Description
This Instant Pot Santa Fe Chicken Burrito Bowls recipe offers a flavorful and convenient way to enjoy a hearty Mexican-inspired meal. Juicy, tender chicken breasts are cooked with black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and a blend of spices to create a savory filling. Serve it over rice and top with your favorite burrito bowl garnishes like shredded lettuce, avocado, sour cream, cheese, and jalapeños for a customizable and crowd-pleasing dish perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Santa Fe Chicken
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 to 1.5 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or less to taste
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
Burrito Bowls
- Cooked rice (cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice, or instant rice)
- Shredded lettuce
- Avocado slices
- Sour cream
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cheese
- Jalapeños (sliced, optional)
- Guacamole
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut each chicken breast into 3 smaller chunks and sprinkle both sides lightly with kosher salt. Set aside on a plate.
- Combine Ingredients in Instant Pot: Spray the inner pot of the Instant Pot with cooking spray. Add the drained diced tomatoes with green chilies, black beans, chicken broth, frozen corn, chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Add Chicken to Instant Pot: Place the salted chicken pieces directly into the mixture in the Instant Pot. Ensure the chicken is partially submerged in the liquid and vegetable mixture for even cooking.
- Pressure Cook the Chicken: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to the ‘sealing’ position. Press the ‘manual’ or ‘pressure cooker’ button and adjust the cooking time to 25 minutes on high pressure.
- Release Pressure and Shred Chicken: When the cooking cycle completes, carefully release the steam valve to let out the pressure. Open the lid, remove the chicken pieces, and shred them using two forks.
- Return Chicken to Instant Pot: Add the shredded chicken back into the Instant Pot mixture. The filling will be a little soupy, which helps keep the chicken moist and tender.
- Assemble Burrito Bowls: Serve the Santa Fe chicken filling over cooked rice in bowls. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to avoid adding too much liquid to the bowl. Top with shredded lettuce, avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, jalapeño slices, guacamole, and lime wedges as desired.
Notes
- Chicken Quantity: Three chicken breasts roughly equal 1 to 1.5 pounds of meat.
- Rice Options: For the rice base, try cilantro lime rice, Mexican rice recipes, or convenient minute rice pouches for ease.
- Nutrition Info: Nutritional information provided is for the Santa Fe chicken mixture only, excluding rice and toppings. Serving size is approximately 1 cup.
- Make it Spicy: Use a can of Rotel tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add chili powder or cayenne pepper to the seasonings, and include medium or hot green chilies. Garnish with jalapeño slices.
- Slow Cooker Alternative: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, following the same shredding and serving steps afterward.
