Instant Pot Key Lime Chicken Tacos

Instant Pot Key Lime chicken Tacos are a fresh and easy dinner recipe that your entire family will be sure to love. I love making Key lime chicken tacos because of the zest of freshness and acidity that comes with the recipe. If you’re on Weight Watchers, then my recipe is right up your alley! The MyWW SmartPoints are inside of the recipe card or you can scroll to the bottom of the recipe for the complete break down of the SmartPoints.

To say that we love tacos in our household is an understatement; they are a weekly staple.  Sometimes though I get tired of eating the same old regular tacos and I want to liven up Taco Tuesday.  That’s where these Key Lime Chicken Tacos come in handy.  They have such a fresh taste that it’s like eating reminiscence of a yummy roadside taco truck waiting to feed something amazing.

Angela thinks that tacos should be a food group on their own.  The silly girl can eat several.  I feel good about her eating these key lime tacos because they are healthy and light.  Giving her some healthy tacos allows me to know she’s getting something good for her, while she still thinks she’s eating something fun. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Instant Pot Key Lime Tacos Recipe

Can I use Frozen Chicken?

Absolutely!  Frozen chicken breasts will work great in this recipe. I know sometimes it’s hard to remember to take the chicken out of the freezer the night before you want to cook it.  I’ve done it more times than I can count.  You have to add a few more minutes onto your cooking time, but I cover that in the recipe card.

That’s one of the biggest reasons that I love this recipe, and using my Instant Pot.  If I forget to start dinner at our normal household time, then I know that I can use frozen chicken with no problem.  Everyone in the house is thankful for that!

Can I use Chicken thighs instead of Chicken breasts? 

Certainly!  This recipe is very forgiving and flexible, you can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.  If you get really feisty you could even use a turkey breast instead.  I love a recipe that is this flexible as it allows me to use what I have on hand at the time instead of making an additional trip to the grocery store.

If you are using chicken thighs to making my Instant Pot key lime chicken tacos, then be sure to use the boneless and skinless variety. It’s much more manageable and helps to keep the cooking time down.  

Can I freeze Your Instant Pot Key Lime Chicken recipe? 

Yes!  The chicken, once cooked, freezes great.  However, you need to be sure to freeze the chicken only. You don’t want to pre-make the tacos with tall the toppings and freeze.  So, freeze the cooked chicken only and for up to three months.   NOTE: Add some of the juices from the Instant Pot into the container when freezing. This will help to main the flavor profile.

To thaw, just place in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. 

Can I use regular lime juice instead of key lime juice? 

Can’t find key lime juice?  You are in luck!  Regular lime juice will work just as well as key lime juice.  You can even use fresh squeezed juice if you want instead of bottled juice.  I love the taste of fresh squeezed lime juice.  You will need three to four limes to get about ⅓ cup of fresh squeezed lime juice. 

There is going to be a difference in a flavor, as key limes are a bit more on the tart side of life. Which is why I love that fresh citrus zest it brings to the dish.

How long do I cook chicken in the pressure cooker?

When are you cooking thawed chicken in the pressure cooker you will want to cook it for about 8 minutes per pound of thawed fresh chicken. Plus you will want to allow your pressure cooker to naturally release for at least 5 minutes when cooking fresh chicken.

I recommend when cooking frozen chicken that you cook your chicken for about 12 to 14 minutes per pound of frozen chicken breasts. Then you will want to allow your Instant Pot to naturally pressure release for about 10 minutes.

NOTE: Not all chicken breasts cook the same!

Here’s a few examples of what I mean:

• Frozen chicken breasts that are frozen in a cluster or in one chunk will not cook at the same time that individual chicken breasts cook.
• Smaller chicken breasts that average a weight of 3-4 oz will cook differently then thicker & bigger chicken breasts that range from 7-10oz will take longer to cook. When dealing with bigger chicken breasts, I like to flatten out the thicker side a bit with beating it with a rolling pin. It creates a more even cooking surface.

What should I use as toppings for my chicken tacos?

• white onion; diced
• jalapeños, deseeded and sliced thin
• hass avocado; diced
• queso fresco cheese; crumbled
• cilantro; diced

Ingredients Needed

Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs for this recipe. And the chicken can be frozen or fresh.

Key Lime Juice: Is tart and very aromatic. There’s a flavor difference between key lime juice and regular lime juice.

1/2 onion; cut into half rounds: You can use Vidalia sweet onions or white onions. It’s your choice. I love the aromatics and flavor profile the sweet onion brings.

Minced Garlic: You can use fresh or jarred. If you don’t have that available, you can definitely use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder. We reduce the amount of fresh versus powder because powder has a stronger flavor profile.

Taco seasoning: You can make your own or use store bought. If you want a lot of flavor, you can use Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning.

Chicken Broth: Yes, you can use water; however, I love chicken broth because it keeps the flavor from being water down.

Tortillas: I love using corn tortillas for this! Sizzle them over a nice hot fire or on a grill, and it’s amazing!

How To Make 

Into the Instant Pot, place onion, garlic, chicken broth, key lime juice, and chicken. Sprinkle taco mix on top of chicken.

Place the lid onto the instant pot. Turn the valve to the sealed position. Press “Poultry” Button and cook for 18 minutes if frozen and 15 minutes for thawed chicken. Once the instant pot stops counting, allow to naturally depressurize for 5 minutes, then release the pressure by opening the valve.

Once done, release pressure and shred chicken with two forks. Replace chicken back to Instant Pot and serve.

Serve on doubled corn tortillas or on flour. Top with cilantro, white onion, avocado, and queso fresco.

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Key Lime Chicken Tacos

My Instant Pot Key Lime chicken tacos fit perfectly into your Weight Watchers SmartPoints with no problem at all! The most points that you you’ll receive are from the tortilla shells themselves. On all 3 plans, Using a medium sized corn tortilla will be 2 SmartPoints. HOWEVER, if you eat 2 Corn Tortillas, then you only get 3 SmartPoints on all 3 plans!

For 3 ounces of the the key lime chicken taco, this is where you get 2 SmartPoints on the Green Plan, but Zero SmartPoints on Blue & Purple. That’s a very generous portion! 3 ounces is equal to the size of a deck of cards. You can have TWO fabulous tacos for only 5 SmartPoints or less!

Serving size: 2 Key Lime Chicken Tacos

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