Before you cook
Before you start Equipment you'll need
- Instant Pot (6-quart or larger) — Primary cooking vessel for pressure cooking chicken and building soup base efficiently; 6-quart size accommodates full recipe volume
- Cutting board — Safe surface for prepping chicken, onions, peppers, and garnish ingredients
- Chef's knife — Essential for dicing vegetables and cutting chicken into uniform pieces for even cooking
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula — Heat-resistant tool for stirring soup and sautéing aromatics in the Instant Pot without scratching the inner pot
- Tongs — Helpful for handling chicken pieces when removing them from the pot or arranging garnishes
- Two forks — Convenient for shredding cooked chicken directly in the pot or in a bowl
- Ladle — Simplifies portioning soup into serving bowls
- Bowls — Essential for serving soup and holding garnish ingredients (tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, cilantro)
Safety Safety & allergen notes
- Hot oil in sauté mode can splatter - keep hands and face away from pot when adding onions
- Instant Pot releases pressurized steam when opening - keep face and hands at least 12 inches away from the lid and use the manual release valve carefully
- Chicken must reach internal temperature of 165°F to be safe - verify doneness before shredding
- Hot soup can cause severe burns - use ladle carefully and warn guests that bowls will be extremely hot
Non-negotiables Rules for success
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Heat oil until shimmering before adding onions
Shimmering oil ensures proper temperature for sautéing; adding vegetables to cool oil results in steaming rather than browning, losing flavor development
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Cook spices for exactly 1 minute after adding garlic
Brief cooking releases aromatic oils and blooms spices for maximum flavor; longer cooking burns them and creates bitter taste
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Set valve to sealing position before pressure cooking
Unsealed valve prevents pressure from building, causing soup to simmer instead of pressure cook and resulting in undercooked chicken
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Allow 10-minute natural pressure release before manual release
Natural release prevents violent steam escape and allows residual heat to finish cooking; immediate venting can leave chicken tough and undercooked
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Shred chicken immediately after pressure release while still hot
Hot chicken shreds easily with forks; cooled chicken becomes fibrous and difficult to shred, resulting in chunky texture
Prep Get set first
About 8 min of prep
- Prep all vegetables: dice onion, mince garlic
- Measure out spices: cumin and chili powder
- Have chicken breasts ready and pat dry
- Drain and rinse black beans
- Gather all liquids: broth, canned tomatoes, olive oil
- Set up serving station with bowls, ladle, and toppings (lime, tortilla strips, cilantro, avocado, cheese, sour cream)
- Ensure Instant Pot is clean and ready to use
Total cook time is about 40 minutes (12 min pressure + 10 min natural release + 10 min passive), so prep thoroughly to stay organized.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat oil in Instant Pot
Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function and heat the olive oil until shimmering.
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Sauté onion
Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.
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Add garlic and spices
Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, and chili powder, cooking for 1 minute until the spices are fragrant.
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Add main ingredients
Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, corn, salt, and black pepper to the pot.
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Seal Instant Pot
Cancel the sauté function and seal the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the valve is set to sealing.
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Pressure cook
Cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
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Release pressure
Once cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
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Shred chicken
Carefully open the lid and remove the chicken breasts using tongs, then shred the chicken using two forks and return it to the pot.
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Combine soup
Stir the soup well to combine all ingredients.
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Serve with toppings
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with lime wedges, tortilla strips, cilantro, avocado, cheese, and sour cream on the side for guests to customize their bowls.
Chef's notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
Tortilla strips can be store-bought or made by cutting corn tortillas into strips and baking at 375°F for 8-10 minutes until crispy
Customize the heat level by adjusting the amount of chili powder or adding jalapeños during the sauté step