• Home
  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • VIDEO SERIES: Learn to Cook on a Budget
    • How-To & Cooking Tutorials
    • Popular Recipes
  • Meal Plans
    • Weekly Meal Plans
    • Freezer Meal Plans
    • The ORIGINAL 20 Meals for $150 Plans
  • Classes
    • Grocery Savings 101 Workshop
    • Freezer Cooking 101 Workshop
    • Meal Planning 101 Workshop
  • Store
    • COOKBOOK: Feeding Teenage Boys on a Budget
    • COOKBOOK: Learn to Cook on a Budget
    • COOKBOOKS & PREP KITS: MyFreezEasy Freezer Meals
    • Erin’s Favorite Gadgets
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • About
    • Press
  • Login

$5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

Deck the Freezer in 2025!

Instant Pot Ranchero Chicken Recipe

September 1, 2017 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

74 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Sign up to receive FREE weekly emails with recipes, coupons and other money saving tips right into your inbox. Become a friend on Facebook too AND/OR join the $5 Meal Plan Family and get meal plans delivered to you each week!

instant pot ranchero chicken

This Ranchero Chicken is inspired by restaurants in and around San Antonio. I love this Ranchero sauce with chicken…and it’s great with enchiladas, on tostadas and over a pile of rice too!

It’s super quick to prepare and when cooking in the Instant Pot, it just takes a few minutes to have ready!

Now…

 

If you wanted to make this meal ahead and add this to the freezer, add everything minus the hot water to a freezer baggie and freeze. Thaw enough to get it out of the bag and you can cook it from partially frozen in the IP. It will take a little longer to come to pressure, and you’ll want to add 7-9 minutes to the cooking time. Just like that, dinner is ready in minutes from the freezer! (More on Freezer to Instant Pot meals here.)

Enjoy!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!

Instant Pot Ranchero Chicken Recipe

Juicy chicken full of flavor!
Prep Time10 minutes minutes
Cook Time30 minutes minutes
Servings - 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 lb. boneless chicken thighs
  • 15 oz diced tomatoes
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1 packet taco seasoning or 2 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • Salt and pepper
  • Side ideas: rice and beans or salad and veggies (for low carb)

Instructions

  • Whisk together the diced tomatoes with their juices and the tomato paste in the electric pressure cooker insert. Stir in the taco seasoning.
  • Add the chicken breast, thighs, and the hot water to the sauce in the electric pressure cooker insert. Spoon the sauce over the top.
  • Steam valve: Sealing.
  • Cook on: Manual/High for 15 minutes.
  • Release: Natural or Quick.
  • Once cooked, pull apart the chicken with 2 forks.
  • Cook rice, as directed.
  • Prepare veggies.
  • Serve Instant Pot Ranchero Chicken over rice with side of veggies.

 

74 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Budget Friendly Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Electric Pressure Cooking 101, Instant Pot Recipes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search $5 Dinners

Favorite Meal Planning & Cooking Resources

Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons Grocery Budget Makeover My Freezeasy Erin Chase Store 5DD Freebie Library 20 Meals for $150 Plans

© 2025 5 Dollar Dinners | Disclosure Policy | Copyright Information | Terms of Service/Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Design & Tech Support by Klong Designs



Copyright © 2025 · 5 Dollar Dinners Genesis Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in