#2,725: Instant Pot Pulled Chicken

We don't eat a ton of chicken in our house because I'm so picky about the flavor of it and what I like.  But when I came across this recipe for my instant pot (and the minimal ingredients I would need to get), I figured we'd give this a try.  I didn't make too many changes to this recipe except to use mild green chiles and to add an extra chicken breast.  I also preferred to serve this on a crustier bread, so we used toasted ciabatta rolls instead.  I think that was a really good idea.  I think this would have been too soft on a hamburger bun.

I surprised myself a little with how much I enjoyed this.  Because I didn't use the fire roasted chiles it wasn't spicy at all, which was perfect for my crew.  But if you like heat, definitely add the original ingredient.  Most of us really enjoyed this, only one didn't enjoy it (I'm sure you can guess which picky eater wasn't a fan!  Ps..it was Matthew, age 6).  

This was super easy to make/throw together.  You could easily make the sauce the night before and then just throw it all in the instant pot when you get home from work/school/kids activities.  This also made enough for 2 meals plus leftovers for Brian for my crew!  

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 4-ounce can fire-roasted diced green chiles (I used mild green chiles)

1 corn tortilla, torn

1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems), plus 2 tablespoons chopped leaves

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each (I used 4 chicken breasts)

1 lime, cut into wedges

4 hamburger buns, for serving (We used ciabatta rolls)

Combine the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, the chiles, tortilla and 1/4 cup cilantro in a blender. Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; blend until smooth.

Rub the bottom of an Instant Pot insert with the vegetable oil. Add the chicken breasts to the Instant Pot along with the pureed sauce. Stir to combine. Put on the lid, making sure the steam valve is in the sealing position, and set to cook on high pressure for 9 minutes. When the time is up, press the cancel button and let the steam release naturally, for 15 minutes. (You can also cook frozen chicken breasts in an Instant Pot: Rinse the chicken briefly under cool water and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.) 

Remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl.

(Since I used an extra chicken breast, I only had to sautee for about 2 minutes) Set the pot to sauté at high heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Break the chicken into large chunks with two forks and return to the sauce; stir to coat. Simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot. 

When the sauce stops bubbling, stir in the chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice (I used half of a lime); season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken on buns with lime wedges.