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    Home » Dinner

    Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs

    October 17, 2020 Updated: November 6, 2022 by Lisa Wells / 11 Comments

    Salsa Chicken from frozen in Instant Pot

    Need a last-minute dinner? Just dump frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot and dinner's done! No thawing or planning ahead needed. 🙂

    Instant Pot frozen chicken thighs are perfect for burrito bowls, chicken tacos, meal prep, and more. Make the best and easiest shredded chicken with just 2 ingredients straight from your freezer and pantry.

    Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs Shredded

    Instant Pot frozen chicken thighs vs chicken breast

    If you've been following along, you know I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs for quick meals. Don't get me wrong, bone-in chicken thighs are great for slow cooking, but if you need a fast meal you can't beat boneless chicken thighs.

    This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. For more info, please read my disclosure here.

    I've tested this recipe with both frozen chicken breast and frozen chicken thighs and chicken thighs are definitely the way to go. They turn out juicier than chicken breast and really hold up to cooking straight from the freezer. In fact, they are so deliciously moist and tender you can't tell that they were cooked from frozen.

    So if you have your freezer stocked (I stock mine with ButcherBox deliveries---you can get your first delivery here) and you keep some basic paleo and keto staples in your pantry. You can whip up this tasty chicken anytime, without having to make a trip to the grocery store.

    While this Instant Pot recipe will work with fresh or frozen chicken thighs, the beauty of it is being able to cook frozen chicken thighs---and having an emergency meal in your back pocket.

    Frozen chicken thighs in Instant Pot

    How to cook frozen chicken in the Instant Pot

    Cooking frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot couldn't be easier. As with anything you cook in the electric pressure cooker, you'll need to use at least one cup of liquid. This is the perfect opportunity to add some Mexican flavor with one of my favorite pantry staples---salsa.

    Be sure to read the salsa ingredients to make sure it's paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly. It should contain just what you would put in it if you were making salsa from scratch---tomatoes, peppers, onion, salt, cilantro---no sugar or processed food chemicals.

    There's no need to season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper if you have enough seasoning in your cooking liquid. The salsa I use has a good amount of salt so I don't add any extra.

    Just pour half a jar of salsa into the cooking pot and arrange the frozen chicken thighs on top. Set the Instant Pot to "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" (depending on which model Instant Pot you have) on high for 12 minutes. Use a natural release instead of a quick release.

    Note, this cooking time is for four frozen chicken thighs without bones. If you're using fresh chicken thighs, you'll need to reduce the cooking time. To cook bone-in chicken, increase the cooking time.

    You'll notice I didn't say brown the chicken first. I shred the chicken to use for burrito bowls, chicken tacos, or stuffed sweet potatoes, so skipping the browning is fine.

    Instant Pot frozen chicken this in burrito bowl

    How to serve Instant Pot shredded chicken

    My favorite way to serve this chicken recipe is over a bowl of cauliflower rice topped with avocado, limes, and cilantro. If you meal prep the cauliflower rice ahead of time, it takes minutes to reheat. You can heat the cauli-rice and prep all the toppings in the time it takes the chicken to cook.

    This shredded salsa chicken is perfect for taco Tuesday with paleo tortillas or lettuce wraps. Serve with spicy slaw and guacamole. Or serve it fajita style with roasted peppers and onions. Or try the chicken and all the toppings stuffed in a sweet potato. The possibilities are endless!

    More Instant Pot recipes to try

    • Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
    • The Easiest Instant Pot Pulled Pork
    • Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash
    • Easy Instant Pot Ribs

    More easy keto & paleo dinners

    Salsa chicken over cauliflower rice with avocado and lime

    Instant Pot Salsa Chicken (With Frozen Chicken!)

    The best and easiest salsa chicken made with just 2 ingredients - salsa and frozen chicken thighs. Just dump in the Instant Pot and dinner's done! Perfect for burrito bowls, tacos, fajitas, meal prep, and more.
    4.63 from 16 votes
    Print Save Email
    Prep Time: 3 mins
    Cook Time: 12 mins
    Heating time: 15 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 4 servings
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Keto, Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30
    Author: Lisa Wells

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup prepared salsa (sugar-free, paleo)
    • 4 boneless, skinless frozen chicken thighs

    Instructions

    • Pour salsa in Instant Pot. Arrange frozen chicken thighs in a single layer over salsa.
    • Cook on manual or pressure cook at high pressure for 12 minutes. Let pressure naturally release.
    • Carefully shred chicken with two forks in bottom Instant Pot. Toss to combine with pan juices and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 153kcal Carbohydrates: 4g Protein: 22g Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 107mg Sodium: 558mg Potassium: 462mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 340IU Vitamin C: 1.2mg Calcium: 30mg Iron: 1.2mg
    Keyword: Instant Pot, Salsa chicken, Shredded chicken
    Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating above and share your photo on social. I love seeing what you've made!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. James

      February 21, 2020 at 8:04 pm

      3 stars
      This did not work. Chicken did not cook in 12 minutes.

      Reply
      • Lisa

        August 07, 2020 at 3:49 pm

        Hmmm. I make this at least a couple of times a month and the chicken always cooks through. Did you use boneless chicken thighs and do a natural release?

        Reply
    2. Renee

      March 29, 2020 at 9:04 am

      If I wanted to double up on the recipe do I cook it longer?

      Reply
      • Lisa

        August 07, 2020 at 3:45 pm

        Hi Renee, I haven't tested doubling the recipe, but I would probably add a couple minutes to the cook time.

        Reply
    3. E

      October 17, 2020 at 10:54 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Easy to make and you can have it as leftovers the next day. Turns out perfect every time!

      Reply
    4. beckandbulow

      March 05, 2021 at 7:22 am

      5 stars
      So delicious

      Reply
    5. Jena

      November 13, 2021 at 11:56 am

      Is I am using fresh boneless chicken thighs how long would you say?

      Reply
      • Lisa

        November 16, 2021 at 12:19 pm

        Hi Jena, I would do 8 minutes for fresh boneless chicken thighs.

        Reply
    6. Nikole

      November 27, 2021 at 6:13 pm

      5 stars
      First thing I've made in my new pressure cooker, and I couldn't be happier. My thighs were bought fresh and I used a whole (16 oz) jar of salsa so we'd have extra juices in the pot, but kept the 12 minute cook time. My husband wasn't satisfied with just one serving, and even my older girl was thrilled with the taste. I've done salsa chicken before, but always breasts in the crock, so this was a very pleasant change and will definitely be my go-to method now!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        December 06, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad you and your family love it!

        Reply
    7. Lauren C

      March 21, 2022 at 4:01 pm

      I did 15 minutes with 1 cup of salsa and 1 cup of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning (I create my own to control the salt)
      Let it NRP for 10mins then turned the valve to release the rest.
      Shred the chicken and place back in the instant pot, press the stew/chili button. And then let us soak up most of the juice. I stir it frequently but it comes out SO good this way!

      Reply

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