Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
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Create the most juicy and flavorful Instant Pot Shredded Chicken with this quick and easy 3 ingredient recipe! Use the shredded chicken to make tacos, chicken pot pie, salads, sandwiches or enchiladas!
You can use boneless or bone-in chicken breasts, thighs or frozen chicken to make this easy Instant Pot recipe.
The very first thing I ever made in my Instant Pot back in 2017 was shredded chicken. It’s so simple and perfect for adding to so many recipes. But what took my Instant Pot shredded chicken from basic to WOW, was this delicious Chicken Seasoning! It’s the secret ingredient that makes this THE BEST shredded chicken recipe on the internet!
The best part about this recipe is that it can be made using fresh or frozen chicken breasts, bone-in or boneless chicken and chicken breasts or thighs. This makes it a truly versatile recipe, no matter what chicken you have in your fridge or freezer. I like using bone-in chicken breasts, because the bone gives the chicken more flavor. And as a bonus, it’s usually cheaper than boneless, skinless chicken breasts!
If you purchase bone-in chicken breasts that still have the skin attached, it’s easy to remove the skin with a sharp knife before making the recipe. That’s what I did with the bone-in split chicken breasts that you’ll see pictured throughout this post. I was able to pick these up for $.99 a pound, now that’s a deal I could not pass up!
My other favorite way to use this recipe is to cook frozen chicken breasts that I forgot to defrost. Yup, we’ve all been there! Luckily, there’s no need to defrost chicken before adding it to the Instant Pot. Just pop it right in and let the pressure cooker do the work!
Just follow these 3 keys to success for the MOST juicy, tender and flavorful shredded chicken breasts you’ve ever made!
- Use the secret ingredient chicken seasoning to flavor the chicken!
- Instead of cooking the chicken in water, cook it in chicken broth, for even more flavor!
- Use bone-in chicken breasts to add, you guessed it, even more flavor from the bone!
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Boneless or bone-in chicken breasts or thighs – frozen, fresh, boneless or bone-in, chicken breasts or thighs, they’ll all work for this recipe! If using fresh boneless chicken breasts, you’ll want to cook them for 10 minutes, for everything else, add 2 minutes to the cooking time.
- Chicken broth – you can also use vegetable broth or water, but I prefer chicken broth for maximum flavor.
- Chicken seasoning – It only takes 5 minutes to whip up this easy 7 ingredient spice blend that adds so much flavor to this Instant Pot chicken recipe. If you don’t have the chicken seasoning, I recommend using 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon black pepper + 1 teaspoon garlic powder to season the chicken.
Step by step instructions
- Add chicken breasts or thighs to an Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle the chicken seasoning over the chicken, then pour the broth into the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the pressure valve to “sealing”. For bone-in chicken breasts, frozen chicken breasts or chicken thighs, set the timer on the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. For fresh (not frozen) boneless chicken breasts, set the timer to 10 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps, allow the Instant Pot to pressure down for 10 minutes. Move the pressure valve from “sealing” to “venting” to release any remaining pressure. Once all of the pressure has been released, remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
- Use two forks or tongs to remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. Place it on a large cutting board.
- Use two forks or meat claws to shred the chicken. You can also wait until the chicken cools enough to touch and shred the chicken with your hands. You can either use the chicken immediately, or toss it back in the broth in the Instant Pot to keep it warm and juicy, until ready to serve.
Pro Tip! After removing the chicken from the cooking liquid in the Instant Pot, don’t just throw that broth down the drain! Use it to make soups, sauces or chicken stroganoff. You can store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to one week.
Tips and tricks
- While the chicken seasoning is my secret for making a mouthwatering neutral-flavored chicken, you can use other seasonings in this recipe also. Use this chicken wing seasoning to make spicy, smoky chicken, perfect for adding to recipes with buffalo sauce. Use this taco seasoning to make Mexican shredded chicken for tacos or enchiladas. Or use Italian seasoning to make Italian shredded chicken for pasta dishes or salads.
- One pound of chicken will give you approximately 2 cups of shredded chicken. Chicken breasts vary in size greatly. When determining how much shredded chicken you’ll need for a recipe, I recommend going by weight NOT the number of breasts or thighs.
- This recipe can be made with 1 pound of chicken, up to 6 pounds of chicken, using a 6 quart Instant Pot. If making the recipe with 1 pound of chicken, cut the seasoning and broth in half. Always make sure the bottom of the Instant Pot is covered in liquid, or you risk getting the “burn” signal. If doubling or tripling this recipe to make 4 or 6 pounds of chicken, you’ll want to double or triple the amount of seasoning and broth.
- Cooked, shredded chicken will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does chicken take in an Instant Pot? It should take approximately 25-30 minutes to cook chicken in an Instant Pot. Once you add the ingredients to the pot and set the timer, it will take approximately 6-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure. After that, you’ll need to cook the chicken for 10-12 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Can you put frozen chicken in an Instant Pot? Yes! That’s one of the wonderful things about this recipe. There’s no defrosting required. And you only need to add 2 minutes to the cooking time if your chicken is frozen.
- Can you shred the chicken directly in the Instant Pot? Sure thing! I find it easier to shred it on a cutting board, but if you want to save on dishes (which I totally understand!) simply stick two forks in the pot and shred it right in there! You can also use a hand mixer to shred the chicken directly in the Instant Pot. I only recommend this when pressure cooking 2 pounds of chicken or less. Otherwise you can end up splashing hot chicken broth out of the Instant Pot.
- How do you know that the chicken is cooked? Always use an instant read meat thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, after removing the lid from the Instant Pot. If your chicken breasts are extremely large and do not come up to temperature after the initial cooking time, place the lid back on the Instant Pot. Pressure cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Ways to use it
The possibilities really are endless when it comes to the ways you can use this shredded chicken. From a simple chicken wrap, to chicken salads, chicken pot pie, chicken tacos and more!
This is the perfect recipe to make as part of your meal prep routine. You can make a big batch on Sunday, then eat it several different ways throughout the week. Toss it with BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce or salsa to make a bbq chicken salad, buffalo chicken wrap or chicken burritos.
And if you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out 12 of my favorite ways to use the chicken in recipes.
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (pictured above) – this recipe was one of the first I ever posted on the blog in 2011. And it continues to be a hit at parties, for Super Bowl Sunday and BBQ’s! Adding this shredded chicken to the dip gives it an extra layer of flavor!
- Chicken Pot Pie – there’s nothing better than this classic comfort food meal! Prep the chicken ahead of time to make this pot pie recipe faster and easier. And if you want to spice things up, try my Cajun Chicken Pot Pie, it’s a family favorite!
- Chipotle Chicken Tacos – using this simple shredded chicken recipe, it only takes 10 minutes to toss together these tasty tacos!
- Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Sauce – when you pair this flavorful chicken with the amazing creamy avocado sauce in this enchilada recipe, the whole family will be lining up for seconds!
- Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Casserole – easy, cheesy and low carb, be sure to save some shredded chicken to make this flavorful casserole!
- Cheesy Green Chili Rolled Chicken Tacos – perfect for dinner on Taco Tuesday or a party appetizer, these rolled tacos are as tasty as they are easy to make!
- Buffalo Chicken Ring – if you’ve ever had my famous ground beef taco ring, then you must try this buffalo chicken spin on the family-friendly recipe!
- Green Chili Chicken Spaghetti Squash – everyone will go crazy for the flavor in this healthy, gluten free dinner recipe!
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole – this easy layered casserole dish is healthy, simple and gluten free!
- Buffalo Chicken Wrap – one of my favorite easy lunches, this chicken wrap is easy to whip up with cooked, shredded chicken in just 5 minutes!
- Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Soup – one of the most flavorful soup recipes you’ll ever try! This enchilada soup is easy to make with a nice kick of spice!
- Buffalo Chicken Cheesy Pasta – the most popular recipe of all time on the blog is the perfect recipe to make with this shredded chicken. Whether it’s your first time making the pasta dish, or your 100th, I know you’ll love it even more with this flavorful chicken added to the dish!
More Instant Pot recipes
Try my other go-to recipes, made in the Instant Pot! You could even toss this chicken right into the risotto, or serve it on top of the mashed potatoes!
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Risotto
- French Onion Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Beef Ragu
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, boneless or bone-in, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons chicken seasoning
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Add skinless chicken breasts to an Instant Pot.
- Sprinkle the chicken seasoning over the chicken, then pour the broth into the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the pressure valve to “sealing”.
- For bone-in chicken breasts, frozen chicken breasts or chicken thighs, set the timer on the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. For fresh (not frozen) boneless chicken breasts, set the timer to 10 minutes.
- Once the timer beeps, allow the Instant Pot to pressure down for 10 minutes, then move the pressure valve from “sealing” to “venting” to release any remaining pressure.
- Once all of the pressure has been released, remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
- Use two forks or tongs to remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and place it on a large cutting board.
- Use two forks or meat claws to shred the chicken. You can also wait until the chicken cools enough to touch and shred the chicken with your hands.
- You can either use the chicken immediately, or toss it back in the broth in the Instant Pot to keep it warm and juicy, until ready to serve.
Notes
- The nutritional information provided is for 1 cup of shredded boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- After removing the chicken from the cooking liquid in the Instant Pot, don’t just throw that broth down the drain! Use it to make soups, sauces or chicken stroganoff. You can store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to one week to use in other recipes.
- Instead of the chicken seasoning, you can use other seasonings in this recipe. Use taco seasoning to make Mexican shredded chicken for tacos or enchiladas, or Italian seasoning to make Italian shredded chicken for pasta dishes or salads.
- One pound of chicken will give you approximately 2 cups of shredded chicken. Chicken breasts vary in size greatly, so when determining how much shredded chicken you’ll need for a recipe, I recommend going by weight NOT the number of breasts or thighs.
- This recipe can be made with 1 pound of chicken, up to 6 pounds of chicken, using a 6 quart Instant Pot. If making the recipe with 1 pound of chicken, cut the seasoning and broth in half, but always make sure the bottom of the Instant Pot is covered in liquid, or you risk getting the “burn” signal. If doubling or tripling this recipe to make 4 or 6 pounds of chicken, you’ll want to double or triple the amount of seasoning and broth.
- Cooked, shredded chicken will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the shredded chicken in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Nutrition Facts
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