Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast
Instant pot shredded chicken breast is the easiest way to make shredded chicken for meal prep or to use to make salads, soups, casseroles and more! You are not going to believe how simple it is to make pulled chicken in your instant pot!
Why you are going to love this recipe
- Simple and healthy – once you make shredded chicken breast in the instant pot, you are never going to want to make them any other way. All you have to do is add the chicken and water, put the lid on and set it and forget it. No hassle and unlike the slow cooker, it doesn’t take hours to make. This base recipe is Whole30, paleo, keto, low carb and gluten free so perfect for most diets and a great way to add protein to meals.
- Perfect for meal prep – get lots of chicken prepped at once for your weekly meal prep. Once the pressure cooker shredded chicken breast is cooked, you can use in in a number of ways or have it on hand during the week to add to dishes (like this Chicken Shawarma or Chicken Rice Casserole).
- Season it anyway you want – this chicken can be seasoned so many ways to make it fit into any meal. italian, ranch, cajun, greek, taco are all easy to make by simply sprinkling the chicken with seasoning before turning on the instant pot.
- Great way to cook frozen chicken too! If you forgot to take your chicken out of the freezer for dinner, simply use your instant pot to cook it! This is much safer than using a crockpot. Simply add 3-5 minutes of cooking time to the instant pot depending on how many pounds of chicken you are cooking (3 minutes for 1-2 pounds, 5 minutes for anything over 2 pounds).
Ingredients
- Chicken breast – you can make instant pot shredded chicken breast or chicken thighs. It’s best to use boneless, skinless chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs take less time to cook than chicken breast since they are typically not as thick. I tested this recipe on chicken breast that were about ½ pound each (2 breast in a 1.25 pound pack). If you are using small chicken breast (4 -6 oz), you can cook them for 12 minutes high pressure instead of 15.
- Water or chicken stock – water is needed to help the instant pot get up to pressure. You can also use chicken broth or chicken stock as it can add more flavor to the chicken. That is 100% up to you and depends on what you have on hand and if you want to spend the money on using chicken stock/broth.
- Optional: Salt and Spices (see ideas below) – I typically add a pinch of salt and that is about it to the chicken before cooking if the chicken will be for a meal prep. If I am making a batch for a specific meal (tacos for example), I will season the chicken breast before adding the water to the instant pot insert.
How to make instant pot shredded chicken
Check out a quick visual story on how to make instant pot pulled chicken.
Start by adding the chicken to the pressure cooker. Sprinkle the chicken breast with optional salt and seasoning, liberally coating the top side of the chicken with spices. Add 1-2 cups of liquid to the pot.
Put the lid on, make sure it’s sealed and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow the chicken to naturally release pressure (this takes typically 10-14 minutes).
Note: The total time for cooking chicken breast like this is usually about 35-40 minutes, since it takes about 7-10 minutes for the instant pot to come up to pressure depending on how much water you add and how much chicken is in the pot.
After the pressure has been released, remove the lid.
If you made plain chicken, shred the chicken directly in the instant pot, as the chicken will soak up some of the juices from cooking as you shred it. This makes the leftover chicken juicier.
If you added spices, you may want to transfer the chicken to a bowl to shred as the spices will get diluted in the water as you shred the chicken. You can always add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid to the bowl you are shredding the chicken in to help it absorb some liquid.
Use immediately or store in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Top tips
- Cooking time depends on how many pounds you will be cooking at once and how thick the chicken breast is.
- I tend to buy larger chicken breast (2 breast is about 1-1.25 pounds of chicken), and that needs 15 minutes of high pressure, with a natural release.
- If you have smaller chicken breast or are cooking chicken tenders, you can reduce the cooking time to 12-13 minutes instead of 15 minutes.
- If you need your chicken cooked faster, cut it down into thin strips or cubes. You can chicken cut into 1 inch cubes and cook it for 3 minutes, high pressure and at least 10 minutes natural release time.
- Season as needed. If you are going to use this instant pot shredded chicken as part of your meal prep and plan on using the chicken in many ways, (on salads, in tacos, in soups, in casseroles) don’t season the chicken during cooking. Instead, season the chicken right before using.
- Cook directly from frozen by adding 3-5 minutes to the cooking time. 3 minutes for 1-2 pounds of chicken and 3-5 minutes for 2+ pounds of chicken.
Seasoning ideas
I like to make pressure cooker shredded chicken plain so that I can use it as part of my meal prep. This cooked chicken is seasoned the night I plan on eating it when I’m reheating the chicken.
If you plan on eating the chicken immediately, you may find it easier to season the chicken before cooking instead. Here are some great spices you could add:
- Taco – liberally sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt over the chicken
- Cajun – liberally sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt over the chicken
- Ranch – add 1 tablespoon dried chives, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried dill, and ½ tsp. salt.
- Italian – add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the chicken
- Greek – add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the chicken.
You can also add sauces to plain shredded chicken cooked in the instant pot to add flavor after cooking. Some delicious sauces to add include:
- Chimichurri
- Pesto
- Roasted Red Pepper
- Chipotle Cherry BBQ Sauce
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Creamy Basil Dressing or Cilantro Lime Dressing
How to use shredded chicken breast
- Add to salads
- Use in chicken salads
- Make healthy creamy buffalo chicken dip or add to spinach artichoke dip
- In casseroles
- Add to soups
- To make tacos (simply sprinkle with homemade taco seasoning) or lettuce wraps (add cajun seasoning for a flavorful and simple lettuce wrap).
- To make quick meals like chicken shawarma rice.
Common questions
Do you need to use the trivet in the instant pot when cooking chicken?
No, just add the chicken directly to the instant pot insert, no need to use the trivet. The chicken will cook directly in the liquid.
What is the best way to shred chicken
Chicken shreds the easiest when it is still warm, so if you plan on shredding the chicken it’s best to do it while it’s still warm from cooking. There are 2 ways to shred instant pot chicken easily:
- Two forks – for 1-2 pounds of chicken you can shred the chicken with two forks. It should be very soft and easy to shred. You can shred the chicken in the liquid from cooking or in a separate bowl.
- Hand mixer or Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer – if you made more than 2 pounds of chicken at once, it may be easier to shred the chicken using a hand mixer or stand mixer to shred the chicken in under 30 seconds. You can add the chicken back to the cooking liquid to absorb some of the liquid after cooking or leave it out of the liquid.
How to cut down cooking time
Cooking time is dependent on how thick the chicken is.
If you want to cut down cooking time, cut the chicken into smaller pieces.
- If you can cut the chicken down into 1 inch cubes, you can cook 3 minutes on high pressure and naturally release pressure.
- You can cut the chicken into tenders, you can cut the cooking time down to 8-10 minutes.
Do you have to increase cooking time when you double the recipe?
If you will be cooking more than 2 pounds of chicken at once in the instant pot, increase the cooking time 1-2 minutes to ensure all the chicken has time to cook through. You do not need to increase the water though.
How to make shredded chicken with frozen chicken breast in the instant pot
Follow the same instructions above but add 3-5 minutes to the cooking time.
- For 1-2 pounds of chicken, add 3 minutes.
- For more than 2 pounds of chicken, add 5 minutes.
Can you make instant pot shredded chicken with chicken thighs?
Yes! I would recommend getting boneless, skinless chicken thighs to make it easy to shred them after cooking.
Follow the same instructions here, but only cook the chicken thighs for 13 minutes on high pressure with a natural release (increase that to 15 minutes for frozen). Check out all my tips on how to make shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot.
How long do you have to cook bone-in chicken breast in the instant pot?
If you have bone-in chicken, you will need to increase cooking time to 20 minutes high pressure with a natural release.
Can you make shredded chicken without the instant pot?
Yes! You can also make shredded chicken breast using the slow cooker or you can cook the chicken on the stove.
- To make shredded chicken in the crockpot, simply add the chicken and about 1 cup of water to the slow cooker. Turn on high for 3-4 hours or low for 8 hours. The chicken should be tender and easy to shred.
- To make shredded chicken on the stove, add the chicken to a pot and cover the chicken with water. Bring the pot to a boil and immediately turn the heat down to low to allow the water to simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes (depending on how thick the chicken is and how many pieces are in the water). You want the chicken to reach 165F internally at the thickest part of the breast. Once the chicken has come up to temperature, remove it from the poaching liquid and shred it.
Storing pulled chicken
- Fridge: Shredded chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days after cooking. Be sure to put the chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. I like to add a date to the chicken so I know when it was cooked, especially if I am adding the chicken later in the week to a casserole or salad.
- Freezer: You can store pulled chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze the chicken in individual servings (4-6 oz) so that I can defrost just one serving or 4 at a time depending on what I’m making. I use Soupercubes to make freezing leftovers easy.
- Add the cooled chicken to the Soupercubes, freeze it and once frozen, pop it from the mold and store it in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Be sure to label with the name, date and use by date.
- Defrost frozen shredded chicken in the fridge overnight or in a small saucepan with about ½ cup of water over low to medium low heat until defrosted and warmed through.
If you love this instant pot recipe, be sure to try these too
- Instant Pot Quinoa
- Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
- Instant Pot Black Beans
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Yellow Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes
- Instant Pot Asian Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Chickpea Pasta
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast
$5.72 Recipe/$1.63 ServingIngredients
- 1 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless - $5.69
- 1 cup water - $0.00
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional) - $0.03
Instructions
- Add the chicken directly to the instant pot. Sprinkle with salt and optional spices and pour the water around the chicken.
- Put the lid on and make sure the instant pot is set to sealing.
- Cook high pressure for 15 minutes, allow pressure to naturally release for at least 10 minutes.
- Once pressure has released, open the instant pot. Shred the chicken directly in the instant pot with 2 forks or take out and shred in a bowl with forks or a hand mixer/kitchen aid mixer.
- Use immediately or store in fridge 3-4 days or freezer up to 3 months.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Notes
- Taco – liberally sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt over the chicken
- Cajun – liberally sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt over the chicken
- Ranch – add 1 tablespoon dried chives, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried dill, and ½ tsp. salt.
- Italian – add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the chicken
- Greek – add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the chicken.
- Chimichurri
- Pesto
- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- Chipotle Cherry BBQ Sauce
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Creamy Basil Dressing or Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Fridge: Chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days after cooking in an airtight container.
- Freezer: You can store cooked shredded chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze the chicken in individual servings (4-6 oz) so that I can defrost just one serving or 4 at a time depending on what I’m making. I use Soupercubes to make freezing leftovers easy.
- Defrost frozen instant pot shredded chicken in the fridge overnight or in a small saucepan with about ½ cup of water over low to medium low heat until defrosted and warmed through.
