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5 from 11 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Bowls

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Bowls loaded with all your favorite toppings! These chicken tinga bowls are quick and easy to meal prep and taste amazing over cilantro lime rice, quinoa, or caulirice!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Marzia

Ingredients

Chicken:

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  • 1-3 canned chipotle peppers + 1-2 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup yellow onions chopped
  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes canned works too
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: smoke paprika dried Mexican oregano, ground cumin AND chili powder (Mexican)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 bay leaf

Bowls:

  • 3 cups cooked rice or cilantro lime rice
  • 1-2 tablespoon lime juice 1 tbsp if it’s caulirice
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • For serving: Pickled red onions sliced tomatoes, sliced avocados, black beans, charred corn, etc.

Instructions

  • BLEND: Add the chipotle peppers + adobo sauce, garlic, onions, tomatoes, seasonings, apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, and a small pinch of salt to a blender and blend until smooth.
  • INSTANT POT: Heat the oil in the instant pot on the sauté setting until screaming hot. Season the chicken breasts with 1 ¼ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Add the chicken (in a single layer) and sear for roughly 1 minute on each side. Then, pour in the prepared tinga sauce and add the bay leaf. Cover the instant pot and let pressure cook on high for 15-18 minutes (larger chicken breasts will require additional time.) Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes.
  • FINISH: Remove the lid and shred the chicken using two forks. Make sure the instant pot is on the ‘keep warm’ setting so that the chicken stays warm as it soaks in the sauce. Remove the bay leaf, and add the chicken back to the instant pot. Let it soak up the sauce for a few minutes. Add the chopped cilantro and lime juice to the warm rice and toss to combine. Taste and adjust with additional lime juice if desired. Add rice to bowls, top with prepared Chicken Tinga, and top with pickled red onions, sliced tomatoes, avocados, charred corn, black beans, and serve with additional lime wedges!
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