Instant Pot Ranchero Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
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This Ranchero Chicken is inspired by restaurants in and around San Antonio. I love this Ranchero sauce with chicken…and it’s great with enchiladas, on tostadas and over a pile of rice too!

Ingredients for Single Meal

  • 1 - 15 oz. can(s) diced tomatoes
  • 1 - 6 oz. can(s) tomato paste
  • 3 - Tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1/2 - lb(s) boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 - cup(s) hot water**
  • 1/2 - lb(s) boneless chicken thighs
  • - Salt and pepper
  • Side: - rice**
  • Side: - veggies**
  • 1 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)
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Cooking Directions for Single Meal

  1. Whisk together the diced tomatoes with their juices and the tomato paste in the electric pressure cooker insert. Stir in the taco seasoning.
  2. Add the chicken breast, thighs, and the hot water to the sauce in the electric pressure cooker insert. Spoon the sauce over the top.
  3. Steam valve: Sealing.
  4. Cook on: Manual/High for 15 minutes.
  5. Release: Natural or Quick.
  6. Once cooked, pull apart the chicken with 2 forks.
  7. Cook rice, as directed.
  8. Prepare veggies.
  9. Serve Instant Pot Ranchero Chicken over rice with side of veggies.

Freezeasy Meal Prep Directions

  1. Open 2 cans of diced tomatoes.
  2. Open 2 cans of tomato paste.

To each gallon-size plastic freezer baggie in a round bowl/dish, add the following ingredients:

  • Half of the canned diced tomatoes
  • Half of the canned tomato paste
  • 3 Tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 lb. boneless chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper

Remove as much air as possible and seal. Add label to baggie and freeze.

Freeze & Thaw Instructions

Put baggie in the freezer and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or a warm bowl of water for about 20 minutes, before adding contents of bag plus water to electric pressure cooker insert. Pressure cook as directed.

Special notes

See myfreezeasy.com/EPC for more tips and tricks.
Add 5-10 minutes of pressure cooking time, if cooking from completely frozen or mostly frozen. Note that preheat time and release time may vary by appliance.

Dairy-Free Modifications

Recipe is dairy-free when served with dairy-free sides.

Gluten-Free Modifications

Recipe is gluten-free when served with gluten-free sides.

Printable Label Recipe Title

Instant Pot Ranchero Chicken

Printable Label Instructions

Thaw, add hot water to Instant Pot and then add contents of baggie. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes with sealed valve; then natural release.
Once cooked, shred chicken with 2 forks and mix with the tomato sauce.
Serve over rice with veggies.

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