Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup with tender chicken is bursting with flavors like garlic, onion, and peppers and is a healthy meal or snack any time of day. You can use frozen chicken breasts for this recipe or whatever you have so you do not even have to go to the grocery store.
If you are looking for more instant pot recipes, try our Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta made with bowtie pasta and sour cream or Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli with flank steak and brown sugar.
Instant pot soups are so quick and easy with minimal effort and maximum flavors. Cooking time is usually just minutes, and it is so easy to prepare since you can do it in advance if you like.
Add some Mexican cheese or green chilies to this soup for a spicier soup or pour it over brown rice for a hearty dinner. This is the perfect comfort food for a chilly weeknight with the whole family.
Some other great recipes you may like include Chicken Tortilla Soup with pinto beans and sweet corn and California Chicken Breakfast Burrito made with avocado and cheddar cheese.
Ingredients needed:
To get the step-by-step instructions, scroll down to our printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. But here are the main ingredients for this simple recipe:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Fresh or frozen.
- Salsa: Homemade or store-bought are both fine.
- Chicken broth: Or chicken stock.
- Taco seasoning: Homemade or store-bought.
- Minced garlic: Or garlic powder.
- Medium onion: Chopped.
- Green bell pepper: Chopped.
- Red bell pepper: Chopped.
- Jalapeno: Seeded and diced.
- Shredded cheese: For garnish.
- Fresh cilantro: For garnish.
How to make instant pot chicken fajita soup?
- Prepare: First, put all the ingredients into the pot.
- Seal: Then, lock the lid and set the pressure valve to seal on high pressure or the high setting for 20 minutes.
- Pressure release: After the time is up, do a natural pressure release. After that, do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
- Shred: Next, remove the meat to a large bowl and shred chicken breasts using two forks.
- Mix: Next, place chicken back into the pot and stir to mix all the flavors together.
- Serve: Finally, serve the soup with your favorite toppings while it is still hot.
Recipe variations:
- Add beans: Black beans make a great addition to this soup.
- Season chicken breasts: Rub olive oil on the chicken and season with chili powder, black pepper, and salt before adding to the pot.
- Cream cheese: For a creamy soup, add cream cheese to the mix.
- Heat it up: Add a fresh poblano pepper for a spicy hot soup.
- More peppers: For a bit of color, add some chopped yellow bell peppers.
- Dark meat: If you like dark meat, use chicken thighs instead of breasts.
How to serve:
Serve this delicious soup with your favorite toppings and some taco sauce or hot sauce. Or try one of these ideas:
- Add a dollop of sour cream to the top of the soup for a creamy flavor.
- Top with green onions and red onion for even more color and flavor.
- Be sure to put out some lemon or lime juice to add to your soup.
- This soup is perfect on top of our spicy Mexican rice.
- A side of tortilla chips goes great with this dish.
- You can also serve with avocado slices on top.
- Pour some onto a plate of chicken enchilada pasta for a hearty dinner.
- Add fresh tortilla strips to the soup for a more authentic chicken fajita texture.
Frequently asked questions
Is an instant pot and pressure cooker the same thing?
They are very similar, but the pressure cooker is typically used on the stovetop while the pot runs on electricity.
The pot is also safer than the old-fashioned pressure cookers although you do lose a bit of pressure with the instant pot and the cook time will be different.
You can do all sorts of things with the pot like steam, make yogurt, and cook on saute mode.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
If you have a busy night and want to cook this soup in a slow cooker, follow the directions but set the cooker for four hours on high or six hours on low.
This hearty soup will come out with tender chicken and plenty of flavors. The veggies may not be as crisp, but they will still taste great.
How do I make this recipe keto-friendly?
A keto diet includes low-carb, high protein foods with healthy fats like meats, fish, eggs, and vegetables.
For a keto diet, leave out the cheese and beans as well as the sour cream. Everything else in the recipe is keto-friendly already.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container where they will be good for five to seven days.
- Freeze: To freeze, pour cooled soup into a freezer-safe container where you can keep it for up to three months.
- Thaw: Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving for best results.
- Reheat: Put the pressure cooker chicken fajita soup into a saucepan and cook over low heat until it boils.
More soup recipes:
Cooking tips:
- Do your meal prep in advance to make this a quick meal for the next day.
- Use your food processor or chopper to chop the green peppers and other veggies to make it easier.
- Skip the chicken breasts and use rotisserie chicken to make this an even easier recipe.
- If you have leftover peppers or other veggies, seal them in a freezer bag and save them for future use.
- You can use Mexican oregano if you do not have any taco seasoning.
Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 16 oz can salsa hot or mild
- 3 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 Jalapeño seeded and diced
Garnish:
- Shredded cheese of your choice
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Lime
Instructions
- Add chicken, salsa, chicken broth, taco seasoning, garlic, onion, Jalapeño, and bell peppers to the Instant Pot. Gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lock the lid and set the valve to seal (for older models). Pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
- After that, do a 10-minute Natural Release, followed by a quick release for the remaining pressure.
- When the valve drops, carefully open the IP and transfer the chicken to a bowl. Shred-it using two forks.
- Return the chicken to the Instant Pot and stir well to combine the flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve the soup topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh chopped cilantro. Add lime slices on the side.
Nutrition
