Long gone are the days when eating healthy meant boring dinners kids won’t eat. These keto-friendly Instant Pot Chicken Tacos are crowd-pleasers bursting with flavor that, best of all, are ready in 30 minutes or less!
Mastering the art of the instant pot meal is a game-changer when it comes to cooking keto-friendly recipes. Whether you’re new to cooking or have a million different things on your to-do list, an Instant Pot helps cut down on guesswork and cleanup. Meals you didn’t think could be made in one pot can suddenly be in your normal weekly rotation thanks to this little machine.
Take these instant pot chicken tacos, for example. The combination of tangy salsa, creamy sauce, and tender chicken will satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Best of all, the quick prep and easy clean-up leaves you with more free time to spend with the ones you love.
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- These keto-friendly chicken tacos are ready in 30 minutes from prep to table, making them the perfect weeknight meal for busy families.
- The combination of tangy salsa and creamy sauce brings a fiesta of flavor that feels incredibly indulgent but is actually a healthy meal. High in healthy fats and proteins instant pot chicken tacos are customizable and keto-friendly.
- Leftovers are as versatile as fresh instant pot chicken tacos. You can chop the leftover creamy salsa chicken and turn it into a salad. Spread over lettuce shells for a keto creamy salsa chicken salad sandwich. You can also use leftover chicken as a filling for quesadillas or omelets.
Can I Eat Instant Pot Chicken Tacos on Keto?
The key to navigating a keto-friendly diet is finding foods that are high in healthy fats and proteins, but low in carbs. Not only are the base ingredients keto-friendly, but you can give your meal an extra nutrient boost based on your toppings.
While sour cream might feel counter-intuitive when you’re on a diet, the high amount of healthy fat makes it keto-friendly. You can use the sour cream as a barrier between your chicken and toppings, cementing in your other ingredients. Try using tomato, avocado, and cilantro for more texture and flavor.
If you really want to keep your instant pot chicken tacos strictly keto-friendly (and gluten-free), use a keto tortilla or even lettuce leaves for your shell. Lettuce is not only a low-carb alternative to flour tortillas, but they add a cool and refreshing crunch to tacos.
The Best Sides to Serve with Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Knowing what sides to serve on taco night can be a hard dilemma to solve. I love to pair instant pot chicken tacos with this Keto Mexican Style Cauliflower Rice recipe or my sugar-free, dairy-free Keto Coleslaw.
Other keto-friendly side dishes you can try are making a batch of guacamole by mixing mashed avocado, lime juice, and the same spices from the taco recipe. Instead of tortilla chips, you can use pork rinds, cucumber slices, almond flour crackers, or even cheese crisps to dip.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 oz mild salsa (I used Herdez)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
Tips for Making Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
To get the best-tasting instant pot chicken tacos, you can follow a few simple tips.
- Before putting your chicken in an Instant Pot, slice your chicken breast into even-sized pieces. This will help ensure the meat is evenly cooked, juicy, and flavorful.
- Don’t skimp on the salsa! If you’re not making your own, buy a brand with low carbs and no additives or preservatives.
- After cooking your chicken, let your Instant Pot naturally release pressure for at least 5 minutes before doing a quick release to help lock in flavor and moisture.
- I usually serve these “Chipotle-style” with queso, salsa, and guacamole in a low-carb shell. I personally love cheese shells or my keto tortillas.
FAQ
Yes, but you will need to adjust the cooking time on your Instant Pot accordingly.
Avoiding dairy without losing the creaminess of the recipe is easier than you’d think. Tofu, cashew, coconut, and almond cream cheeses are all great substitutes that can be used as a 1:1 substitute for normal cream cheese.
If you want sour cream but can’t have dairy, you can also find sour cream substitutes.
Yes! You can either use ground meat and brown it first in the Instant Pot before adding the rest of your ingredients to the Instant Pot.
Or, you can use beef or pork (shoulder or loin). Just like with the chicken cut your meat into cubes or strips before topping it with salsa to get the best flavor.
The best keto-friendly toppings for tacos are sour tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese, avocado, jalapenos, onion, cilantro, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime.
How to Store Leftover Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
One of the great things about this instant pot chicken tacos is that there are usually leftovers. But before putting your food in the fridge, make sure you let your chicken cool to room temperature. You can leave it in the Instant Pot with the lid off to while it cools.
After dividing your leftovers into smaller portions (this works best for reheating), put your chicken in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days in your refrigerator.
To reheat your leftovers, you can either microwave in a microwave-safe dish for 1 – 2 minutes or use the stovetop. If you use the stovetop, add a splash of chicken broth or water to your pan. You’ll just want to avoid reheating chicken more than once. Otherwise, you run the risk of harmful bacteria growth.
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts
- 12 oz mild salsa I used Herdez
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
Instructions
- Pour chicken stock into Instant Pot.
- Add chicken to the pot and sprinkles spices on top.
- Add salsa on top of the chicken. Do not stir.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
- Manually release steam after 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
- Remove chicken and shred with two forks.
- Add cream cheese to the pot and stir in juices until cream cheese is completely melted.
- Add chicken back to the pot and toss together.