Shredded Chicken Taco Meat
Make this succulent pulled chicken taco meat in under 30 minutes in the Instant Pot or set it and forget it in a slow cooker. Either method results in perfectly shreddable taco meat.
Equipment
- 2 Large forks or
Ingredients
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- ¼ cup bell pepper, diced (optional)
- 1 lb chicken breasts, skinless, boneless or use skinless, boneless thighs
- 1 packet taco seasoning, storebought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon salt, Kosher, optional. Adds flavor if using a low-sodium homemade spice mix.
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions Start Cooking
- Before starting to prep the chicken, wash hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with warm water for about 20 seconds.
- Scatter diced onions and bell pepper (if using) over the bottom of the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- Place raw chicken on top of the onion and pepper.
- Sprinkle half of the taco seasoning on the side of the chicken facing you. Turn it over (bits of onion and pepper may stick to it, and that's okay), and use the rest of the seasoning on the other side.Note: If using homemade taco spice mix, use ¼ teaspoon of salt on each side of the chicken at this time.
- Whisk the tomato paste into the water and pour it around the chicken. Be careful not to dislodge the seasoning.
- If using the Instant Pot, put the lid on and seal the vent. Set the pressure for 7 minutes. When the time is up, open the vent and release the pressure quickly.
- If using the slow cooker, put the lid on and set it on low for 3.5 to 4 hours.Note: For safety, the chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165.
- When the cook time is up, you can shred it with two forks, a handheld mixer inserted into the cooker, or a stand mixer. Fingers are fine for shredding, too, when the chicken is cool enough.
- Freeze for meal prep, or serve in taco shells or tortillas with shredded lettuce or cabbage, diced tomatoes, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and any other fixin' enjoyed by your family!
Notes
If you use homemade taco seasoning, you may want to salt both sides of the boneless, skinless chicken after placing it in the cooker.
Using homemade seasoning will slash the sodium content of this recipe. Each serving will have about 340 mg of sodium rather than almost triple that amount.
Nutrition
Calories: 158kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 25gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 903mgPotassium: 532mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1012IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Facts
Shredded Chicken Taco Meat
Amount per Serving
Calories
158
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
73
mg
24
%
Sodium
903
mg
39
%
Potassium
532
mg
15
%
Carbohydrates
8
g
3
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
25
g
50
%
Vitamin A
1012
IU
20
%
Vitamin C
15
mg
18
%
Calcium
13
mg
1
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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