Simple Shredded Salsa Chicken

This Simple Shredded Salsa Chicken could be your new favorite speedy main dish!  The recipe yields a saucy, tender shredded chicken that is perfect for nachos, burritos, quesadillas, casseroles, enchiladas and more.  Choose your favorite jarred salsa for a flavor you are guaranteed to love.

Shredded salsa chicken can be prepared in a skillet on the stove top or in a pressure cooker in under 30 minutes.  Only 5 ingredients are needed to make a main dish that is full of flavor for busy weeknight dinners.

Prep this shredded salsa chicken for a week’s worth of meals!  You can even double the recipe for large groups.  It reheats beautifully or can be served cold on a salad.  This broiled chicken thighs recipe, Beef Chuck Tacos, or this slow cooker pork shoulder recipe will also make great meal prep proteins.

• Salsa - Use your favorite jarred salsa to get a familiar flavor with a spice level your whole family enjoys. Salt levels vary greatly in prepared salsas.  Once the chicken has been coated with the sauce, taste for salt and adjust if needed.
• Garlic Powder - Garlic powder adds a smooth, not sharp, garlic flavor to the chicken.
• Chili Powder - Chili powder in the United States isn't a powder from one chile, but usually combines a few plus other spices. It is not typically spicy. Once you find a brand you like, stick with it!
• Chicken Tenderloins - anywhere from 16-24 ounces of chicken tenderloins can be used for the recipe, depending on your package size.  Using 16 ounces will give you a saucier chicken, but cook time will be the same.

Use a skillet that has a lid that fits well so that you can allow the chicken to simmer and not lose moisture while it cooks.

Preheat the skillet over a medium-high heat.  Add the salsa and the spices and mix well to combine.

Nestle the chicken into the salsa.  Wait until the salsa comes back to a simmer.

Place the lid on the skillet and reduce the heat so that the salsa is at a constant simmer but not boiling. Cook for 7 minutes.  Check that the thickest part of the chicken is 165°F and remove the skillet from the heat.

Shred the chicken right in the skillet with two forks or remove the chicken to a separate bowl and shred it.

Add the chicken back to the salsa and stir everything to coat it evenly.  Taste the chicken for seasoning and add salt if needed.  Transfer the chicken to a serving bowl and serve.

Pressure Cooker Preparation

To cook the chicken in a pressure cooker, like an Instant Pot, add the salsa and spices to the insert and mix them well.  Lay your chicken pieces over the salsa evenly.  Place the insert into the pressure cooker and lock the lid in place.  Cook with manual high pressure for 10 minutes and then do a quick release of the pressure.  Shred the chicken and stir it into the sauce.  Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are a few ways to switch up this simple recipe to suit your tastes and use what you have on hand:

• Use Chicken Breast - Chicken breasts will work as a swap for the tenderloins.  They are usually larger and thicker, so you may need to either increase cooking time or cut them into smaller pieces to cook them to the proper temperature.  I don’t recommend using chicken thighs with this method.
• Add More Spices - Feel free to add more spices to increase the flavor of your shredded salsa chicken.  Onion powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, fresh garlic, or spicy chile powder are all good options to try.  You can also use a favorite taco seasoning blend to keep things simple.
• Swap Salsas - Use your favorite salsa, it doesn’t have to be a red salsa.  In a pinch, you can even use a can of fire roasted tomatoes as long as you taste for salt at the end and add some extra seasoning.  I’d recommend a teaspoon each of onion powder and cumin in addition to the garlic powder and chili powder already listed in the recipe.

Equipment

Use a 10-12” skillet with a lid that fits well so that the steam doesn’t escape while the chicken is simmering.  You can double this recipe for meal prep as long as you have a skillet that can accommodate your chicken in a single layer.

A pressure cooker, like an Instant Pot, is such a workhorse in our kitchen.  We use it for rice, stews, pastas, beans, and more.  A 6-quart model is a sufficient size for our family of 4.

Serving Suggestions

The flavor of this shredded salsa chicken is so versatile, you can use it in a variety of ways.  Most often we add it to rice bowls along with black beans, cheese, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, and sour cream.

The shredded chicken is perfect for tucking into tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.  Layer it with enchilada sauce and cheese between corn tortillas for easy stacked chicken enchiladas.  Add it to casseroles or soups; it would be a great swap for canned chicken in this pantry-friendly chicken tortilla soup!  You can also add it cold to a salad like this chicken chopped salad.

Make This Recipe Kid Friendly

If your kids like salsa, they’ll like this shredded salsa chicken!  They may, however, prefer the chicken to be less saucy.  If this is the case, when you remove the chicken to shred it just set some aside before adding it back to the salsa.

Storage

Store any leftovers in a sealed container for up to three days in the refrigerator.  This chicken freezes well in an airtight container or zip top bag for up to three months.

Make Ahead Options

Make this shredded salsa chicken the night before you need it for an even quicker route from walking into the kitchen to sitting down for dinner.  Reheat the chicken in the microwave or add it to a skillet or saucepan and stir while heating it over medium heat.

FAQ