This Instant Pot Southwest Chicken is great because it can be made in 30 minutes, plus it’s healthy and only 305 calories per serving.
Every part of this recipe is done in the instant pot, including browning the tortilla strips.
First the chicken is seasoned and saute’d for a few minutes, before adding the flavorful sauce that will create the liquid for pressure cooking.
The pressure cooking for this recipe only requires 8 minutes. Even the time for the pressure to build up wasn’t long (about 10 mins), since the pot was already heated from the sauteing. Then a final saute’ to thicken the sauce and a little cheese and the crispy tortilla strips are added to the top, resulting in a flavorful and tender chicken dish.
Instant Pot Southwest Chicken
Moist and flavorful chicken cooked in the instant pot topped with crispy tortilla strips and cheese
Credit: 99Taste original by Leslie
Ingredients
- 1 Tb oil
- 2 flour tortillas, cut into strips (easiest with a pizza cutter)
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.), sliced horizontally
- ½ ts salt
- ½ ts garlic powder
- 1 ts chili powder
- ¼ ts paprika
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup salsa or picante sauce
- 2 Tb apricot preserves
- ¼ cup shredded Colby and Monterey jack cheese
Directions
1. Combine salt, garlic powder, ½ ts of the chili powder, and paprika. Rub each side of chicken breast with spice mixture.
2. Mix water, salsa or picante sauce, apricot preserves, and ½ ts chili powder. Set aside.
3. Turn instant pot on to sauté mode. Add oil and heat for 1 minute. Add tortilla strips and cook 1-2 minutes on each side until crispy. Remove tortilla strips and set aside. Add chicken to instant pot. Sauté on each side until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
4. Pour sauce mixture over chicken in instant pot. Put on the lid and make sure the steam release valve is set to “sealing.” Cancel sauté mode and set instant pot on pressure cook for 8 minutes. Once cooking is complete, quick release the steam valve. Open the lid and set the instant pot back to sauté mode. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Change to the “warm” setting and sprinkle cheese and tortilla strips on top of chicken. Serve.