Salsa Chicken is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will enjoy. With just a few ingredients and your Instant Pot, you will have a versatile dish that is perfect for meal prep.
Why This Is The Best Way To Make Salsa Chicken
- Fast. A quick weeknight meal that is ready in under 30 minutes with the help of your Instant Pot.
- Easy. This a simple pour and cook recipe that is perfect for beginners.
- Low Carb . Only 7 net carbs per serving.
- Gluten-Free . No need for any specialty ingredients when you use items that are naturally gluten free.
- Minimal Ingredients. Skip the extra trip to the grocery store with this Salsa Chicken recipe that uses only 5 ingredients.
How Do You Cook With Salsa
Believe it or not, salsa is the most popular condiment in the world! Since it is most commonly eaten as a condiment or dip, you may be unsure of the best way to repurpose it for cooking.
Salsa is actually great to use when you’re cooking a meat protein. The acidity from the tomatoes and vinegar help tenderize the meat. The spices and freshness from the tomatoes, onions, and peppers give a robust flavor to anything you’re cooking with it.
When I cook with salsa, I prefer to use it to either create a sauce or use it as a marinade. For this recipe, it creates a flavorful sauce that coats the cooked and shredded chicken.
Ingredients You’ll Need
How often can you find a meal that doesn’t feel rushed that only uses five ingredients to make? This Salsa Chicken recipe is tiny in ingredients, but mighty in flavor!
- Chicken Breast - You can also use chicken thighs for a more affordable option with a higher fat content.
- Salsa - Use your favorite salsa for this recipe. If you’re eating low carb, you will want to use a low sugar salsa.
- Oregano - The three spices used in this recipe are to replicate the flavor of taco seasoning, without using a prepackaged option.
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
How To Make Salsa Chicken
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1" chunks.
- Place the chicken chunks into the Instant Pot liner.
- Sprinkle the seasonings over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Pour the jar of salsa over the chicken breasts. DO NOT STIR. Stirring can cause the salsa to stick to the bottom of the pan when the pot is coming to pressure and cause a burn warning.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook under high pressure for 10 minutes. All the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Manually release all remaining pressure after the 10 minutes have elapsed.
- Remove the chicken breast chunks from the Instant Pot and shred the chicken.
- Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot with the cooked salsa and spices. Set the Instant Pot to saute.
- Stirring frequently, allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce until any excess moisture has reduced and you’re left with a delicious salsa chicken.
- Serve with your favorite side dish or garnish and enjoy!
Variations
If you’re looking for ways to keep Salsa Chicken exciting, here are a few different ways you can enjoy it. With just the switch of base ingredients, you can have a completely different dinner experience.
- Bulk it up. If you’re not watching your carbs, add a can of drained and rinsed black beans and a can of drained and rinsed corn to the salsa chicken after it is done cooking. The residual heat while the sauce is reducing will warm the beans and corn through.
- Make Tacos. Wrap a hearty portion of this salsa chicken in a lettuce or low carb wrap for your next Taco Tuesday celebration.
- Snazz up a salad. While I am a sucker for a delicious Big Mac Salad , sometimes I need to switch it up a bit. Add this shredded chicken to the top of your favorite salad with some keto ranch dressing for a light and flavor-packed meal.
What To Serve With Salsa Chicken
- Instant Pot Rice
- Elote
- A Salad
- Instant Pot Refried Beans
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
Find this recipe and other great budget-friendly recipes on this list of 7 Days of Budget Friendly Dinners .
How Long Does It Last?
Have a busy week with not a lot of time to cook? This Salsa Chicken is a meal prepper’s dream come true! The salsa keeps the chicken moist and it reheats extremely well.
For the best bite, I recommend storing any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoying them within 3-4 days of preparing the recipe.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Salsa chicken is incredibly easy, but it is far from the only simple Instant Pot Chicken recipe I’ve created! If you want even more time saving meal solutions, check out some of these recipes:
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Chicken Biryani
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Salsa Chicken | Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- ▢ 3 chicken breasts
- ▢ 16 ounces Salsa
- ▢ 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- ▢ 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- ▢ 1 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1" chunks.
- Place the chicken chunks into the Instant Pot liner.Sprinkle the seasonings over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Pour the jar of salsa over the chicken breasts. DO NOT STIR.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook under high pressure for 10 minutes. All the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Manually release all remaining pressure after the 10 minutes have elapsed.
- Remove the chicken breast chunks from the Instant Pot and shred the chicken.
- Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot with the cooked salsa and spices. Set the Instant Pot to saute.
- Stirring frequently, allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce until any excess moisture has reduced and you’re left with a delicious salsa chicken.
- Serve with your favorite side dish or garnish and enjoy!
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Indian Instant Pot , Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy , Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot .
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Salsa Chicken | Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 16 ounces Salsa
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1" chunks.
- Place the chicken chunks into the Instant Pot liner.Sprinkle the seasonings over the top of the chicken breasts.
- Pour the jar of salsa over the chicken breasts. DO NOT STIR.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook under high pressure for 10 minutes. All the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Manually release all remaining pressure after the 10 minutes have elapsed.
- Remove the chicken breast chunks from the Instant Pot and shred the chicken.
- Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot with the cooked salsa and spices. Set the Instant Pot to saute.
- Stirring frequently, allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce until any excess moisture has reduced and you’re left with a delicious salsa chicken.
- Serve with your favorite side dish or garnish and enjoy!
Salsa Chicken | Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe https://twosleevers.com/salsa-chicken/
One step Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole combines chicken, 2 kinds of cheese, peppers and bacon to get a hearty, keto-friendly low carb appetizer.
- What Is A Chicken Popper?
- How Are These Different From Bacon Wrapped Chicken Poppers?
- What Goes With Chicken Poppers?
- Is This Keto Baked Chicken Popper Recipe Low Carb?
- Can You Reheat Chicken Poppers?
- Keto Baked Chicken Poppers
What Makes This Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole So Good?
- Fast. Done in 30 minutes .
- Easy. Just pour all of the ingredients in a pan and bake.
- Keto . Only 3 net carbs per serving.
- Delicious Snacking. Makes a fantastic appetizer or snack.
What Is A Chicken Popper?
I love making cream-cheese stuffed poppers , but i don’t love the time it take to stuff each one, and sometimes I don’t love how the peppers get soggy and fall down on my shirt.
Not that THAT has ever happened to me–right before a meeting–but I’m just saying.
So I’ve been thinking about how to do this in one step and I figured I’d try a Baked Chicken Poppers recipe.
How Are These Different From Bacon Wrapped Chicken Poppers?
Traditionally the way these are made is:
- Slice jalapeños in half
- Stuff each half with cream cheese
- Add a piece of chicken
- Wrap all of it in a slice of bacon
- Grill, broil, air-fry, or bake these.
Instead, we’re going to dump everything in and bake it , and we’re going to add more cheese, because why not?
What Goes With Chicken Poppers?
This Keto Baked Chicken Popper recipe is good enough to eat all on its own, but it can be very rich in large portions. Here are a few things I think would pair nicely with this casserole or dip:
- Zucchini Noodles
- Riced Cauliflower
- Low Carb Crackers
- Wrapped up in a low carb tortilla
- Not eating low carb? Try it over rice .
Is This Keto Baked Chicken Popper RecipeLow Carb?
I think this dish is best served as a side or an appetizer rather than the main course because it’s actually quite rich with all the cheese.
Of course, that makes it perfect for keto, and with the fat and protein macros, it’s also very filling, but I don’t know that I could chow down on a 4 oz portion of this by myself for a meal.
With only 3 net carbs per serving, you can enjoy without worrying about it throwing you out of ketosis.
How To Make Keto Chicken Poppers
- Combine. Mix together everything except bacon and scallions
- Add ingredients. Pour into skillet, place bacon on top
- Cook. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes
- Top. Scatter with scallions and serve
Can You Reheat Chicken Poppers?
This recipe for Jalpeno Popper Chicken Casserole is even easier to reheat than traditional chicken poppers. Since there’s nothing to get soggy from refrigerating, it tastes just as delicious the second time around.
Here are a couple of suggestions for reheating:
- Pop it in a heat-safe pan and heat in the air fryer at 325 for 3-4 minutes or until warm and bubbly.
- Stick back in your castiron pan and bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes
- Feeling lazy? Pop it in the microwave for 60 seconds. It will taste just as good, but might not be as bubbly and golden brown as the other methods.
More Delicious Keto Chicken Appetizers
- Korean Chicken Wings
- Keto Pizza Casserole
- Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Joojeh Kabobs
- Chicken Tikka Bites
If you love this recipe for Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole as much as I do, make sure you share it on Facebook and Pinterest so your friends can try it too.
Keto Baked Chicken Poppers
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 pound ( 149 g ) Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs , diced
- ▢ 1.5 cups ( 223.5 g ) Bell Peppers , diced
- ▢ 4 ( 4 ) Jalapeño Peppers , chopped (adjust to desired spice level)
- ▢ 2 ounces ( 113.4 g ) Cream Cheese
- ▢ 1 cup ( 112 g ) Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ( 1 teaspoon ) Mexican Red Chili Powder , (NOT cayenne)
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Garlic Salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) Kosher Salt
- ▢ 4 slices ( 4 slices ) Bacon
- ▢ 1/4 cup Chopped Green Scallions
Equipment you may need
- ▢ 8 inch Cast Iron Skillet
- ▢ Cutting board
- ▢ Knives
- ▢ Measuring Spoons
- ▢ Measuring Cups
- ▢ Spatula
Instructions
- Turn on your oven to 350F.
- Mix everything except the bacon and scallions together until you get a nice, homogenous mixture.
- Put the mixture into a greased baking pan. I used an 8 inch cast iron pan.
- Cut each slice of bacon into 3-4 pieces. Lay the pieces of bacon on top of the casserole in a circle.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through.
- Scatter with fresh scallions and serve.
- The casserole is very rich so I’d plan to serve it as a side dish or appetizer rather than a main course.
Get support & connect with our community on Facebook!
Nutrition
Don’t forget to check out my other Ketocookbooks.
Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats , and Easy keto in 30 minutes.
Originally Published September 11, 2017
