Instant Pot Adobo Shredded Chicken Taco Recipe
Instant Pot adobo chicken is the dinner I make every single summer when our family heads to the beach, because we always book a room with a small kitchen, and going out to eat every night with grandkids, grandparents, and everyone in between just gets complicated fast.
This spicy shredded chicken cooks itself in the pressure cooker while everyone showers off the sand, so by the time the little ones are dressed for dinner, the chicken is shredded, and the taco bar is ready.
Summer Beach Vacation Meal Plan #3
Why I Cook in Our Room on Beach Vacations
The Trouble With Eating Out on Vacation:
- Getting everyone to agree on a restaurant
- Pulling the little ones away from the TV to get dressed
- Waking up anyone who snuck in a nap
- Keeping tired, hungry kids quiet at a table
- Watching the bill add up for a big family
The Fix, a Room With a Kitchen:
- Pick a resort or rental with even a small kitchen
- Plan dinners around a slow cooker or Instant Pot
- Grab a store bought salad and some fruit for the side
- Ask the family what they actually want before you plan
- Keep peanut butter and jelly on hand for the picky or the exhausted
- Pack a few pantry staples from home to save money
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Adobo Chicken
- Ready in about twenty minutes in the pressure cooker
- Only a handful of ingredients, most of them pantry staples
- Feeds a crowd, this recipe makes ten servings
- Everyone builds their own taco, so picky eaters are happy
- Keeps warm in the pot while family trickles in at different times
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 6 to 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts, frozen or fresh (or swap in 8 to 10 chicken tenders)
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 1 cup salsa, whatever jar you have on hand
- 1/2 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (use the whole can only if your family really loves spicy food)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cilantro for topping
- Soft or hard taco shells
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Equipment Needed
- Electric Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot
- Cutting Board & a Good Knife
- 2 Metal Forks (plastic just will not work)
How to Make Instant Pot Adobo Chicken
- Add everything to the pot. Place the chicken, garlic, salsa, chipotle peppers, chili powder, salt, and pepper in the electric pressure cooker. Pro tip: Frozen chicken breasts work fine here; no need to thaw first.
- Seal it up. Lock the lid and set the valve to seal.
- Cook for 20 minutes. Set the timer and let the pressure cooker do the work.
- Let it release naturally. Give it about 10 minutes of natural release before opening the lid. Pro tip: This keeps the chicken juicy instead of tough.
- Shred the chicken. Pull it out and shred with two forks right in the sauce.
- Set out the toppings. Chop everything while the chicken cooks so dinner comes together fast.
- Build your tacos. Pile the shredded chicken into taco shells and let everyone top their own.
Variations
- Mild version: Cut back on the garlic and chili powder.
- Extra spicy: Use the whole can of chipotle peppers, but know it gets hot fast.
- Low carb: Skip the shells and serve over lettuce or cauliflower rice.
- Tenders instead of breasts: Use 8 to 10 chicken tenders, they shred just as easily.
Toppings Ideas
- Sour Cream
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Lettuce
- Shredded Cheese
- Green Onions Chopped
- Tomato Chopped
- Soft and Hard Taco Shells
- Taco Chips
The Ultimate Beach Vacation Packing List
I have also created an Ultimate Beach Vacation Packing list to help you get ready for vacation. Ok, I made it for myself as I can never remember from year to year what I packed. It has helped me so much I want to share it with you. Click Here or on the image below.
Storing and Reheating
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a skillet with a splash of the sauce, or microwave in short bursts so it does not dry out. This chicken also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Print
Instant Pot Adobo Shredded Chicken Taco Recipe
The Instant Pot adobo chicken is spicy, tender, and shredded in about twenty minutes. It is the taco filling I make every summer on our family beach vacation, and it always disappears fast.
- Total Time: 50
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 boneless skinless frozen or fresh Chicken Breasts (or 8 to 10 chicken tenders)
- 4 Garlic whole
- 1 cup of Salsa
- 1/2 can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (whole can if you like it spicy)
- 1 TLB Chili Powder
- Salt & Pepper
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- Sour Cream
- Cilantro
- Other Taco toppings
- Taco shells, soft or hard
Instructions
- Place the chicken, garlic, salsa, chipotle peppers, chili powder, salt, and pepper in the electric pressure cooker.
- Lock the lid and set the valve to seal.
- Set the timer for 20 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
- Chop and set out all the taco toppings.
- Serve the shredded chicken in tacos with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Lower the garlic and chili powder for a milder chicken.
- Stick to one can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. The pressure cooker intensifies the heat, so doubling the peppers makes this very spicy.
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prep time 15 minutes, cook time 20 minutes, total time 50 minutes, yields 10 servings.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Hispanic
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 0.9 g
- Sodium: 511.8 mg
- Fat: 7.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.7 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 38.9 g
- Cholesterol: 124.5 mg
Visit Other Posts for Tips To Save Money On Vacation
- How to Save Money on a Disney Hilton Head Island Beach Vacation ( or any Summer Vacation
- Recipe #1: Electric Pressure Cooker One Pot Red Beans & Rice
- Recipe #2: Simple, Easy Electric Pressure Cooker Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Yes, frozen chicken breasts work great in the Instant Pot. No need to thaw, just add everything to the pot and cook as directed.
A: It has a real kick from the chipotle peppers, but you control the heat. Use half a can for medium spice, or cut back on the chili powder for a milder dinner.
A: A simple salad, Spanish rice, or tortilla chips with guacamole all work well.
A: You can, but go easy on the chipotle peppers. The pressure cooker intensifies every flavor, and doubling the peppers can make it too hot to eat.
Chipotle chicken in one of my favorite meals – how perfect for the Instant Pot! I love the idea of bringing it along on vacations! Thanks for sharing with Party in Your PJs!
Such a nice recipe and great use of the IP. One more point, sometimes restaurants aren’t as great as you’d hope, depending on where you end up.
I love my instant pot!!
This sounds delicious Debra – I love Mexican food
Sorry, Susan, I do love Mexican food and should not comment when my daughter distracts me with talk of her friend Debra lol !!
Single simple meals are my favorite kind. Now that its just the two of us most meals here are super super simple. This recipe looks great as both of us love Mexican food. Thanks for sharing it.
Looks and sounds delicious. Our kids always love taco night, so this is a great way to change that up. Thanks so much for sharing it with the Spectacular summer blog hop and over at the #happynowlinkup!
Hi Susan, this is my kind of recipe for a quick summer meal. My pressure cooker is a stove top one, but I’m sure it will do the job just fine.
xx
Gonna give the chicken recipe a try! Thanks. Looks delicious and easy to make.
I’ve never cooked with a pressure cooker but my favorite cooking shows always feature them. Your tacos look delicious, I love the addition of green onions, I’m going to add them to my taco spread.
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I think you will love cooking with a pressure cooker, fast and hands free
I recently purchased an Instant Pot (on Amazon Prime Day). I’ve been looking for recipes to try out and this one looks fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing!