Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken Soup is so easy to make and tastes just like it came from a Mexican restaurant. You can make this recipe in just over an hour and have a delicious and warming meal any night of the week.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken is perfect for a cold winter night or, really, any night of the week whatever the weather. No matter how many Instant Pot recipes I make, it never ceases to amaze me that a delicious meal that tastes like it took hours to make comes together in no time.
This recipe uses bone-in chicken thighs and wings. You also cook them partially frozen, which is another fantastic feature of the Instant Pot!
Other Quick Instant Pot Dinner Recipes
How to Make Green Salsa Chicken Verde in the Instant Pot
Stpe 1: Cook the Chicken
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE and allow it to heat up for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, butter, and garlic, and cook the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Press CANCEL/DONE and remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board.
Pour water into the Instant Pot and stir it with the wooden spoon to get any pieces that cooked onto the bottom. Put the trivet in the Instant Pot.
Place the chicken pieces on the trivet and PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 12 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally, this should take about 15 minutes. Once the pin has dropped, carefully open the lid and remove the chicken and the trivet.
Place the chicken on a cutting board and use a fork and a knife to remove the meat from the bones. Cut the chicken into pieces and place it back into the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Make the Green Chile Chicken
Add the salsa verde, green chiles, garlic, jalapeño, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin to the Instant Pot with the Chicken and leftover water. PRESSURE COOK on HIGH again for 20 minutes.
Once done, allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes and then carefully quick-release the rest. Add the chopped green onion, cilantro, and lime juice and stir them in.
Step 3: Fry Up Some Fresh Fried Tortilla Strips
In a cast-iron pan or large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the tortilla strips to the pan and allow to fry on one side.
Use your metal tongs to flip and move the strips around for a few minutes. Once the tortillas start to brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towel to catch the excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and allow to cool before serving.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe would be delicious with other meats like pork or turkey. If you decide to use chicken breast or other meats for this recipe, you must adjust the cooking time for whatever protein you choose. This recipe is also perfect for rotisserie chicken or for leftover meat that you may have in your fridge.
Yes, you can use frozen chicken for this recipe. Adjust the cooking time according to the Instant Pot directions for fully frozen chicken.
To make the soup less spicy, reduce the amount of green chiles and jalapeño. For more heat, include the seeds of the jalapeño or add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Certainly! Substitute the chicken with plant-based protein like tofu or beans, and use vegetable broth. Adjust the cooking time as needed.
The soup can be stored in the fridge for about 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Expert Tips For This Recipe
- I used bone-in chicken pieces. I really feel this makes the chicken more flavorful and juicier. You can also use chicken pieces without the bone, but I recommend thighs and wings for the dark meat.
- The green salsa verde I used was medium heat. You can decide how spicy you want your soup by using mild, medium, or hot salsa.
- You probably won't need to add any salt since there was salt on the chicken and jarred salsas tend to have a lot of sodium. Give the Chicken Verde a quick taste before serving just in case.
- If you want a thicker Chile Verde Soup, remove the water after cooking the chicken (extra tip: it would be great for homemade stock).
- You can also serve this Chili Verde with tortillas and allow each person to mop up the goodness with the tortillas.
- My chicken was still slightly frozen when I cooked it, that's what's great about the Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Green Chili Chicken Soup
Equipment
- trivet for instant pot
- wooden spoon
- cast iron pan or deep skillet
- metal tongs
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs or legs
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup water
Green Chile
- 1½ cups jarred green salsa verde
- 1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 stalks green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ½ lime, juiced
Corn Tortilla Strips
- 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- kosher salt
Garnish Ideas
- queso fresco
- sour cream
- sliced avocado
- lime wedge (use the other half from earlier)
Instructions
Chicken
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE and allow it to heat up for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, butter, and garlic and allow the butter to melt while stirring. Add the chicken pieces to the bottom of the pot and cook for 3 minutes on each side. This will add flavor to the chicken and start the cooking process. Press CANCEL/DONE and remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board.
- Pour the water into the Instant Pot and stir it with the wooden spoon. Get any pieces that cooked onto the bottom of the metal insert with the spoon (this will get even more flavor into the broth and you will thank me during cleaning time!). Put the trivet in the Instant Pot.
- Place the chicken pieces on the trivet, secure the lid, and make sure your valve is on SEAL. Manual PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 12 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally, this should take about 15 minutes. Once the pin has dropped, carefully open the lid and remove the chicken and the trivet.
- Place the chicken on a cutting board and use a fork and a knife to remove the meat from the bones. Cut the chicken into pieces and place it back into the Instant Pot.
Green Chili
- Add the salsa verde, green chiles, garlic, jalapeño, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin to the Instant Pot with the Chicken and leftover water. Stir everything to mix it together. Place the Instant Pot lid on again, secure and seal, and manual PRESSURE COOK on HIGH again for 20 minutes. Once done, allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes and then carefully quick-release the rest. Add the chopped green onion, cilantro, and lime juice and stir them in. Serve with tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, a lime wedge, and sour cream.
Corn Tortilla Strips
- In a cast-iron pan or large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the tortilla strips to the pan and allow to fry on one side. Use your metal tongs to flip and move the strips around for a few minutes. Once the tortillas start to brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towel to catch the excess oil.
- Sprinkle the hot strips with salt right away so that it sticks. Fry the other half. Allow the strips to cool before serving.
Notes
- I used bone-in chicken pieces. I really feel this makes the chicken more flavorful and juicier. You can also use chicken pieces without the bone, but I recommend thighs and wings for the dark meat
- The green salsa verde I used was medium heat. You can decide how spicy you want your soup by using mild, medium, or hot salsa.
- You probably won't need to add any salt since there was salt on the chicken and jarred salsas tend to have a lot of sodium. Give the Chicken Verde a quick taste before serving just in case.
- If you want a thicker Chile Verde Soup, remove the water after cooking the chicken (extra tip: it would be great for homemade stock).
- You can also serve this Chili Verde with tortillas and allow each person to mop up the goodness with the tortillas.
- My chicken was still slightly frozen when I cooked it, that's what's great about the Instant Pot!
- Always read the instruction manual that came with your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker and follow all safety guidelines.
- Nutrition info without tortilla strips or garnish
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you get a chance to make this Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken, don't forget to leave a comment and rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me a photo of your meal!
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Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
What a beautiful dish, especially for Mexican food lovers! Saving this to make soon, thanks for the recipe!:)
Emily says
Thanks, Mihaela. It's a Mex-lovers dream for sure!
taffy says
wow i love this. it looks so hearty and yummy. will definitely try it out!
Emily says
You are going to love it, I promise!
Leah says
Now this is my kind of dish! Mexican inspired flavors and the instant pot! I cook so many meals weekly in my instant pot and I could eat Mexican flavored dishes every day. Yum!
Emily says
You and I think alike, give me Mexican flavors any day!!
Swathi says
Instant pto Green chile chikcen looks yum
Lizet says
One of my favorite soups! great flavors and not complicated.
Emily says
I love that this is one of your favorites, Liz! Thanks so much for trying this recipe.
Chloe says
I love a good instant pot recipe! Looks so warming and delicious 🙂
Emily says
I love anything that comes from the Instant Pot too! LOL.
Chef Dennis says
Yum! This Instant Pot Green Chili Chicken is making me hungry!
Capri says
Soo delicious! I enjoyed every bite!
Emily says
That makes me so happy! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Raquel says
We are huge green chili fans! Cannot wait to make this!
Emily says
If you love green chiles, you are going to love this dish!
Debra says
Even better than what you'd get at a restaurant!
Emily says
Thanks, Debra!
Marlynn says
It's been so cold here and this green chile chicken has been just the thing we needed to warm up! So delicious!
Emily says
It's definitely a winter warmer meal for sure!
Courtney says
So good! Perfect for a cold winters evening. Love all the flavour going on with this chicken!
Emily says
Thank you, Courtney!