This 2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken is mouthwatering! It’s extra tender, juicy and full of flavorful spices. It’s the perfect add to tacos, burrito bowls, salads or eaten by itself!
You guys. I have a confession to make. I have an obsession with salsa. It’s bad. Like, if I don’t have fresh salsa on hand – I may go mad. My all time favorite red salsa recipe is of course, my Easy Homemade Salsa recipe. This was, in fact, the recipe that turned me on to actually liking to fresh tomatoes. For years, I turned my nose up at them. They were too juicy and watery and just blegh. But then I made this fresh homemade salsa, my world forever changed. The tomatoes were full of flavor, juicy, and were the perfect combination for the spicy flavors in the salsa.
I could rant forever about how much I love that salsa. However, I still haven’t ventured on making a homemade Salsa Verde. Why, you ask? Because I already have found a brand that checks off everything on my list! 1) It’s cheap! 2) It’s made with minimal ingredients and no added sugar! 3) It’s the perfect combination of a little spicy, a lot juicy, and the most flavorful. Yup, It’s Trader Joe’s brand Salsa Verde. It’s the bomb. You can find out about it more on my 18 Favorite Trader Joe’s Items post I did a few months back!
What’s the difference between red salsa and salsa verde?
Red salsa is usually made with roma tomatoes and is obviously – red. Many people vary in how they make their own – but there are usually roma tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, lime, cilantro and salt. Salsa verde is similar except they use tomatillos instead of roma tomatoes.
So here are the two ingredients you’re going to need to make this Salsa Verde Chicken:
- chicken breast
- one jar of salsa verde
Wow. Bet you didn’t see that coming! Okay, and to be honest, you will need just a few spices. But, I feel like spices don’t really count as ingredients because you most likely have these already in your cabinet. But, the good news is if you don’t happen to have the spices, the salsa verde has enough flavor to carry the chicken through! But, of course – some garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and cumin wouldn’t hurt if you happen to have it on hand.
How You Make Salsa Verde Chicken:
Okay, so, my preferred way to make this Salsa Verde Chicken is in the Instant Pot. It’s super duper fast and retains the moisture of the chicken inside of the pressure cooker. Although, I must say, my Instant Pot seriously freaks me out. Like, I’m always afraid it’s going to explode on me. Is anyone else scared of their Instant Pot? Let me know in the comments.
So: Instant Pot. Place the raw chicken breast in it and cover it with the spices and the entire can of salsa verde. Pressure cook it on high for 20-ish minutes. Let the steam release. Shred it. You’re done-zo.
So, combine the amazing Salsa Verde with a big ol juicy chicken breast and what do you get? The most amazing, flavorful, TENDER chicken you have ever eaten. The chicken just gets fully immersed in the entire jar of salsa verde. It soaks into it and I swear, I’ve never shredded chicken easier in my life.
Feel free to remove some of the liquid of the salsa verde if you don’t want it as liquid-y. However, I think the salsa verde liquid has the MOST flavor. If anything, put it on rice! Or eat it by the spoonful.
Other Ways to Cook Salsa Verde Chicken:
You can cook it in your crockpot or slow cooker as well! Do the same thing – cover the chicken breast with spices, salsa verde and cover with lid. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Shred and you’re done!
Lastly, if you want to bake it, you can do that as well! Place in an oven at 350 with the chicken and salsa verde in a baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes. Shred. You’re done!
It’s literally that easy. And the result is the most delectable, moist chicken you’ll ever have!
What to Eat 2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken On:
You can meal prep this chicken and eat it all week! Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- over rice
- in a burrito bowl
- on tacos
- on a big taco salad
- by itself
Yes, it’s extremely versatile and amazing. Perfect on anything. Especially tacos.
Hope you guys enjoy this 2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken! It’s a perfect Fall recipe – especially since you can let it cook while you go cozy up with a new book! Enjoy!
2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken
This 2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken is mouthwatering! It’s extra tender, juicy and full of flavorful spices. It’s the perfect add to tacos, burrito bowls, salads or eaten by itself!
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs chicken breast
- 12 oz. jar of salsa verde (preferably Trader Joe's brand)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- dash of salt and pepper
Instructions
For Instant Pot:
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Place raw chicken breast, spices and jar of salsa verde into the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Release steam valve for quick release. Shred. Adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy!
For Crockpot/Slow Cooker:
-
Place raw chicken breast, spices and jar of salsa verde into the crockpot/slow cooker: Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Shred. Adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy!
For Oven:
-
Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken breast, spices and jar of salsa verde into a baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until done. Shred. Adjust seasoning if needed. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Enjoy this 2 Ingredient Salsa Verde Chicken on salads, tacos, burrito bowls, over rice or just by itself!
So good! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment, Sarah! This is one of my favorite chicken recipes!
Question, can you put frozen chicken breast should I thaw them out
Hey Jo! I’ve personally never tried using frozen chicken breasts so just in case, I would recommend thawing them out! Thanks for trying my recipe! Hope you love it as much as I do! 🙂
Thanks for this bone head easy and delicious recipe and Yes, you absolutely can use frozen chicken breasts. Just a couple extra minutes and voila!
Max, yay!! So so glad the recipe worked out for you and you enjoyed it 🙂 And thank you for the helpful feedback on the frozen chicken breasts!
Beyond delicious! I used a fired roasted Salsa Verde and added northern white beans and a small sliced yellow onion. Served on a low carb tortilla with avocado and a 4 cheddar cheese blend. We’ll be making this all the time, absolutely awesome. Will serve on rice next time.
Sounds incredible! Thank you for making the recipe 🙂
This is my go to recipe for a quick and easy meal! PS… I’m always nervous my IP is gonna explode too! lol your not the only …. Thank you again for an amazing recipe and tips! Cheers! – CanCan
CanCan, YAYY! This just totally made me so happy. And that dang Instant Pot…LOL! So scary!
I added just the chicken and the jar of salsa verde from TJs and then once it was done, I dumped it all over riced cauliflower. It needed nothing more and was absolutely delicious. This is a keeper. Thank you!
Love that! The riced cauliflower sounds SO delicious. The Trader Joe’s salsa verde is my favorite! Thanks fo making this, Mary!!
Hi! If I double the recipe does cook time change?
Hi Ally! Thanks for the comment! I wouldn’t think that the cook time would change. Instant Pots are pretty amazing gadgets! However, I would definitely check the chicken after the 20 minutes are up just in case 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Hi! Did you do a natural steam release or quick release for the 20 minutes?
Hey there! Sorry I forgot to clarify in the recipe card. I did a quick release 🙂 Just updated it! Thanks! Hope you enjoy! – Haylie
I meannnn, it doesn’t get much easier than this! I put five frozen chicken breasts from Trader Joe’s in the instant pot (tjs chicken breasts are small) and one jar for the 20 minutes and it came out PERFECT!
Hi Cassie!! Yay! This review totally just made my day. So glad the recipe worked out for you! I’m going to have to try Trader Joe’s frozen chicken breasts! 🙂 Thanks again! – Haylie
will chicken tender loins work and will it change the time of cooking. thanks
Hi David, I’ve never tried chicken tenderloins in place of chicken breasts for this recipe but I’m sure it would work! I would definitely reduce the time of cooking. I found this website/recipe to be helpful – https://cookingwithkarli.com/perfect-instant-pot-chicken-tenders-fresh-or-frozen/ in knowing the time difference, although I haven’t personally tried it myself. I would try to cook them at high pressure for maybe 5-6 minutes and then do a natural pressure release. Just make sure they’re cooked all the way through! Let me know if you try it! Thanks – Haylie
I’m going to try it today!!!
Woohoo! Let me know what you think, Kathy 🙂
I am assuming you you put the chicken on a rack?
Hi Jodie Marie! I actually didn’t put my chicken on a rack – I just added it all into the bottom of the Instant Pot 🙂 I hope you try out the recipe and love it! Best -Haylie
I normally cook it for burritos. Reading this had made me hungry. Looks delicious!!
Thank you so much, Barbara! 🙂 I hope you get to try this recipe out!!
This was so good and so easy! 🎉 The fam said it was as good as Chipotle. Made a quesadilla for the pickiest eater and burrito bowls for everyone else. I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breast and didn’t notice a difference at all.
Wow! What a compliment 🙂 Thank you so much, Katelyn! So glad that the whole fam loved it!
Hi, I just brought home my first Instant Pot and the test run was terrifying. I will be making this tomorrow as my first dish, thanks for the recipe!!
Lol, Stephanie, you’re not alone in feeling slightly scared of the Instant Pot! I hope this works well for you and you love it!!
I make a soup with green salsa and white beans and chicken. I usually use Herndez salsa but I will try Tjs salsa next time.
Definitely give it a try next time you’re at TJ’s! 🙂
One of my favorite recipes. Thanks for sharing.
Woohooo! Thanks so much, Sally! So happy you love the recipe 🙂
I tried this recipe and it was delicious. I want to make it again and maybe add some potatoes largely diced. Do you think in doing that it would mess anything up?
Hi Dawn! I’m not sure. I don’t think it should mess anything up, just be sure that they are cooked through – you don’t want to overcook the chicken! If needed, you could always remove the chicken and then add the potatoes in afterward to cook!