This Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken can be made in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker – it's a one pot Mexican-inspired rice bowl.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – use any neutral oil as a substitute for olive oil.
- Chicken breasts – chicken thighs are a great alternative to chicken breasts and may offer a juicier cut of meat.
- Yellow onion – sweet onions, shallots or white onions are a great alternative to yellow onion.
- Garlic – use fresh or jarred minced garlic or garlic powder in a pinch.
- Chili powder – cayenne pepper, chili flakes or paprika can be used as a substitution.
- Cumin – ground coriander, taco seasoning or garam masala can be used in this recipe.
- Salt (to taste)
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth is a great substitution for this recipe. A bouillon cube mixed with water will work in a pinch.
- Salsa verde – use store-bought jarred salsa verde or make your own homemade salsa verde.
- Black beans – navy beans, pinto beans or red kidney beans may also be used in this recipe.
- Corn – use fresh, canned or frozen corn in this recipe.
- Jasmine rice – any white rice variation will work well as a substitute.
- Green peppers – green bell peppers will match well with the theme of this recipe but feel free to use any bell pepper colour or a green poblano pepper.
- Avocado (to garnish)
- Jalapeno (to garnish)
- Cilantro (to garnish)
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How to make salsa verde chicken in the Instant Pot
- Add everything to the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the green preppers.
- Add on your desired toppings.
- Serve and enjoy!
Making it in the crockpot
If you don’t have an Instant Pot on hand, you can easily make this salsa verde chicken in the crockpot! Here’s how:
- Add olive oil, chicken, spices, broth, salsa, beans, corn and rice to slow cooker.
- Put slow cooker on high and cook for 6 hours. For low setting, cook for 8 hours.
- Once done, stir in green peppers and let sit 5-10 minutes.
- Divide among four bowls and top with avocado, jalapenos and cilantro.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Salsa verde is green salsa made from tomatillos. The taste has a similar kick of regular salsa but actually has a bit more of a bite to it. It can be a tiny bit spicier, and you can usually find it in a jar from your local grocery store in the International foods section.
I like serving this salsa verde chicken with some avocado, jalapeno and cilantro on top, but you can add on whatever toppings you’re craving.
If you’re wondering what to make with salsa verde, this chicken verde Instant Pot recipe is where it’s at! This recipe should use up the whole jar of salsa verde, but if you have leftovers, you can enjoy the salsa with tortilla chips as a snack.
Storing and reheating
Once your Instant Pot salsa verde chicken has cooled to room temperature, store the leftovers in individual servings in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s a great recipe for meal prep! Just make sure to keep the toppings separate so everything stays as fresh as possible.
When you’re ready to enjoy, sprinkle some water over top of the chicken and rice so it doesn’t dry out and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Add on your chosen toppings and dig in!
Freezing this recipe
You can freeze this salsa verde chicken without the toppings in glass bowls for up to 3 months. I recommend freezing individual serving sizes for easy reheating – it’s the perfect option for those nights where you need something quick and delicious!
To reheat, sprinkle some water over top then reheat in the microwave from frozen for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through. If you have a bit more time, you can also let it defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat as normal.
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More Instant Pot chicken recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60
is the version I use in this recipe. - Grab some Glass meal prep bowls if you plan on packing this salsa verde up for lunch!
- I usually use this brand of salsa verde or the no-name brand from my local grocery store (in my case, President's Choice).
- And of course I get all my free-range chicken breasts from Butcher Box!
- **Get my full list of tools here**
is the version I use in this recipe.
Instant Pot Salsa Verde Chicken {+Crockpot}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium-sized chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1 can black beans
- 1 cup frozen corn (do not defrost!)
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- 2 green peppers, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Add olive oil, chicken, onion, garlic, spices, broth, salsa, beans, corn and rice to Instant Pot in that order. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release of the pressure. Instant Pot will take about 10-15 minutes to come to pressure, then the 5 minutes to cook.
- When safe to do so, remove lid and stir in green peppers. Replace lid and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Divide among four bowls and top with avocado, jalapeno and cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
- Crockpot instructions: Add olive oil, chicken, spices, broth, salsa, beans, corn and rice to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. Stir in green peppers and let sit 5-10 minutes. Divide among four bowls and top with avocado, jalapeno and cilantro. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Toni says
I was so excited to try this recipe. I don’t know if I did something wrong but the rice wasn’t cooked enough and It was real watery. You didn’t mentioned if you have to drain the beans or cook the rice first. I would like to know so when I make it again I will know. This is only the second time I’ve used my instant pot. The meal was very tasty. Thank you
Jillian says
Should the canned beans be drained and rinsed and should the canned corn be drained before adding?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Jillian – yes, both should be drained and rinsed before adding.
Karla Walters says
This was delicious! I cut up 5 (they were kind of small) boneless, skinless thighs instead of breasts.(We prefer dark meat) My store happened to be out of green bell pepper, so I used 1 red bell pepper & 1 hatch pepper (or Anaheim). This was a big hit!! My hubby is not a fan of bell pepper and the crunch, so next time I will put it on top of the other ingredients and then pressure cook, getting it softer than the steamed version. But this will now be one of our favorite Instant Pot recipes!!!!
Taylor Stinson says
I am so glad you guys enjoyed! 🙂
Maureen says
I’m getting ready to make a double batch. Does this freeze well after cooking?
Taylor Stinson says
Yes, it does freeze well!