name it! {Slow cooker instructions included as well!}
This smoky honey chicken is the best thing to ever come out of my Instant Pot.
I hate to be dramatic and all, but it IS a Monday. And I’m a firm believer that a little dramatic energy on a Monday can help propel you through the week.
Truth.
So I stick with my not-even-exaggerated opening sentence: this is the best Instant Pot meal ever.
Begun as a throw a bunch of stuff in the IP and see how it turns out kinda meal, I haven’t stopped making this Instant Pot smoky honey chicken!
Seriously, we’ve had it, oh, probably five or six times in the last month, and the dreamy part is no one is complaining about repeated meals because this tender, flavorful, juicy chicken is so versatile!
Tacos! Enchiladas! Burritos! Quesadillas! Salad!
Honestly the options are limitless…helped out in part because the flavor is out of this world delicious.
Because I know not everyone on the planet has an Instant Pot (yet!), I’ve also added slow cooker directions, too.
And let me just say a word, like I always do, about smoked paprika.
It’s what makes this recipe extra specially special.
Will I banish you from my life if you use regular paprika? Prolly not.
But I’ll be super sad that you are missing out on the crazy flavor explosion smoked paprika brings to the table.
I have a couple brands of smoked paprika in my cupboard right now (yes, I have issues, and yes, I’m totally ok with it). They are all delicious: Spice Islands, Trader Joe’s and Penzey’s.
Just for fun, here are a few other recipes I have that use smoked paprika:
Smoky Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Southwest Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad
Smoky Lentil and Potato Soup (Instant Pot)
Chili Lime Tacos with Mango Salsa
Roasted Maple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Honestly, this Instant Pot smoky honey chicken couldn’t be easier…or any tastier. It’s become a staple around here! I hope you love it, too.
What To Serve With This:
Taco toppings (tortillas, cheese, avocados, sour cream, tomatoes, etc.)
The Best Cornbread
Honey Lime Fruit Salad
One Year Ago: Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Oreo Cheesecake Bars
Three Years Ago: Blueberry and Almond Baked Steel Cut Oats
Four Years Ago: White Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
Five Years Ago: Creamy Swiss Cheese Chicken Bake
Instant Pot Smoky Honey Cilantro Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup salsa verde, tomatillo salsa
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, optional, but delicious
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2-3 cloves, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, (about 3-4 chicken breasts, more if using thin cut)
Instructions
- Whisk together the salsa verde, honey, liquid smoke, chili powder, salt, dried oregano, cumin, garlic powder (or fresh garlic), smoked paprika, and black pepper.
- For the Instant Pot: Add the salsa verde mixture to the insert of the Instant Pot. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before manually releasing the rest of the pressure. Shred the chicken with two forks (right in the Instant Pot). Stir in the fresh cilantro and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- For the Slow Cooker: Add the salsa verde mixture to the insert of a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours. If the mixture starts to look dry during cooking, add 1/2 cup or so chicken broth to the slow cooker and continue cooking. Shred the chicken with two forks (right in the slow cooker). Stir in the fresh cilantro and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Serve the chicken as desired: tacos, enchiladas, burritos, over salad, etc.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
266 Comments on “Instant Pot Smoky Honey Cilantro Chicken {Bonus: Slow Cooker Directions}”
People you have to make this chicken. Such an easy recipe that is FULL of flavor….and so many uses!
Love all your recipes!!! For this recipe, how do I adjust for frozen chicken breasts?
You should be able to use frozen chicken and add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time. Frozen chicken produces a lot more liquid while cooking, so you might need to drain some off after.
Just wanted to say this is our #1 staple meal in our house! We always have a couple jars of salsa verde & frozen chicken. I couldn’t count the amount of times we’ve made this in a pinch, to feed a crowd, or just for an easy week night meal! It always turns out well, goes great with anything, and whenever we serve it for others they ask for the recipe. We always take the chicken out of the instant pot and use the kitchen aid to shred it, so quick and easy, and worth the extra dish.
Love the flavor in the chicken. So easy to make in the Insta pot. Next time I will kick it up with extra green chilies. The recipe will be my new go to easy Mexican dish. Thank you for sharing.
This recipe was really delicious! Going on my keeper list for sure!
This is a common meal for us to throw together in a jiffy, Instead of using the salsa verde, I use a “Diablo Verde” Creamy cilantro sauce available at HEB. I use the whole jar…This is a staple meal that I give to new mom’s, sick friends, etc. I usually serve it over some pad thai rice noodles.
Add this recipe to her Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps. You will NOT regret it!!!
Couldn’t be easier or tastier. I served it over rice. Nice bite. Going into the rotation. Thanks, Mel!
PS – Don’t omit liquid smoke – it adds a lot.
Because I used frozen chicken thighs, there was quite a lot of liquid after cooking. I removed the chicken to a bowl and set my IP to sauté to cook down the liquid while I was shredding the chicken. I cooked it down to a yummy thick sauce then returned the shredded chicken to the pot and stirred it into the sauce. So good.
One of our absolute favorite IP recipes! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
We now use any type of salsa as well as add a 7oz can of chipotle salsa.
Pair this with black beans and lime rice.
Soooooo good!!
Hi, long time blog follower, first time asking a question here! This is a family favorite recipe. I have always used chicken breasts, but today my grocery store only had chicken cutlets. Any thoughts on how much to decrease the cooking time? Thank you!
Hi Rachel, how thick/thin are the cutlets?
Hi! I had a friend use your smoky honey cilantro chicken in a Mexican spaghetti squash casserole. I’m not sure where she got the recipe. Do you happen to have the recipe for the spaghetti squash casserole using this chicken? Thank you!! Allison
Hi Allison, I don’t think that spaghetti squash casserole is a recipe on my blog?
I’ve looked at this recipe for years now and haven’t fully followed the recipe and made this until tonight. It. Is. So. Good!!! I love the flavor! I added the frozen minced garlic from TJ’s, used the Heinz salsa, and shortened the time like I read in a couple comments. Mel, I love coming to your blog and finding recipes time and time again that my family loves. Thank you for your time and dedication!
Yum
This is SO easy and SO delicious! I usually add a can of white beans when it’s done cooking to stretch it a little further!
I just made this for the first time last night! It was amazing! Thanks for sharing so many amazing recipes! Our family loves all of them!
So I when I saw this on Instagram I thought I should comment because WE LOVE THIS!!! I made it shortly after you first published it and it has been a hit with my kids, family and friends! Honestly I have made this so many times and every time people ask for the recipe. But the best one is my daughter at Utah State made it for a bunch of guys so long ago and they guys all said it was the perfect dish. They bring her packages of chicken and ask for her to make it still! Definitely a family favorite!!! If you have not made this yet do it!!
Haha, that’s awesome about your daughter! Love that.
This is amazing, I make it almost weekly, it has so much flavor!
Terrific recipe. So flavorful. Great medley of spices. Would be great for a crowd since it is so versatile.
Hi Mel, would you use this chicken for Hawaiian haystacks? We’re looking for an instant pot chicken recipe for a family reunion. Thanks!
It would definitely add a different flavor to the haystacks, but it could be yummy. I’d drain off most of the liquid if using it in the haystack recipe.
I mean can we give this recipe 10 stars!? My entire family loved it including a super picky 7 year old. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy (not too spicy). We made street tacos and it will
now be on repeat!
Awesome flavor! Such a treat. I’ve seen a few others posting about the chicken being a little dry. I had the same experience. I used 3 de-thawed chicken breasts and cooked in my instant pot as instructed. Any thoughts on how to get the chicken more tender next time?
Cutting a few minutes from the cooking time should do the trick
This tastes amazing. I used frozen chicken breasts from the freezer that I had already, no thawing is necessary and no extra time need be added to the instant pot. I also just threw it into my kitchen aid mixer and used the regular beater, not the whisk one, and it does the shredding for you. It could not get easier or almost more hands off than that. I cooked bell peppers and onions on the stove in a few minutes and we had it fajita style with mini tortillas.
Love this chicken (and I hate chicken) I made this for my husband since I had the ingredients on hand. It was fabulous! We used it in tacos, on nachos .. over rice in a burrito bowl. Would definitely make again! I shared it with my coworkers as well!
If I don’t have green salsa could I use green enchilada sauce in place of it, or would red salsa be better?
Yes, green enchilada sauce should work!
I used Trader Joe’s chunky red salsa once when I ran out of green salsa and it was still amazing.
LOVE this recipe! Thanks so much!!
Not sure if anyone has ever commented On this use, but my favorite way to use this chicken is in a bbq chicken pizza on naan bread. It gives such good flavor! A double recipe is in my crockpot currently to freeze for use amidst these coming weeks …
Total hit! Halved the honey because I don’t tend to like sweet but otherwise made as is. Everyone loved it, even my pickiest kid. Thanks!
I have made this many times and the last time I made it I didn’t realize until I went back to look up the recipe by searching for it as “Honey chicken” that I had forgotten to add the honey.
Still tasted great! This recipe is great with or without the honey so it deserves 10 stars!
How long would I cook if I use chicken thighs? What was the weight for the breats so I can use the same amount for the thighs?
I use 2-3 pounds of chicken breasts. I don’t think you need any extra time for chicken thighs.
Mel, I am making this for a pre-race meal for my sons’ mountain biking team tomorrow! (Sign up called for a taco lunch) I immediately grabbed this recipe, it’s delicious and I know they’ll love it! Thank you for all that you do for us! 🙂
Thanks Jamie! Hope it worked out!
Have you tried this recipe with frozen chicken? Same amount of cooking time?
I add 2-3 minutes for frozen chicken (but some people say you don’t need to because the extra time it takes the pressure cooker to come to pressure accounts for the frozen chicken).
Yeah for a tasty and healthy recipe. I put extra salsa for serving and I did add a little more spices at the end. I had every spice that the recipe called for so that was convenient. I agree that it tastes even better the following days. I heat it up in a pan to get it a little browned. 10/10
This was amazing! Thank you for another great recipe!
Fantastic as written. Great flavor and not the same ole taco seasoning. My family all loved this!
Cooked this in my instant pot with frozen chicken and it cooked perfectly and was devoured as chicken tacos! Everyone loved them!
Perfectly straightforward to put together and absolutely delicious, with a very slight sweetness from the honey and some depth from the liquid smoke but with not one flavor overpowering the other. I followed the slow cooker instructions, and it was perfect for a Sunday morning before church, coming together in ten minutes before heading out the door. This may become a standard.
Delicious!!! This was my second time using my instant pot and it turned out amazing! Thanks for this great recipe! I will definitely be making again!
Love this chicken! I’ve made it many times and I find I often have to add 1/2 c water or broth. It just doesn’t want to start and get up to pressure without it. Tastes amazing! We love it with rice, beans and lettuce as a salad, but really, we’d happily eat it plain too.
The first time I made this my husband and I loved it, but this time I keep getting the “burn” alert. What do I do? I don’t want to throw it all away, but I’ve done it twice and it keeps happening.
Usually that happens if the chicken is pressed too close to the bottom of the pot. Try stirring everything and getting some liquid between the bottom of the pot and the chicken.
This is absolutely delicious!
I made this recipe tonight. SUPER easy and is by far the VERY best thing I’ve ever made in the crockpot! It was AMAZING. I’m going to cook more and freeze portions!
Do yourself a FAVOR. Try this recipe!
Val Pope
Matthews, NC
Thanks, Val!
This is probably a dumb question, but I’m making this for a school function and it needs to be gluten free. I’m safe with this recipe correct?
Just double check all your spice labels and the salsa to make sure it is certified gluten free and you should be good to go.
This is sooooo good! Thank you! Just a quick tip, my favorite way to shred instant pot chick is right in the pot with my hand mixer! Your life has never been easier!
My family loves this recipe! I actually throw all the ingredients together in a bowl, and let it marinate overnight, and then cook it. It is even more tender and yummy!
Fantastic idea!
This chicken has become a fast favorite! So easy and versatile! We had some leftover, and I used it in your CHEESY MEXICAN CHICKEN SWEET POTATO SKILLET MEAL (another family favorite) and it was out of this world amazing!
Whoa!!! That sounds amazing!
I made this in the slow cooker and invited some friends to come eat with our family. I never received so many compliments, we all thought this chicken was so yummy, and it was kid approved. This is definitely going on rotation at our house.
This recipe is amazing! We love it so much. I have made it so many times this summer and recommend it all the time to friends looking for instant pot recipes.
This was amazing!! The whole pot was gone by the end of dinner (3 adults and three kids)! Will definitely make this again and often!
I wondered if you’ve ever added rice to the mix to make at the same time? With the amount of liquid at the end I wondered if it would work to add rice at the same time?
I haven’t tried that, sorry!
Mel – sorry if asked before, but wondering if this freezes well. Great recipe!
Looks delicious! How many does this serve?
6-8
So so good! Made it in the slow cooker exactly as written. Perfect. Served with the cilantro lime rice which is my new fave (this time brown jasmine rice – threw everything in the rice cooker – excellent).
Never mind Mel – just saw that freezing works!
After following MKC for years I finally got an Instant Pot. This is the first thing I cooked in it. Very tasty. It is nice to have a flavorful, quick and easy chicken recipe. I will definately make this recipe again. I rubbed the chicken with oil and it didn’t stick.
I’m so glad you’ve entered the IP world!!
The cilantro adds even more to this delicious chicken!
This is the first recipe my wife used in our instant pot. The bottom was a bit burnt.
Any Ideas?
I’ve made it twice and I always have to add about a 1/2 cup water or broth. Maybe that will help!
I try to make sure when I put the chicken in the sauce that the chicken isn’t touching the bottom of the pot – that can help.
Hi! My husband and I really love the flavour of this chicken, but I have made this twice now in my Instant Pot, and both times the chicken never got to the point where it would easily shred. Last time I tried I cooked it for 14 minutes, and then did the 10 min natural release and it still wouldn’t shred. Do you have any advice? 🙂
Hey Ashlee – what brand of chicken are you using? Are the chicken breasts thick or thin?
I don’t quick release my chicken in the IP because it tends to be too dry. I let mine cook and then stay warm about an hour total. I also drizzled some of the sauce over the shredded chicken.
My family loved this even though it was a bit dry because it was first thing I tried in new instant pot. Just added a bit more salsa and broth! Thanks for sharing this.
My whole family loved loved loved this!!
Can you double the recipe in an Instant Pot? If so, do you keep the liquid amount the same and double the other ingredients? Thanks!
As long as your IP is big enough without reaching or exceeding the max fill line, it should be fine. I would double all the ingredients for flavor, but you don’t necessarily need the double amount of liquid for the IP to come to pressure.
Too much smoke flavor. It overpowers all of the other seasonings. Next time I will leave out the liquid smoke.
This is definitely a keeper! Made it again last night— 4 lbs of frozen chicken breasts and doubled the other ingredients. Cooked for 15 minutes, natural pressure release, so nice to be able to dump it in and walk away! I’ll be enjoying burrito bowls for lunch every day… 🙂 🙂
Thanks for helping me know I can use frozen chicken!!!!!
I made the recipe exactly as written. It was good on day one but REALLY, REALLY good on day two, three, and four. I was going to freeze the leftovers but I can’t stop eating it!!!
okay. what!! first time out of the box insta pot user and used this recipe!! soooo good! a little watery but didnt even mind!
Hi Mel! I made this chicken last night and oh my goodness was it good. It was so easy that going into it I did not expect it to be so good. My entire family loved this and my husband asked if we can eat the leftovers for dinner tonight. I can’t think of another time when my husband asked me if we could eat leftovers. I’m usually the one telling my family we will have leftovers as to not waste good ha. Anyway, I also wanted to tell you I think this recipe should be put into the list with the best/favorite recipes. This is my new go to recipe for tacos, fajitas, etc. I have already shared it with all of my family and friends that own an instant pot!! Thank you for sharing such great recipes.
do I need to cook for longer if my chicken is frozen?
Yes, you’ll need to add time based on how thick the chicken is.
Have you ever tried to freeze this and then thaw it for a quick meal?
Yes, it works great!
has anyone tried majing this without honey? I’m aviiding sweeteners in my food.
I make without honey all the time. I’ve never made it with honey and it tastes great!
This chicken is seriously the best! Family favorite!!!
This is the best chicken ever, thank you so much for this recipe. It feeds so many and is a crowd pleasure. Love!!
OMG, sooooo good! Thank you, thank you!!
Herdez ROASTED salsa verde is amazing!! Much better than the mild version. We like spicy so I also use 1/2 Chipotle powder and 1/2 chili powder.
I haven’t even made it yet and I already wanna try her version AND yours Ü
This recipe… oh wow! Sooo yummy!! The aroma alone is amazing! Thank you again for another home run!
So easy, so good and so fast! I am making it for the third time this month. Thanks Mel for another tried and true recipe.
Amazing! I’ve never cooked before and this was easy and tasted like a chef prepared it. Thanks for the recipe!
So yummy! Made this about a month ago and making it again tonight!
This was delicious! I loved it! It’s amazing how fast I cam get dinner on the table with that instant pot. I got home at 4:35, used chicken breast straight from the freezer, and we were eating at 5:15. And it was all hands off!
If I needed to cook the chicken in the crockpot on high so it’s done faster how long would you suggest?
Probably 3-4 hours?
New user here! Do I need to add water to this? What’s the general rule of thumb with adding water when pressure cooking? Thanks a million
I don’t add anything additional other than what’s listed in the recipe. Usually you want about a cup of cooking liquid when pressure cooking (although many ingredients will give off liquid so I sometimes fudge that amount just a bit).
So, so, so good! Just as versatile as Mel says! This was a hit tonight and we will enjoy it throughout the week. Thanks, Mel!
Just made this!! The whole family loved it! This will be a keeper for sure. Thank you
I never leave reviews, but this was SO good. I was in search of a recipe for dinner with what I had on hand, so I used red salsa (didn’t have liquid smoke or cilantro). Holy moly .. it was SO DELICIOUS! I got my instant pot a couple months ago and have only used it a few times. I find the timing tricky! I used mostly thawed chicken breasts for 10 minutes and they weren’t cooked, so I put them back in. I cant wait to try this as written next time. Thank you for the amazing recipe and a reason to give my IP another go! I just found you .. can’t wait to try other recipes!!!!
So happy to hear that, Christine! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
The. Best. IP recipe. Hands. Down!!!! Incredibly easy and simply delicious. I didn’t have the liquid smoke or smoky paprika so just used plain paprika. Very moist and tasty. Eating it plain now and going to use it in a trashy tamale recipe tonight. Already shared the recipe!
Trashy tamale??
Beth, basically an ugly looking tamale but yet has the same great taste of those gorgeous tedicious ones I can’t master making. It’s a dump-and-stir kind of recipe. Google search will take you to some great resources.
I have 3.7 pounds of chicken – would you put all that in the IP at once? Would you increase the sauce at all?? Making this tonight – can’t wait!
Hi Megan – sorry for the delay in responding! Yes, I’d put that all in at once. I think the sauce amount should be fine!
This was excellent and sooooo easy!
Delicious and so simple! This is definitely getting saved under ‘favorites’! I can’t wait to make this again. My boyfriend said it a keeper and the perfect tailgating food! Thanks for the yummy, smoky recipe!
Oh boy this was good! I used 4 frozen chicken breasts. It took 20 minutes with 10 minutes natural release. But they were really thick breasts, so might not take that long for thinner ones. I didn’t have cilantro, but didn’t miss it at all. Added black beans, corn, chopped baby spinach, cheese, sour cream, a squirt of lime juice for tortillas tonight and will have the same on top of rice tomorrow. Definitely a keeper!
Make this. It’s yummy!
Do you think this would be good on sandwich rolls?
Yum, I think it would be tasty!
I made this recipe tonight in my new instant pot. This recipe was a hit! Hubby and kids agreed as well which is always a plus. I will be making this again real soon. Thank you for sharing this recipe and for adding the instant pot directions. I can’t wait to try out more of your instant pot recipes as well.
Woooah this was amazing, Mel!! Made the best tacos tonight and I could drink the liquid straight its so good. Liquid smoke all the way. I will be making this a lot!
Made this tonight & it was delicious! Lots of leftovers, too – which I’m totally fine with. 🙂 We ate it as tacos with tomato, monterey jack, etc…alongside Mel’s Mexican Rice, of course. A super yummy meal.
Delicious! Very easy and it smells amazing. Thank you for introducing me to liquid smoke. I had never heard of it before. I had quite a bit more liquid than I expected, maybe that was due to using frozen chicken? But not a problem, the taste was incredible. I used it for tacos, we’ll make nachos with the rest.
Wowzers! That’s a good recipe. I tried using my hand mixer & beaters to shred the chicken and it worked great. Very fast.
Thanks for the tip! I’m making this tonight and appreciate all the time-saving tips I can get. Looks like everyone loves the chicken. I’m so excited to try it!
I made this last week following the recipe exactly. Wonderful!! I used homemade salsa verde – I’ve never had Trader Joe’s so can’t compare but I made salsa verde frequently.
I ate this over rice, over quinoa and lettuce as a salad, in a soft taco, as a pizza topping, and used the last bits in soup with beans, kale and corn added. So easy and so delicious.
We loved this! Six months ago I followed your suggestion and bought an Instant Pot. It sat in the box for a couple of months, then I took it out and moved it to a shelf for two more months, then finally read the instructions and ignored it a couple more months while I worked up my courage to try it! Today, I realized I had run out of excuses and dove in! When it was finished cooking, and didn’t blow me and the house up, I did a happy dance! I’m all in now! Thank you so much for the many wonderful recipes and other fabulous suggestions. You are a household name here and have blessed us so much! Tomorrow I work on the cheeseballs that are a new tradition here thanks to you!
Yay! You did it, Laurie! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit for your inaugural IP run!
This was really delicious! And SO simple. I skipped the liquid smoke, and forgot (as usual, sigh) cilantro. Served in tortillas with rice, corn, monterey jack, and devoured by everyone. My brother and his family had to evacuate because of the CA fires, so I sent it to them, told my sis in law to quadruple it, and serve for the 18 people living in one house right now. Simple, tasty, filling. Just what you need in a crisis. Also, your corn bread is the only one I make now for many, many years. I recently made it with Earth Balance & Almond Milk because my daughter needs to be dairy free, and it was still delicious.
I constantly share your recipes. Thank you for saving many, many meal times for me 🙂
Did you literally just quadruple the recipe? Did you change the cooking time?
Would this work will with pork?
Yep!
This might be silly question but is this recipe meant for frozen or fresh chicken breasts?
I usually use fresh chicken, but many have used frozen too (might need to up the cooking time by a few minutes).
I never write reviews, but read them all the time! Ha
This is THE BEST shredded chicken we’ve ever had. I drained what we were going to eat and put it on corn tortillas with lettuce, cheese, sour cream and avocados. My college daughter came home that night and has eaten it for every meal (lunch and supper) the past 3 days!! I think this would be a great dish for company…as a taco bar set up.
I tried this recipe tonight – it was wonderful and easy to prepare. I will definitely make this recipe again.
I have made this for soft tacos and it is superb. I love having an easy dish that I can make in my Instant Pot and this is very flavorful. Even made it for company at our home and they raved about the chicken and my Instant Pot.
Such a keeper!
I made this last week to use in tacos and it was fantastic! Everyone in my family, including my 3 young kids devoured it. I didn’t end up adding cilantro because my husband quite dislikes it, but otherwise made it as written. Definitely will be adding this to the regular lineup!
I made this last night in the slow cooker. Couldn’t have been easier or more delicious! My husband said some form of “this is really good” at least five times during the meal. Love!
Made this for dinner tonight and my kitchen smelled fantastic! It tasted just as delicious when it was done! I’m excited for the leftovers. We ate it as soft tacos with black beans, lettuce, cheeee, salsa, sour cream.
Absolutely loved this chicken. I used my canned chili verde. We had it street taco style, but I’m using the leftovers for chicken enchiladas. Huge hit with the teenage boys in my life.
Thanks for letting me know, Rachel! Glad it was well received by those teenage boys. 🙂
Hi Mel! This was quite good. I had all ingredients but the main salsa so I used regular tomato salsa. Have you tried that? Is it 10 times better with the other? I also used bonein chicken thighs, skinned. This made a very cheap meal and the meat fell off the bone. I did 18 minutes but think even less might work. Thank you for this and I look forward to more IP meals! My next plan is to make your Philly sloppy joes but I ran out of Worcestershire on Sunday. Must get to the store!
Hey Tara – I’ve made it with both green salsa and tomato salsa, and yes, I prefer it with the green, but I use the red in a pinch, too.
This is amazing! I ate more straight out of the bowl than on my taco. Thanks for another winner. You never let me down!
Thanks, Jill!
MEL!!! My 17 year old son declared this chicken THE BOMB! I didn’t even have the liquid smoke or the fresh cilantro. Thank you so much! We made it into soft tacos. My husband had thirds!
I also want you to know that my daughter is currently studying abroad in New Zealand and has her own kitchen. She has made so many of your recipes! Last week she made the kale, sweet potato and chicken skillet and the week before that it was the Parmesan Orzo Pasta with Peas. She usually makes a full recipe of something on Sunday and eats it all week. Thanks for being there for her!
~Andrea
Thanks for letting me know that, Andrea! I’m thrilled you guys loved this chicken, and I also got a kick out of hearing about your daughter. That’s awesome and made my day!
So good!! Thank you for another great IP recipe! I doubled my batch and cooked for 15″ because I had thicker chicken breasts. It turned out super. I am freezing a bunch for another day, because why make 1 batch of something when you can make 2 just as easily??
I made this chicken in my crockpot (even though I have an instant pot). It was so so yummy!! The sweet, slightly spicy, smoky flavor was irresistible! Thanks for another amazing recipe, Mel.
I made this chicken in my crockpot (even though I have an instant pot). It was so so yummy!! The sweet, slightly spicy, smoky flavor was irresistible! Thanks for another amazing recipe, Mel.
Mel,
Two questions.
Do you think I could use those costco pork roasts instead of Chicken?
And red or green enchilada sauce – and do you have a recipe for sauce you would recommend?
Thanks
Yes! I think the pork roasts would be amazing in this! I have a homemade green enchilada sauce recipe, but otherwise, I usually buy the green salsa (working on a recipe, though!).
I’ve made it several times with chicken, and we LOVE it!! In January I always try to use up the random things in my freezer and pantry and we had a frozen pork roast (I think it was a chunked up pork shoulder but it wasn’t clearly labeled bc I apparently haven’t learned my lesson about that yet) and it was also super delicious with pork.
Hi Mel,
Do I need to increase the cooking time when doubling the recipe?
Thanks!
No, not usually.
I’m so excited to make this tonight! I’m going the salad route…qhat dressing do you recommend? Any must-have mix-ins? Thanks Mel! You are the absolute BEST part of my meal planning!!
I think a ranch dressing or a creamy cilantro lime ranch dressing would be fabulous. When we’ve made it salad-style, I add corn kernels, black beans, bell peppers, romaine lettuce – and kind of make it a southwest style type salad.
Yum!!! That’s how I’ll make it!
I have bone-in with skin Chicken thighs. What time do you think it would take?
I would probably try 18 minutes.
I already posted that I made this, but I had lots of leftovers and used them today in your smothered sweet pork burritos, and that was a really good decision:)
Amazing!!! So, so yummy with a great flavor. One question though- is there any way to make this a little more “fall-aparty” in the IP? I’m pretty new to pressure cooking and although this did shred with forks, it was a little harder to shred than I prefer. I used very large chicken breasts so that may have been my problem as well. Delicious, though!!
Hey, Kristi, if the chicken breasts you used were large and the chicken didn’t fall apart at the end of cooking, increase the time by 4-5 minutes.
This is exactly the comment I was looking for. I had this same problem last week. The first time I made the recipe, the chicken fell apart. The second time, it was not falling apart as well, but I think the chicken breasts were larger. I am going to try and add 4-5 minutes to the time if we buy that same chicken again. We absolutely love this recipe. It’s in our regular rotation now! Thanks for another winning recipe in our house.
This recipe is the one that finally convinced me to get an Instant pot. It did not disappoint! Seriously amazing! So,so good. This will be going into our regular meal rotation.
So happy to hear that the IP purchase was (hopefully) worth it!
Really good! Really easy! It is a definite winner, winner chicken dinner. Thanks, Mel!
If you can ever try Epicure’s (it’s Canadian) Smoked Paprika I would love to know how it stacks up to your staples.
This stuff is really special. Really special. I don’t even like smoked paprika. I gave mine to my sister-in-law. After reading your admonition that you would still love me, I questioned whether you meant that or not and went and spent the $5 for the little bottle. Thank you for your loving discipline. It is 9am and I made a double batch to make enchilada freezer meals and was waiting to taste test it after the first batch to decide whether I was going all in. I am going all in. It is true…some of the stuff isn’t in my pantry, but it is worth driving all the way to the store to get them. Thanks for a dandy.
Proud of you, Beth! I’m glad you loved this one. Your comment made me smile. 🙂
I have to confess. I was skeptical – after whipping up the sauce, dumping it in my IP and popping in my three chicken breasts I did say out loud “nothing this easy can taste good.” But when I snagged a “sample” while shredding every taste bud in my mouth did a little happy dance! Slap it on some warm tortillas, top with whatever is in the fridge (in this case some diced mangoes, tomatoes and a little cheese) and EVERYONE is happy!!!! Definitely a keeper!
I made this last night and it was a HUGE hit with my family! Even my kids who only have love for beef tacos gobbled them right up! I’m so pleased to add this to our rotation. The best part – it was unbelievably easy!!!
This was so good!!! Just made it tonight and I loved it. The kiddos ate it but said it was too spicy. Oh well, more for me!
Five Stars, hands down! Made this yesterday with pork chops- what I had on hand- and Trader Joe’s fall harvest salsa instead of salsa verde (again, what I had on hand…) and it was a smashing hit! We cut the chops up and threw them on top of a green salad with corn, black beans, red peppers and homemade ranch dressing. It was SO GOOD!! Love that this is a bit versatile and so delicious! Thanks, Mel! You always deliver!
I made this for my family last night and they loved it!! Great flavor! We will definitely be adding this to our family favorites!! Thank you! I am so glad that you introduced me to the Instant Pot. I love how tender the meat is after cooking with it.
So happy you are loving the Instant Pot, Jennifer!
Thanks Mel!!! I’ve been following your website for over 5 years. Made so many of your recipes and this one deserves a standing ovation! I have a dairy allergy/nut free toddler and a gluten free/dairy allergy hubby who are picky eaters. They both gobbled this up and asked for seconds and the hubby was licking the instant pot bowl. Thank you… Thank you… Thank you!!! 10 stars!!!
Yay!! And kudos to you for working around those allergies day after day!
Love this recipe! I made it last week and we all loved it. I’m making it again tonight for my mom’s birthday and I’m wondering about doubling the recipe. Do you think I can just double it and cook it for the same amount of time or would it not work because it wouldn’t all be covered in the sauce?
I think doubling would work just fine. I tripled it yesterday (made it in my 8-quart Instant Pot) – the chicken I used was still slightly frozen (but not super frozen) and it worked great.
Made this tonight – rave reviews all around. Thanks Mel!
Thanks, Kelly!
Followed your slow cooker directions…delicious!!! Thank you for another fantastic recipe.
Thanks, Camille!
Made this in my new insta pot and it was fabulous! Great flavor and perfect for our taco night!! Thanks!
Loved how easily/quickly this main dish recipe came together! Smoky & delish. I just grabbed some tortillas & condiments from the fridge, warmed the tortillas in the microwave & assembled. We enjoyed healthy portions of fruit sal w it & called it good. Thank u, Mel, for ANOTHER great meal❤️
This was SO GOOD!!! We used it for salads and it was a huge hit!
Hi Mel! I’m going through a hard time financially so I can’t afford a small instant pot or slow cooker (I cook for just myself, when I have time), so how can I make this in the oven? Would I just put the sauce and chicken in a roasting pan, cover with foil, and roast at 350-ish for about 40 minutes? Or should it be slow roasted at a lower temp for longer? I want the meat to fall apart. This looks so yummy! I can use this meat for so many dinners!
Thanks,
Lori
Hey Lori = I think you might have better luck roasting (covered) in a 225 degree oven for a couple of hours. Should be super tender! You might need a little more liquid so it doesn’t dry out.
Trader Joe’s is my absolute favorite salsa verde too. The nearest Trader Joe’s is two hours away so I stock up any chance I get. We are actually headed there today as it’s within 30 minutes of a competition where my kids will be performing. The staff always laughs a little when we walkup with 2 grocery carts mounded to the top (filled with more than just salsa verde, haha). Those checkout counters aren’t exactly designed for larger orders! This chicken sounds amazing and I already have everything else on the list so I know what we’ll be having for dinner tomorrow after I get home with my renewed supply of salsa verde! Thanks, Mel!
Haha, so true! The counters are SO small!
Possibly a silly question. Can raw honey be used in cooking the same way regular honey can be? I’ve been buying raw honey lately and used it in my pizza dough the other night and it turned out the same as when I use regular honey.
Yep!
Can it be made in a stove top pressure cooker using similar times as instant pot?
Yep! You can cut the time down by 2-3 minutes if using a stovetop pressure cooker since it gets up to a higher psi than an electric pressure cooker.
Delicious!
Sounds delicious! Do you have a brand of salsa verde that you prefer?
I usually use Trader Joe’s or Herdez.
Do you think this could be adapted to using a whole chicken? I have one in my freezer…
Probably – you might use this pressure cooker whole chicken as a starting place: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/pressure-cooker-roasted-whole-chicken/
Oh wow, you were right! So delicious. Every member of my family, including the one that has PPS (Picky Person Syndrome), loved it.
I added some black beans into the chicken after I had shredded it. They added some nice color and a little fiber.
This meal will definitely be in my regular rotation. I am also a huge fan of Instant Pot recipes, as I am still a newbie. Thanks!
Haha. PPS. Love it.
Bought my instapot a while ago but let it sit around – finally decided I had to take the plunge and made this. Everyone loved it – (5 kids and husband) and a couple even ASKED for leftovers for dinner the next day. I used 3 1/2 lbs of chicken and did not change the amount of sauce – it worked great. It was yummy with and with out the cilantro (I have a couple kids that are not fans) and I used Herdez salsa, left out the liquid smoke and used regular paprika. Just making it work with what was in my kitchen! The sauce smelled amazing even before I started it cooking – a great sign! Thanks Mel!
Thanks for your review of the recipe, Lauren! Glad you enjoyed this one – great recipe to start with using the IP!
Delicious!!! That is all I can say. I think it’s the smoked paprika that really sends it over the top. I’m one of the ones who don’t like cilantro (soapy!), so I just left it out. I used it instead of my regular ground beef mixture for nachos and soft tacos. I don’t think I’ll ever use the old beef mixture for nachos again!
On nachos?? Yum!
For me and one of my exes cilantro tastes like tin can!
A tin can! Ha! I couldn’t understand how anyone could not like cilantro and then I read an article about it. Whether or not you like cilantro is genetic! To some people, tasting it activates the same part of the brain that is activated when you eat something like soap that is not good for your body. Your brain says, “Poison! Spit it out!”
Please help me with my lack of instant pot knowledge. Does it have super powers that my pressure cooker / rice cooker doesn’t?
Do you have a pressure cooker/rice cooker combo? If so, it probably does about the same as the Instant Pot. If you have a separate pressure cooker and a separate rice cooker, the Instant Pot definitely is an all-in-one machine with lots of features, and I know a lot of people have given up even their slow cookers (and rice cookers) for the Instant Pot because it does all of that.
It’s a combo…pressure, rice, slow cooker, etc. I think I don’t have the saute function that you have used in other recipes. Thank you for your response!
I knew I needed to try this as soon as I saw the recipe. I made it tonight and it did not disappoint! Delicious! I will be making it again soon. Thanks for sharing such amazing recipes!
Thanks, Jen!
I used this recipe in place of the shredded chicken and spice/salsa mixture (keeping the cream cheese and monterey jack cheese) from your baked chicken taquitos recipe and it was delicious. Thanks for giving us such versatile and simple recipes. Keep ’em coming!
Oh, delicious idea!
Thanks to you, I bought an instant pot when you first blogged about them. I love it! Thanks for a new recipe to try and thanks for introducing me to the instant pot!
I’m so happy to hear that, Teresa!
Would using thigh fillets be a good alternative? Or mixing breast and thigh meat?
Usually thigh meat takes longer to cook, so I’m not sure I’d mix the meat…but you could definitely use chicken thighs and increase the time by a few minutes.
Another winner, Mel! The simplicity of this is amazing and it’s packed w flavor. Be sure to let the chicken sit in the sauce after it’s been shredded for a bit. The family loved it! Thank you!!!
Thanks for reporting back, Kelsey!
This looks great. I have a farm fresh 4 kg (8.8#) hen sitting in the fridge and wasn’t sure what to do with the beast. Now I do.
Do you have any experience with using hot smoked paprika? I have a can of Spanish hot smoked paprika a friend brought me from Spain and was thinking of using it in place of the smoked. Do you think I should replace all of the smoked with hot smoked or go 50/50?
Thanks for another great post.
Hey Ron – I think if you are fine with some heat, you could replace the smoked paprika one for one with the hot smoked paprika.
Hey Mel! I’m usually open to trying new flavors and following recipes as written and then making my own adjustments. However, eating cilantro is like eating a bar of soap, to me. I’d appreciate any suggestions for a replacement. Thanks!
Hey Terri, I’d just leave it out or replace with a couple tablespoons fresh parsley.
Thank you!
did you that is a genetic thing? your genetics either have you loving cilantro or tasting like soap. just a little fun fact
Made it for dinner and everyone loved it, even the 2 year old (which is hard to please). Thanks for all the family friendly recipes, you are my go to meal planning site! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT ALL!
I made this tonight and it was fantastic! I didn’t have cilantro so I left that out but I bet it will be even better with cilantro next time. I made it with frozen chicken and the whole thing was so quick and delicious…. thank you Mel!
So happy to hear that!
Katherine, I was wondering if you used the Instant Pot? If so, what did you adjust the cooking time to for the frozen chicken? If you didn’t use the IP, can someone else comment about what cooking time should be used for frozen chicken breasts? I usually use thin cut ones.
Oops, I just saw Hilary’s comment (should have read them all first!) that she cooked her frozen chicken for 19 minutes. Mel, you can delete my comments if you’d like!
Where do you get your smoked paprika? I have never been able to find it.
check out penzeys spices. they are the best!
I’m an instant pot newbie and I’m hoping you can help me out. I keep reading about people saying you have to give time for the cooker to come to pressure, but the recipes don’t specify whether that time is included or not. So in this recipe for example, do I set the Instant Pot at 12 minutes, or do I have to add more time for it to pressurize? Or does the Instant Pot not actually start the cooking time until it’s at pressure? This is probably a really basic question but it’s been stumping me!
PS -smoked paprika truly is a wonder ingredient!
Set the Instant Pot at 12 minutes and it will pressurize on its own and then will start the cooking time. 🙂
Thank you!!
I am making this tonight and am super excited about it.
It is so so hot here in Barrie, Ontario, that I just can’t turn on my oven. Instant Pot and Mel to the rescue!
I had everything on hand so this was truly serendipitous. Hurrah!
Mel, I really can’t thank you enough. Thanks to you, I bake most of my family’s bread, try out new recipes pretty much every week, and have a bunch of core family favourites. I have no idea how you do this blog with so much on your plate, but thank you. It’s wonderful.
Thank you so much, Leslie. You have no idea how timely your comment is…it’s been a rough day where I’ve questioned every life choice I’ve ever made so thanks for the pick me up.
How long does it take for an Instant-Pot to come to high pressure so you can start timing?
It depends on how full it is and how cold/warm the ingredients are, but generally, I’ve found with recipes like this with fresh chicken, my Instant Pot takes about 10-12 minutes to come to high pressure. It will take quite a bit longer if using frozen chicken, for instance.
Thanks! So – figuring time in the instant pot at ~12 +12 +10 – about 30-35 minutes outside of prep time and shred time. Good to know. I’m on the cusp of investing in an IP.
Yeah, the timing is important to consider. I was a little discouraged when I first started pressure cooking that all these recipes that claim (5-minute potatoes!) really take longer when you consider the time it takes for the pressure cooker (Instant pot in this case) to heat up and come down from pressure. But, it’s still been a worthwhile investment for me.
Looking forward to making this & +1 on your choice of salsa verdi. Love it.
We’ll report back after we’ve made it.
I was planning on making chicken for dinner tonight so I will be trying this recipe. The only difference is that I have half a chicken thawed out so will be adjusting the time in my Instant Pot (which I love). I even have salsa verde in my pantry that I make using green tomatoes instead of tomatillos. Thanks Mel for all of your great recipes.
Oh, nice! I hope you love it! (love the idea of making green salsa with green tomatoes…)
Will Hickory Liquid Smoke work with the flavors well?
I know these are silly little questions but I am just curious….what type of honey do you use? I have both the bear honey and raw and unfiltered honey
Not silly at all! Yes, hickory liquid smoke would work great. I’ve used everything from applewood to mesquite. You can also leave it out if you just want the smoky flavor of the paprika. Also, I use raw honey, but everyday bear honey will work, too!
Thanks so much for the quick response!
Oh, oh, oh…., can’t wait to make this!!! Mondays do require a little drama at times, and this is the very best kind!! Thanks, Mel!!
i’ve never noticed the smoked paprika at trader joe’s. looks like i need to make a trip asap. recipe looks awesome. i would try it tonight except i already planned to make the green chile chicken enchiladas you posted last week.
This looks delicious! Amazingly I had all of the ingredients and it is cooking away in my IP right now! I will give you a full report after we eat it tonight!!
What?? That is amazing! I hope you love it!
Update! This is so, so delicious!! Sweet, smoky and a little bit spicy (I used medium salsa verde)!!! Very flavorful!! My chicken was frozen when I put it in the IP…cooked for 19 min and it was just perfect!!! Next time I make enchiladas, I will for sure use this chicken!! THANK YOU!!
You are AWESOME for making it so quickly and leaving a review. Thanks, Hilary!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen salsa verde where I live – would regular tomato salsa work?
I’m sure it could – if you can find canned tomatillos, I’d use those before tomato salsa.
Are you using fresh chicken breasts or frozen? I usually only ever have frozen chicken breasts on hand. What would be the cooking time for frozen breasts?
I use fresh chicken breasts (that I usually thaw from frozen) because I don’t like the extra water that using frozen chicken breasts puts off in the Instant Pot. You could try increasing the time by 5-7 minutes.