Instant Pot Chili Lime Chicken Recipe - Paleo, Whole30 (2024)

Chili Lime Chicken is moist, tender, and bursting with flavor. This chicken is savory and sweet with a little bit of heat. It is perfect for salads, burritos, tacos, pasta, and more.

Having a delicious protein on hand for quick dinners is a necessity for anyone trying to eat healthier. Paleo Chili Lime Chicken is a favorite at our house because it is quick, easy, & delicious. Anything that I can make in an Instant Pot quickly becomes a favorite. Even better, my chili lime chicken is Paleo, Keto, and perfect for a Whole30.

The fastest and easiest way to make Paleo Chili Lime Chicken is by using an Instant Pot. It is hands-free and you are always guaranteed perfect chicken.

Don’t Have an Instant Pot?

Don’t worry if you do not have an Instant Pot – you can make this chicken in your oven or slow-cooker. (Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes or cook in your slow cooker on low for 4 – 6 hours.)

🥘 Ingredients Needed

• Thinly Sliced Chicken breast
• A Diced or Thinly Sliced Onion
• Kosher Salt
• Olive Oil
• Tajin chili-lime seasoning

🥣 How to Make It

Chili lime chicken is so easy to make. If you have never made chicken in an Instant Pot, read this shredded chicken post for some more tips.

First, slice your chicken in half horizontally. The best way to do this is to place your palm on your chicken breast and then slice all the way through like you are cutting a bagel or a roll in half. (You can also buy chicken filets or cutlets that are already thinly sliced.If you don’t want to cut your chicken breasts in half, follow the same cooking steps but your cooking time will increase.)

Next, place your chicken on a plate or in a bowl and coat completely on both sides with Tajin Seasoning and a sprinkle of salt. (Picture 2)

Tajin seasoning has a lot of flavor and will make some awesome chicken – especially if you give it some time to marinate. I recommend that you cover the chicken and place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. If you are in a rush, you can cook it right away, but I like it better if it sits for a bit. While your chicken is soaking up all the goodness of the Tajin seasoning, chop up your onions. You can dice them or slice them – whichever you prefer – both ways work well.

Next, heat up your Instant Pot by pressing the saute button (Picture 3), then add 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil and get that nice and hot. (Picture 4)

It won’t take long to heat up – a minute or less should do the trick, as theinner pot of the Instant Pot is pretty thin.

Once your oil gets warm, lay your chicken breasts in your Instant Pot and sear for 2-3 minutes. (Picture 5)

Next, flip the chicken and sear the other side. You are not trying to cook the chicken, just giving it a quick sear to seal in the moisture and get a nice crust on the outside. (Pictures 5 – 6)

Once all your chicken is seared, add your onions and then press your “Off ” or “Cancel/Keep Warm” button. (Picture 6 – 8) If you have a lot of pieces of chicken, sear them a few at a time until all are cooked. Return all of the chicken to the pot before adding onions.

Next, put the lid on and close your Instant Pot, making sure your vent is closed.

Press your “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 7 minutes. (Picture 9) If you don’t cut your chicken in half, set your Instant Pot to cook for 14 minutes.

When the time is up, turn your Instant Pot off and let the pressure reduce naturally. Open the lid only when the pin has dropped.

Remove your chicken breasts and let them cool. Dice or shred your chicken and return it to the cooking liquids to keep all the good flavors. (Picture 10) (When I shred my chicken, I like to use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer.)

🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating

Once cooked, chili lime chicken must be refrigerated. Wait for it to cool and store the chicken and onions in their cooking liquids in an airtight container. Enjoy within 3 – 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

Use your delicious chicken for salads, burritos, pasta, enchiladas, casseroles, tacos – whatever your heart desires!

✏️ Helpful Tips

• I 150% recommend slicing your chicken breasts in half so that they are nice and thin. This makes the seasoning to chicken ratio much better – more seasoning per square inch of chicken.
• I highly recommend NOT Quick Releasing your Instant Pot. Letting the pressure release on its own will keep the chicken moist.