Instant Pot 3 Ingredient Green Chile Chicken (Paleo, Keto, Whole30)

This green chile chicken contains just 3 ingredients and is made in the Instant Pot - it doesn't get any easier than that! With multiple cooking and serving variations, you're going to love how easy and versatile this recipe is.

This green chile chicken recipe was actually inspired by one of my nutrition coaching clients. Each week on our coaching call, we discuss what she will make for the week ahead so she's prepared and has healthy choices.

She casually mentioned to me the other day that sometimes she throws 10 cans of green chiles into her Instant Pot with a bunch of chicken breasts when she cooks them, then shreds them up in it.

Wait - say what?

I knew immediately this was an experiment I would be trying.

Kevin's Natural Foods

One of my favorite things about being a food blogger is occasionally participating in recipe contests: they're great for challenging your creativity and getting out of your comfort zone.

When I heard that Kevin's Natural Foods was holding a recipe contest for their new sauces, I knew I had the perfect idea for a recipe. (You can guess where we're headed, can't you?) 😀

Their sauces are all natural, paleo, keto, and...delicious. How can so much flavor be packed in such a little pouch? I don't know, friends, but it's true.

First up for experimentation? Tomatillo taco sauce.

Now, I could have just cooked some meat with this, crafted a taco recipe, and called it done. Too easy. I knew I wanted to do something a little different.

So, what are the things I love in a recipe? 1. Simplicity. 2. Flavor. 3. Short ingredient list (see #1).

Green chile chicken experiment + Kevin's Natural Foods taco sauce = meets all three. Let's do this!

Have an Instant Pot still in its box in the garage? You're not alone. Don't be scared. Read this post, then go get it and let's get cooking.

How to make Instant Pot green chile chicken

Now, mind you, this is not green chicken chili, as in the warm soup-like thing you make in the fall and winter. (If you're looking for green chicken chili, Isabel Eats has a great recipe here.)

This is green chile chicken, meaning it is chicken cooked with green chiles.

And friends, it is so. danged. easy.

Here's what you do: put all 5 cans of green chiles in the Instant Pot. Add the packet of Kevin's Tomatillo Taco Sauce and stir to combine.

Sprinkle your raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then nestle them into the green chile mixture.

Put on the lid, seal it, and set to manual for 12 minutes.

Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes when done cooking.

Once pressure is released, remove the lid, then remove the chicken breasts. Turn the Instant Pot on sauté.

While that's heating up, shred your chicken breasts. I like to pull them out onto a cutting board to make it easier to work with, and I either use two forks or these bear claw meat shredding tools we have.

People give the funniest gifts sometimes. 😂

Add the shredded chicken back to the IP and stir to combine.

Continue to sauté, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. You'll do this for about 5-10 minutes, or until the liquid has cooked down.

And yes, folks - that's it. You're done.

(Optional step: sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons cassava flour on top, and mix it in. It will thicken the liquid a bit! I use the Thrive Market brand - if you're not familiar with Thrive you can read all about it in my post here.)

Now let's talk about all the ways you can use this green chile chicken, shall we?

Green chile chicken serving variations

Cauliflower rice

This is my top of the list go-to for serving this. Cauliflower rice, which you can purchase pre-riced or make your own, is an easy and versatile vegetable.

It's low carb and is fairly neutral in flavor, so it really lets the sauce on this green chile chicken shine.

Top with some avocado and cilantro for an easy and flavorful meal.

On top of a white sweet potato

Another way you can serve this green chile chicken is on top of a baked white sweet potato. (Did you know you can cook sweet potatoes in your Instant Pot too?!)

Now, you'll notice I said white sweet potato. That's important.

White sweet potatoes are closer in texture to a regular potato, and they have a much milder flavor. They're not quite as sweet as their orange cousins.

When combined with this green chile chicken, the slight spiciness of the Kevin's tomatillo taco sauce combined with the slight sweetness of the potato is a match made in heaven.

This is definitely a heartier/higher carb variation, and not for you keto folks, but for you paleo + grain free friends: dig in!

As a dip

We found this variation quite by accident. As I was experimenting with the recipe, we happened to have a bag of Siete Foods grain free tortilla chips on the counter.

We were late getting dinner on the table (because, recipe experimenting) and we ended up just dive bombing the chips into the Instant Pot, scooping out some green chile chicken, and eating it.

Yum. What a happy accident.

If you really want to step it up a notch, I recommend finishing up with the sauté function, turning off the IP, then adding half a block of cream cheese to the pot and stirring until it melts in.

You'll be left with a thick and creamy delicious chicken dip that will put all other chicken dips to shame.

Oh my.

Obviously this isn't good for paleo or dairy free folks, but it's perfect for keto!

On nachos

Remember those grain free chips? (Thrive Market makes their own brand of these as well-you can find them here.)

Do this: make yourself a plate of those chips. Top with this green chile chicken mixture. Then top with any of your favorite nacho toppings - tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, avocado, olives, cheese if you can tolerate it.

An incredibly simple nacho plate that packs a punch of flavor. What an easy weeknight dinner.

Cooking variations

Ok, so you don't have an Instant Pot. Can you still make this recipe? Yes, yes you can.

Here are two other ways you can cook this recipe.

Slow cooker

More than likely, if you don't have an Instant Pot, it's probably because you still have a Crock Pot or other slow cooker.

If this is the case, follow the same steps. Turn your slow cooker on low for 4 hours or high for 8 hours. Close it up and don't open it!

Shred your chicken, return it to the pot, and stir. Drain off any excess water, being careful not to burn yourself.

Eat in whatever variation you like!

Stovetop

What if you don't have any of the aforementioned cooking appliances? Don't worry, you don't have to be denied the flavor of this recipe.

Bake your chicken breasts in the oven at 400° for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°.

In a saucepot over medium heat, combine the green chiles with the Kevin's tomatillo taco sauce and stir to combine.

Shred your cooked chicken breasts, add them to the pot, and cook until heated through, then serve in any of the above variations.

Kevin's Natural Foods

You can find Kevin's Natural Foods on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Looking for where to buy? Check their website here for their store locator! (Pssst: I even saw some of their meals in Costco the other day!)

I may earn a small commission off purchases made through affiliate links in this post from Amazon and other sellers. This helps me continue to run the blog and keep providing you fresh content. Thank you for your support!

I may earn a small commission off purchases made through affiliate links in this post from Amazon and other sellers. This helps me continue to run the blog and keep providing you fresh content. Thank you for your support!