One thing, among others, that this whole COVID-19 thing has done is turn me into an Instant Pot fanatic! Yes, I’m a professional chef, but, as the old saying goes, the mailman doesn’t want to walk on his day off. So yeppers, I DO get tired of cooking sometimes. Especially if it’s every dad gum day! That’s where the Instant Pot has come in so handy.
These chicken tacos are usually a slow cooker item and they can still be made that way, but the Instant Pot has taken a recipe that used to take hours to cook AND that I had to remember to put on in time, to something I can cook in less than 45 minutes. These days I’m lucky if I can remember which day of the week it is, much less the time of day, so the convenience of the Instant Pot has come in real handy. Not to mention I’m doing all kinds of projects I should have done a long time ago and I get distracted and forget to plan for dinner. So, if it wasn’t for this thing, sandwich night might be a reality in this house. Hubs would be thrilled! (Where’s the sarcastic emoji when you need it?)
The taste is outstanding when the Pickled Red Onions and the Cilantro Lime Crema are dumped on top along with fresh jalapenos, queso fresco, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. It’s a flavor explosion! One of the best tacos you’ll put in your mouth!
If you don’t like cilantro, just substitute with a little chopped green onion in the crema recipe and don’t garnish with the fresh cilantro.
One tip some people aren’t aware of……always “temper” your tortillas. Whether you’re using flour or corn, grill or harden them up slightly in a skillet or on a comal, a round Mexican cast iron griddle. This makes the tortillas a little more resilient so they don’t spring a leak as easily. Nothing is worse then picking up a taco and having it split right down the middle and all your stuffings fall out on your plate. Some people double up on the tortillas, but when you’re using flour, that can get a little doughy in my opinion. Best to temper them up a little.
Well, here’s the recipe for the Instant Pot chicken filling, the Pickled Red Onions and the Cilantro Lime Crema. Bet your bottom dollar you’ll find lots of other uses for the onions and the crema. I make a big ‘ole quart Mason jar of the pickled onions and stick ’em in the fridge. Definitely make the onions ahead of time so they are well pickled and cold. We use them on other tacos and top chili and nachos with them. They’re good on lots of stuff!
Oh, and this recipe makes a butt load of tacos depending on how much meat you put on each one. Very budget friendly! For me, one pound of chicken breast was 2 good sized breasts from my local grocer.
Instant Pot Honey Chipotle Chicken Tacos
Yield: 8 to 10 Tacos
Difficulty: Easy
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all fat
1 cup of water
1 cup BBQ sauce (nothing fancy), divided
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- Put the water in the Instant Pot. Then place the chicken in the pot.
- Combine ½ cup of the BBQ sauce, honey and chipotle powder and pour over the chicken.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure, Custom, High, 25 Minutes.
- Once cooking is finished, allow Natural Release for 15 minutes, then Manual Release. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Remove lid. Remove chicken. Pour off ½ of the cooking liquid and discard.
- Return chicken to the pot and turn to Saute High. Shred chicken in the pot. Add another ½ cup BBQ sauce and continue to cook and shred until the liquid is absorbed and chicken is all shredded.
- Serve with grilled flour tortillas, cilantro lime crema, pickled red onions, sliced jalapenos, cilantro, crumbled queso fresco and fresh limes.
Cilantro Lime Crema
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
Whisk all ingredients together until well combined. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Pickled Red Onions
1 medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- Place sliced onions in a pickling jar.
- Heat the vinegar, sugar and spices to boiling. Continue to cook until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour hot mixture over onions in jar, mashing onions down so the liquid will cover.
- Allow to cool to room temperature. Close jar and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Y’all, as always, let me know if you make it! I love to hear from you! Stay safe! Adios!
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