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Home » Food » Mexican Shredded Chicken (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

Mexican Shredded Chicken (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

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Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it – Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop.

Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it - Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop.

Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it - Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop. | APinchOfHealthy.com

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Internet friends: You need this recipe in your life! So much so that I wrote the instructions THREE different ways. I have used all three methods, and each one has its time and place.

And each method makes the most tender, juicy, pull-apart chicken. You can shred it using only two forks.

Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it - Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop. | APinchOfHealthy.com

Mexican shredded chicken is so versatile, and you can use it in so many different things – over rice, in quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, on taco salad, over sweet potatoes. The possibilities are truly endless.

Side note: It goes great over cilantro lime rice!

Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it - Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop. | APinchOfHealthy.com

You can use either homemade salsa or store-bought.

And do NOT be limited to just one kind of salsa either, y’all! The traditional kind is my family’s favorite. But use some chipotle salsa to make chipotle shredded chicken. Or some salsa verde to make shredded chicken verde.

Or combine flavors if you are feeling adventurous. I did this one night to use up a half jar of chipotle salsa (mixed with traditional salsa), and the flavor was really great!

Tools Used to Make Mexican Shredded Chicken

Note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

  • Instant Pot OR Slow Cooker OR Dutch Oven
  • Two forks for shredding

Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe

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Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it - Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop. | APinchOfHealthy.com
5 from 4 votes
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Chipotle Chicken (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker and Stovetop)

Mexican shredded chicken is so delicious, versatile and EASY. And here are three ways to make it - Instant Pot, slow cooker and stovetop.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword instant pot, mexican, shredded chicken
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 156 kcal
Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 16 ounce jar of salsa any type (traditional, chipotle or salsa verde are all good!)
  • teaspoon salt and pepper to taste (I used 1 salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
  • Cooking oil with a high smoke point (like avocado oil coconut oil or canola) or cooking spray

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

  1. Spray the instant pot with a little cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  2. Put chicken thighs in the instant pot, and salt and pepper liberally.
  3. Dump the entire 16-ounce jar of salsa on top.
  4. Place the lid on, and lock it into place.
  5. Use the manual setting, and set it to 13 minutes.
  6. Release pressure using the pressure release valve (quick release).
  7. Take off the lid, and allow to cool a couple minutes.
  8. Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the pot.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  1. Spray the slow cooker with a little cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  2. Put chicken thighs in the instant pot, and salt and pepper liberally.
  3. Dump the entire 16-ounce jar of salsa on top.
  4. Place the lid on, and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or on low all day. (I used to put mine in the pot before work, and set it on low. It would be ready about the time I got home from work.)
  5. Shred in the pot with a fork

Stovetop Instructions

  1. Add cooking spray or a little oil with a high smoke point (I used avocado oil) to a Dutch oven.
  2. Preheat the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
  3. Meanwhile, salt and pepper your chicken thighs on both sides.
  4. Carefully add your chicken to the pot. You might want to use tongs to avoid hot oil splatter.
  5. Sear on both sides for about 2 to 3 minutes each.
  6. After the second side is seared, dump a whole 16 ounce jar of salsa on top, reduce the heat to medium-low, place the lid on, and cook covered for about 15 minutes.
  7. Uncover, flip the chicken over, and cook another 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. 10 minutes was plenty time for mine, but if you are using very large chicken thighs, add a couple extra minutes.
  8. Turn the heat off, and use two forks to shred the chicken.
Nutrition Facts
Chipotle Chicken (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker and Stovetop)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 156 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 107mg36%
Sodium 633mg28%
Potassium 493mg14%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 390IU8%
Vitamin C 1.4mg2%
Calcium 33mg3%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rob says

    November 7, 2020 at 10:08 am

    Can you sub chicken thighs for chicken breast?

    Reply
  2. Eva O'Malley says

    October 3, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    Hi Can you add salsa to already instapot cooked chicken?

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      October 4, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      You can, but it won’t have the same flavor as cooking it in the salsa.

      Reply
  3. Eva O'Malley says

    October 3, 2019 at 4:49 pm

    Can you add salsa to already instapot cooked chicken?

    Reply
  4. Janke says

    April 1, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    5 stars
    Love it! i made it twice now, both times it turned out perfectly well – with no hassle at all! so i was thinking… you could of course use the same method and make an italian sauce for pasta or zucchetii or something like that. with a jar of italian ‘sugo’, chicken and a couple of olives. you’re sparking my kitchen-creativity marjorie, thnx a million!

    Reply
  5. Christy says

    October 23, 2018 at 12:30 pm

    5 stars
    This is our most repeated Instant Pot dish that we make over and over again. We LOVE this! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  6. Sophie says

    July 31, 2018 at 8:54 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you! This has become a weeknight go-to in our household.

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      July 31, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      Yay, I am so glad to hear it!💖🙌🏻

      Reply
  7. Sean Henry says

    February 14, 2018 at 6:18 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious and always comes out perfect in my Instant Pot! My very favorite salsa for this is a sweet apple bourbon variety I have recently found. I serve this in a burrito, or over rice or noodles.

    As for the chicken thighs, I buy them whole and remove the skin and bones myself. That saves money and is quick and easy to do.

    Reply
    • Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says

      February 16, 2018 at 8:48 pm

      Yay! So glad to hear to enjoy this recipe Sean! That salsa sounds amazing too.

      Reply

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I am a home cook, recipe developer, coffee drinker and mom of two. My recipes are simple and tasty. I enjoy lots of fresh, healthy food, plus full treats without guilt. Thanks so much for stopping by! Read more here.

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