Instant Pot Tex Mex Chicken and Beans

For ever such the longest time we've been making the slow-cooked version of these incredibly delicious chicken and beans. To say that's it been part of our regular meal rotation is to understate its importance to our culinary and emotional well-being. I make sure we're stocked with the necessary ingredients at all times so that when the craving hits, and that happens with frightening regularity, I'm ready to rock and roll in the morning so this can happily simmer away all day.

And then last week the unthinkable happened. The craving hit and I was unprepared. 😱 It was well into the afternoon when I realized that this was what we needed for dinner, and while I had the ingredients on hand, I only had dried pintos. Yikes! There was no way. But then, of course, I realized that there was yes way! I had an Instant Pot! And if this wasn't a reason to own one, then it really has no purpose in life at all.

It only took a few minutes to do a little figuring on how to adapt my slow-cooked version for the Instant Pot and I'll just skip to the chase here... that evening, as evidenced by the photo above, we were most happily dining on our wondrously scrumptious chicken and beans.

After 15 minutes or so, everyone's cooked and ready to roll!

Pull the chicken out, shred it and return it to the pot

Of course, if you don't have an Instant Pot, no worries. You can use a slow cooker or do it stovetop. I may still opt to do that now and then, but gosh, this was so easy, I don't know.

This is a pictorial representation of what we like to do with leftovers... serve them over rice with possibly a sprinkling of cheese, maybe a little avocado, whatever condiments are at hand. Best leftovers ever!

So below you'll see the setup... lots of condiments, tortillas, etc. etc. But honestly, just eating this straight from the pot with a big spoon is totally swoon-worthy. You can decide how much you might like to decorate and personalize your bowl. These are just some suggestions...

So in the recipe I've given you 2 versions; one that comes together in a flash using canned pinto beans and the other that takes just a bit longer using dried beans and chorizo. Both are worthy of the little bit of time required to get this meal on the table. And as with most Instant Pot recipes, it joyfully leaves your hands free to do other meaningful or insignificant undertakings while things cook. We like that. Here's the recipe...

Update Oct. 2021: Before we get to the recipe, though, I would like to address the comments that Ruth and Hilley left regarding how their IP went to “flash burn” and their pot dried out before the beans had finished cooking. As I mentioned in my response to them, I have never had this happen and it seems that others as well have had great success with the recipe as written. But it bothered me that they had experienced this frustrating issue, and I think that after a year of research, I think I finally might have an answer for them. And it comes from the IP queen herself, Melissa Clark. Here’s what she has to say about this…

Avoid the Dreaded ‘Burn’

Your electric pressure cooker can’t tell the difference between the tasty, caramelized bits that stick to the pot after you brown your ingredients (sometimes known as the fond) and food that is smoldering to a crisp. And that’s a common reason the burn message appears.

If you’ve seared your ingredients using the sauté function, add some liquid to the pot, bring it to a simmer, then scrape up all those browned bits thoroughly before locking the lid.

It’s also important to use enough liquid, at least a half cup, even if the recipe doesn’t direct you to. Older Instant Pot recipes, my own included, might have been tested on earlier models of the appliance, which had a less sensitive burn sensor. These recipes might not call for that much liquid because the old models didn’t need it.

If the burn message does come on midway through cooking, don’t panic. Simply release the pressure, open the pot and give everything a big stir, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom. If the pot looks dry, add a few tablespoons water or other liquid. Then reseal the pot and continue cooking.

Me: I had guessed that it might have something to do with the model IP we were each using and it seems that they don’t all cook the same. So, if you have this issue, I hope Melissa’s input will be helpful! Don’t miss out on making these delicious beans!

Instant Pot Tex Mex Chicken and Beans

I've given you two recipes below; one for the "super quick" version using canned beans and below it, the "pretty quick: version using dried beans. The "pretty quick" recipe also includes chorizo, so if you'd like to use the "super quick" version and add chorizo, just reference the "pretty quick" version on adding that in. Got that? 😳

Click here for a printable recipe

Serves 4-6

Super Quick Version...

3 cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups red salsa
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/2 cup water*
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

*Note: a couple of readers have had issues with this burning before it is finished cooking. The half cup of water works fine in my instant pot, but to be on the safe side, I recommend starting with 1 cup of water or chicken broth. If after cooking you feel it is too liquid-y, just simmer it for a few minutes with the lid off. It will also thicken a bit as it cools.

For serving:
small corn or flour tortillas
1/2 cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
sliced avocado
grated cheese

Stir together beans, salsa, onion, bell pepper, chiles, flour, salt and water in the Instant Pot. Season chicken with salt and pepper, arrange on top of bean mixture. Secure the lid and set the valve to seal. Press manual and set it to 15 minutes, then let it naturally release pressure for 5 minutes.

Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir well. Cover partially with the lid and let this sit for 15 minutes or so. The sauce will thicken as it sits. At this point you can keep it warm with the "warm" function or serve. The longer it sits, the thicker the sauce will become. If you need to thin the sauce, add a little chicken stock.

Serve with small corn or flour tortillas for scooping, sour cream, cilantro, grated cheese and sliced avocado for topping.

Leftovers are wonderful served over rice and sprinkled with cotija cheese and cilantro!

Pretty Quick Version...

1/2 lb dried pinto beans, rinsed
4 cups water
2 tsp salt
1/2 lb bulk Mexican chorizo (optional)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups red salsa (½ cup if using chorizo)
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (omit if using chorizo)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup water
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Place the rinsed pinto beans into the Instant Pot along with the water and salt. Secure the lid and seal the valve. Press Manual and then set to 25 minutes. Let the beans naturally release for 20 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside.

Press the saute function and If using the chorizo, add it to the pot. Use a spoon to break it up and cook until it is brown and mostly cooked through. If not using chorizo, add the vegetable oil to the pot, along with the onion and red pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes. Press cancel.

Return the beans to the pan and add the remaining ingredients, except for the chicken. Stir to combine and then lay the chicken thighs on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Secure the lid and set the valve to seal. Press manual and set it to 15 minutes, then let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred it with 2 forks. Return it to the pan and stir well. Cover partially with the lid and let this sit for 15 minutes or so. The sauce will thicken as it sits. At this point you can keep it warm with the "warm" function or serve. The longer it sits, the thicker the sauce will become. If you need to thin the sauce, add a little chicken stock.

Serve with small corn or flour tortillas for scooping, sour cream, cilantro, grated cheese and sliced avocado for topping.

Leftovers are wonderful served over rice and sprinkled with cilantro and cotija cheese!