Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is a meal prep staple.
It’s versatile recipe that you can enjoy in many different and tasty ways. Salads, soups, stews & more!
Having cooked shredded chicken on hand makes weekday and weeknight cooking a breeze. Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is delicious, quick to make and can easily be added to soups, stews, salads, stir-fries, casseroles and the list goes on. It truly is one of my weekend meal prep staples and a recipe I include with almost every meal prep. In this post I show you exactly how to make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken with an easy to follow, step-by-step photo tutorial. So if you’re one of those who are intimidated by your new Instant Pot and it’s been in the box ever since the day you purchased it (mine sat in the box for 3 months), it’s time to dust it off and give it a try! For those of you thinking about purchasing on Instant, below is the one that I own and it’s is the perfect size for families up to 4-5 members.
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is a meal prep staple. Great for salads, soups, stews & more! Click To Tweet
Instant Pot DUO60 6 QRT. 7-in-1 Multi-use Programmable Cooker
How to Easy Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Full recipe below.
Place chicken breast in the Instant Pot with broth and a generous amount of seasonings of your choice. I like the Primal Palate Spice Blends such as Garlic & Herb or Adobo. For extra juicy shredded chicken, add a mix of boneless breasts and thighs.
Close the lid, turn the valve to sealing, select the poultry setting and set the time as instructed in the directions. After you select the time, your Instant Pot will say ‘ON’ until it reaches the right temperature and pressure. This takes a few minutes. Once it reaches the right temp and pressure, the timer will start. Note: the photos show about 5 lbs. of chicken. If using less chicken, you can reduce the time.
Once the time is up, turn the Instant Pot to ‘keep warm/cancel’ and turn the valve on the lid to venting. After the pressure is released entirely, remove the lid and transfer the chicken from the Instant Pot to a large pan.
Shred the chicken with whatever method you prefer. I use two forks.
Once shredded, place the chicken back into the Instant Pot and toss it with the broth. Doing this helps to enhance the juicy factor….because no one wants dry chicken.
Remove the chicken and enjoy it how ever your please. To store it, allow it to cool and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, you may freeze it. For example, I like to portion the chicken out into 4 oz. portions and freeze it in individual bags. That way it’s easy to remove just what I need from the freezer.
Needs some recipe inspiration?
No need to get bored with shredded chicken….here are 4 recipes that are perfect for using up Instant Pot Shredded Chicken:
Link to recipes: Strawberry Chicken Poppy Seed Salad | Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder | Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash | Classic Waldorf Chicken Salad
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Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 20 servings 1x
- Category: Instant Pot | Entree
Ingredients
- 4–5 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breast (may mix in chicken thighs)
- 2 Tbsp. seasoning of choice (Such as Primal Palate Spice Blends)
- 2/3 cup chicken broth or bone broth
- Sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Season chicken breast generously with seasonings of choice and salt & pepper.
- Place chicken breast in the Instant Pot with broth.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock in place and turn the valve to sealing.
- Select the poultry setting and set the timer for 20 minutes.
- For 4 lbs. of chicken set the time for 17 minutes for 3 lbs. of chicken set the time for 15 minutes.
- Once the time is up, select keep warm/cancel and switch the valve to venting to allow the pressure to release.
- Once all of the pressure is released, remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a large pan.
- Shred the chicken with two forks or whatever method you like best.
- Once shredded, transfer the chicken back to the Instant Pot and toss with the broth. Let it set in there for a few minutes to soak up the broth.
- Serve the chicken over a salad, in a soup or stew, as is, or however you please.
- Store leftovers in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For longer storage, store in the freezer.
Notes
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz. shredded chicken (~1/2 cup)
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 26g
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Barry Dixon-Loya says
Are the chicken breast/thighs boneless skinless?
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, boneless skinless works best. I’ll update the recipe to include that. Thanks!
Barry Dixon-Loya says
Cool! Loving my Instant Pot! Thanks!
Lanna says
Can you make this with frozen chicken?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lanna,
Yes, you can. You shouldn’t have to increase the cooking time unless the chicken is frozen into a thick brick (in which case I’d suggest trying to thaw it enough so that you can break it into smaller hunks).
Trish says
This is a great recipe! I have used it several times. It can easily be adjusted based on how much chicken you wish to make. I use the following spice combination: cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt & pepper (about 1/2 tsp each for 1-2 lbs chicken). This makes great chicken for salads, wraps, and nachos. We also like to add BBQ sauce and the kids love it as a sandwich. Thank you!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear that you love this recipe! And that sounds like an awesome combination of spices! 🙂
beth says
If I need to do a larger batch.. do I increase the cooking time 3 minutes per pound? I actually make this for my dogs- sans seasoning… and it would be great to do it in the instant pot instead of the crock pot but I haven’t had the nerve to try it yet.
Stacie Hassing says
Hey Beth. You must have some happy dogs 🙂 I’ve heard that you don’t have to increase the time but I have personally found that it works best to add more time, the more chicken you’re cooking. I would say about 2-3 minutes is accurate. In the recipe, I do give the suggested times based on the amount of chicken ranging from 3-5 lbs. You’ll love how much quicker it is to make shredded chicken in the IP vs. slow cooker.
Beth says
Thank you… and yes my dogs are very spoiled!!! But they’re worth it 🙂 Love your recipes!! Making the balsamic chicken and vegetables at this moment!
Rose in SC says
I know this is an older post, but just wanted to say THANKS for this easy recipe. I was so intimidated by my Instant Pot that it sat in the box for almost 3 years (bought it on the first Amazon Prime Day in July 2015 after nom nom paleo recommended it). Finally dug it out last month to start making bone broth. Will be trying your shredded chicken today.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Rose! It’s good to hear you finally dug out that IP and gave it a try! 🙂 Let us know if you give the Shredded chicken a try and how you like it.
Amber Dionisopoulos says
How much time would you add if you’re cooking the chicken from frozen, and how much broth did you use in the pot?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Amber,
You shouldn’t have to increase the cooking time at all if your chicken isn’t frozen into one big block (if it is, then you’ll need to add a couple minutes). Just lay the chicken pieces in the bottom of the pot so they’re overlapping slightly, add the broth or water and continue as written in the recipe. The Instant Pot will take longer to heat up and come to pressure because the chicken is frozen but like I said, if they’re not frozen into a solid block then you should be good to go.
Sue Degnan says
Hi Stacie! I, too, have been a hesitant IP user… but I’m jumping in now! Would you say 3 min. per pound of chicken is a good rule of thumb? Thanks for your inspiration 😉
Stacie Hassing says
That’s a good question. TBH I don’t know the exact rule for that. I usually cook at 2-3 lbs at a time for 13-15 min. Hope that helps!
Jacquelyn Yelton says
Hi. What setting should I use if I don’t have a poultry button?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jacquelyn,
You can use the ‘Pressure Cook” or “High Pressure’ setting for the amount of time specified in the recipe.
stephanie says
This was great!! I’m just learning to use my IP. This recipe was so easy too! I am prepping shredding chicken, then bagging in either single portion for quick addition to a salad or ramen, or family portions for quesadillas, burritos, soups and casseroles. I’m freezing each size for quick access. So much better than the store bought frozen stuff and much less expensive than the deli shredded chicken. Thanks for posting!
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Stephanie, for sharing how you’re using your shredded chicken to make life easier – I know our other readers will appreciate it as much as we do.
Katherine says
Can you do this with frozen chicken tenderloins?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Katherine,
Yes, you can. You don’t need to increase the cooking time if you cook them from frozen as long as they’re not frozen into a big block. If they are, then you’ll need to add some cooking time.
Paula Webb says
I just discovered a fast way to shred all that chicken! Use a hand held mixer like the kind you’d use for brownie batter. I was amazed. Put it in a deep bowl or it will fling everywhere. So worth it!!
Jessica Beacom says
Great tip, thanks for sharing!
Iheartnightherons says
This might be the best thing I’ve made in the Instapot. So easy but came out perfect! I used a generous amount of Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning, Trader Joe’s Garlic Salt and salt and pepper. Was perfect for chicken tacos tonight and will use the rest in Pho tomorrow.
Maybe because the thighs were not quite defrosted., there was over 1.5 cups of liquid that I poured off of chicken and didn’t add more broth, but just let it sit on warm fr 20 minutes to absorb that liquid.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear you enjoyed this recipe! It’s one of my meal prep staples!
Lauren says
Hi, I am not sure if this question has been asked, but is there a crockpot conversion for this? I do not have an instapot at this time.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lauren,
You can make this in the slow cooker by adding the chicken, spices/herbs and just 1/2 cup water or broth.
Sarah says
Have you ever made this using frozen chicken breasts? If so, what time adjustments?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sarah,
As long as your chicken breasts aren’t frozen into a large block you don’t need to add more cooking time. The Instant Pot will take longer to heat up and come to pressure which will essentially force thaw the breasts before the cooking time actually starts.
Lisa Darnell says
This is a great recipe! First time to cook chicken in the Instant Pot, and it turned out perfectly!! I used 5# boneless, skinless chicken breasts sprinkled lightly with Nature’s Seasoning, cooked on Poultry setting for 20 minutes, used instant release. I chopped the chicken for a King Ranch casserole. Saved me so much time!! Like having another person in the kitchen!
Erica Colburn says
Is this thawed or frozen chicken? I am assuming thawed, but not sure. And if thawed, how long in the IP for frozen chicken?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Erica,
This is for thawed chicken. You can use frozen chicken though. As long as the chicken isn’t frozen into a big chunk, you don’t need to add any extra cooking time since the chicken will partially thaw as the Instant Pot comes up to pressure. If you do have a big chunk of chicken, start by adding 15% to the cooking time. If after you release the pressure you find that it’s not cooked through, break up any remaining big pieces, replace the lid and add a few more minutes.
Kimberly Schultz says
My pressure cooker says to always use at least one cup of liquid, does the different amount of liquid influence cooking time even if it’s small amount?
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Ours say the same thing but with the water and the liquid in the salsa we’ve found that there is plenty of liquid.