Tex-Mex is absolutely delish comfort food—In fact, we might even say it’s in our top 3 favorite comfort foods overall. What’s not to like about a kind of food that is so versatile, even when you don’t like one option, there are so many others to choose from? You can find flavors from spicy to sweet and everything in between at any halfway decent Tex-Mex restaurant. MPOF brings you this delicious, versatile meal prep recipe - instant pot ranch chicken. But, like many sitdown restaurants, the catch is that the options offered may not be even remotely ideal if you’re trying to follow a meal plan. So often traditional Tex-Mex restaurant foods are chock-full of simple carbs, unhealthy fats, and sugar, and you might not even know it!
But don’t worry meal prep fam. As always, MPOF has solutions for your cravings, so you don’t have to feel deprived of your favorite foods! Which brings us to the instant pot meal prep recipe we want to showcase for you today—An instant pot ranch chicken recipe that has an entire host of your favorite classic Tex-Mex flavors, while also being keto-compliant, gluten-free, and one of our instant pot meal prep options that fit into our under $4 category!
Creamy and cheesy chicken taco lettuce wraps, made quick in the Instant Pot. Top with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa, or your favorite Tex-Mex flavors to complete this meal!
How long will this Chicken Meal Prep Recipe last for?
You can expect this instant pot meal prep to last about 4 days in the fridge when stored properly, which is perfect because the yield is 4 servings!
Can this Chicken Meal Prep Recipe be frozen?
Yes, but we only recommend freezing the chicken itself, which should last about 6 months.
How do you make this Instant Pot Chicken?
This Tex-Mex inspired instant pot meal prep starts by adding the chicken broth, chicken, olive oil and spices to an Instant Pot or any other pressure cooker and cooking the mixture on manual for 8 minutes. Once the timer goes off, release the steam and remove the chicken from the pot, to shred on a cutting board with two forks. Once your chicken is shredded, turn the Instant Pot to the “sauté” setting. In the remaining chicken broth, add the cream cheese and ranch seasoning, then stir to melt the cream cheese into a sauce. Now turn off the Instant Pot, and then add the chicken back into the pot and mix to combine. Finish up by topping with guacamole and salsa in lettuce wraps.
How to portion this Instant Pot Chicken?
We suggest keeping the major parts of this meal prep separate for best results. Because there are 3 major constituents in the dish we used 3-compartment meal prep containers for storing and taking on the go. Consider heading over to our article, Ultimate Guide to Meal Prep Containers to do your own research on your specific needs.
More Instant Pot meal prep ideas:
Instant Pot meals are delicious, simple, and fun to make! If you’re a fan, check out this Instant Pot Enchilada Soup, or Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa Meal Prep Bowls for more Southwestern flavors!
Other tips for making this Instant Pot Ranch Chicken:
- Make sure you never open the Instant Pot on the pressure or manual modes, as doing so can be dangerous
- If you’re preparing your own guac, consider adding some lemon juice to ensure browning doesn’t occur!
Keto Instant Pot Ranch Chicken Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 package cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 package Primal Palate ranch seasoning (or sub 1 teaspoon each garlic, dill, parsley, and chives)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
To serve
- Cilantro, to garnish
- 8 large lettuce leaves
- 1 ⅓ cup guacamole
- 1 ⅓ cup salsa, optional
Instant Pot Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 package full fat cream cheese*
- 1 package Primal Palate Ranch seasoning see notes below for substitutions
Optional, for serving
- cilantro
- 8 large lettuce leaves
- 1 ⅓ cup guacamole
- 1 ⅓ cup salsa no sugar added
Instructions
- Add chicken broth, chicken, olive oil and spices to an Instant Pot.
- Seal the pot, and set to Manual for 8 minutes.
- Once the chicken has finished cooking, release the steam.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, and shred on a cutting board with 2 forks.
- Turn the instant pot to the “Saute” setting.
- In the remaining chicken broth, add the cream cheese and ranch seasoning. Stir to melt the cream cheese into a sauce.
- Turn off the Instant Pot, and then add the chicken back into the pot and mix to combine.
- Serve with guacamole and salsa in lettuce wraps.
Notes
- garlic powder
- dill
- parsley
- chives
Nutrition
