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If you need a quick, flavorful, and foolproof way to get tacos on the table, these Instant Pot chicken tacos are the answer. The chicken is juicy, tender, and packed with smoky, citrusy goodness — perfect for stuffing into warm tortillas with all your favorite toppings.
If there’s one thing I’ll never get tired of, it’s tacos. And if there’s one kitchen gadget that’s basically my dinner lifesaver, it’s the Instant Pot. Put them together, and you’ve got these Instant Pot chicken tacos, a meal I make for the family regularly.
In just 10 minutes, the seasoned and quick-marinated chicken thighs or breasts in this recipe are pressure-cooked to be perfectly tender, shreddable taco filling with almost no effort. All you need are a few pantry staple seasonings, and you’re set.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s ridiculously easy: The Instant Pot handles everything, so you barely have to lift a finger. That’s my kind of weeknight dinner.
- Big flavor without the fuss: Chili powder, lime juice, and smoky paprika make the chicken taste like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
- Great for leftovers: Make extra and eat it all week on homemade tostada shells, in burrito bowls, quesadillas, and salads.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken thighs or breasts: I’m a big fan of chicken thighs in tacos because they’re juicy, shred nicely, and soak up so much flavor. I recommended using the boneless skinless variety to keep the grease to a minimum. However, if you don’t have thighs in the fridge, you could also use chicken breasts.
- Olive oil & white wine vinegar: The oil helps keep the chicken juicy (especially if you use chicken breast) while the vinegar helps to tenderize as well as adds a little tang. If you don’t have white wine vinegar, distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar will also work.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed for a bright, citrusy kick that also helps tenderizes the chicken.
- Seasonings: A blend of chili powder, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper gives the chicken bold, smoky, and definitely not boring flavors.
- Broth: A bit of liquid is needed to help the chicken cook all the way in the Instant Pot pressure. Chicken broth will enhance the flavor but you could also use water or any other broth you have.
These are just some of the key ingredients. For the full recipe, see the recipe card below.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the marinade if possible. That 30-minute soak makes a big difference in flavor, but it’s okay if you don’t have the time.
- Keep it warm. Use the Instant Pot’s warming setting while assembling your tacos so the chicken stays hot.
- Want crispy bits? Spread the shredded chicken thighs on a baking sheet and broil it for a few minutes for that slightly charred, crispy texture.
- Make it spicy. Add chipotle powder or a diced chipotle in adobo for an extra kick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just add 5 extra minutes to the cook time. No need to marinate – just add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot.
Keep the leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
- Make classic tacos: Load up warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas with the shredded chicken, some Mexican pickled onions, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese or crumbled cotija or queso fresco, and a squeeze of lime.
- Build burrito bowls: Serve over cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice with cooked canned black beans or stovetop pinto beans, avocado, and salsa.
- Crisp up some quesadillas: Stuff into a large tortilla with shredded cheese, then crisp up in a skillet until crispy like my chicken quesadilla recipe.
- On tostadas, sopes, and huaraches: Top the chicken on some authentic Mexican dishes like on homemade tostada shells for chicken tostadas, or make sopes and huaraches with masa harina.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
- In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- In the freezer: Freeze in a sealed bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of chicken broth or microwave in 1-minute intervals until heated through.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
- Instant Pot Pozole
Did you make these Instant Pot chicken tacos? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! I love hearing about your experience, and it also helps others.
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- ¼ cup chicken broth (or water)
For serving
- Corn tortillas, flour tortillas, or taco shells
- Shredded lettuce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients except the chicken broth to a medium bowl. Toss together to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Add the chicken with all the marinade juices and the chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Cover, seal the pressure valve, and cook on high manual pressure for 10 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully release the pressure manually by using the quick-release valve.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Transfer back to Instant Pot and mix together with all the juices to coat.
- Serve in warm tortillas with lettuce, cheese, cilantro, sour cream, and your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
- Short on time? You can skip the 30 minutes of marinating time and just add everything to the Instant Pot. The chicken won’t be as flavorful as if you let it marinate, but it will still be delicious!
- Ancho chili powder: I love using this as it adds a bit more depth of flavor, but if you don’t have this, you can use more regular chili powder instead or completely omit it.
- Spice level: These tacos are not spicy, but the quick marinade adds loads of flavor. If you’re concerned about the spice level, you can cut the chili powder in half and only use 2 tablespoons total.
- To use frozen chicken: Just add 5 extra minutes to the cook time. No need to marinate – just add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in February 2021 and has been updated with more helpful tips and a better overall recipe in February 2025.
Absolutely delicious! This recipe has quickly become a staple dinner at our house and my kids love it! I don’t add the salt and that helps it reheat really well. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Oh. My. Goodness! This was delicious! (And fit in my Noom calorie budget, too! Yea!) We tried them with the new almond flour tortillas and they were incredible!
I LOVE EVERY SINGLE RECIPE!!! These chicken tacos came out PERFECT! I’m so happy I found your website!!!!!!
Isabel, I love you. I have cooked four of your recipes and I LOVE ALL OF THEM. YOU ARE AMAZING!!
Lol. This is an awesome recipe. Without seeing it until now, I made this in my crockpot yesterday and it came out super delicious. I’ll give it a 10 thumbs up
I used breasts instead of thighs and it turned out amazing. I usually do a green base (jalapenos & onions) for my chicken tacos, but this was a nice change. Just delicious!! Thank you Isabel!!!
This was delicious. Easy to make and the whole family (including my picky kids) loved it. Will become part of our rotation!
How can I make this without an instant pot? 🙂
Hello! Here’s a link to Isabel’s Chicken Taco recipe that doesn’t require an Instant Pot: https://www.isabeleats.com/easy-chicken-tacos/
Not bad! I used chicken breasts instead of thighs and naturally they were a bit drier but not terrible. The only reason I give this 4 stars is because the chili powder was almost too much.
What is the difference between instant pot and pressure cooker. Can I use a pressure cooker.
Good question! An Instant Pot is just an electric pressure cooker. You can use a pressure cooker for this recipe. Just note that you might have to adjust the cooking time. Hope that helps!